November 25, 2009

THE Since 1889 75 Cents HaHardwick ◆ Greensborord ◆ Craftsburyw ◆ Wickolcott ◆ Walden ◆ Stannard Gazette ◆ Woodbury ◆ Calais ◆ Cabot ◆ Marshfield Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Volume 120, Number 46 Students Local Hunger Increases, Find But Help Keeps Pace by Tommy Gardner According to Food Pantry di- mings, potatoes, vegetables and, of Business HARDWICK — Vermont is a rector Angie Grace, 80 families course, pies. hungry state. received Thanksgiving dinner box- During the rest of year, the typ- The evidence of this can be es this past Saturday, 20 more than ical Food Pantry pickup is not as A Cut gleaned from the statistics in a report last year, or a 30 percent increase. extravagant, but it is still busy year- issued last week by the U.S. Depart- Thirty-nine households have al- round. In the cold months people ment of Agriculture ranking ready signed up for Christmas struggle to pay for food and fuel, and Vermont as the sixth-hungriest state baskets, and they are all different in the summer months, families with Above in the nation. people, since the Pantry’s rules say school-aged children might need help At the Hardwick Area Food Pan- a family cannot receive both holi- with the lunches. But Grace also said by Will Walters try, the evidence is measured in day boxes. They are well-stocked there is no such thing as the typical CABOT — What started as a turkeys and pies. boxes: turkey with all the trim- See HUNGER, Page Twelve simple forestry project for some Hazen students a few years ago has expanded into a multifaceted enter- prise of their own development. Originally working hourly picking Pent Road Gets New Life corn and pumpkins and harvesting Christmas trees on the Cabot Tree Farm, Levi Chase, C.J. Hill, Kevin Fradette, Skylar Grimes and Bren- With Upgrade To Class IV dan Thompson have created their own business model to increase work, by Tommy Gardner an hour of closed-door discussions The Howards seemed to be revenue and customer attraction. HARDWICK — Saying it was Thursday night, two weeks after the fighting an uphill battle in the Nov. In addition to cutting trees for in the town’s best interest, the Se- Select Board visited the disputed road 5 public hearing, since the board re- wholesale distribution by Richard lect Board last week voted and held a public hearing on the mat- fused to allow them to question the Hourihan, the owner, the students unanimously to deny a Mackville ter. In the dispute, horse farmers legality of the road, thereby strip- will sell directly to people who come area couple’s request that the town Debbie and George Howard argued ping the Howards of their main up to pick and cut their own tree. discontinue a pent road that bi- for the road’s dissolution while an op- argument. Instead, they had to re- With logs cut the previous year, and sects their property. The board posing group of landowners — Mike sort to convincing the board the milled by Chase in Hardwick, the instead voted to upgrade the clas- and Roger Demers, Steven Sampson town did not need the road, and the students this year built a “Choose sification on the road. and Charles Volk — asked the town electric fences across the road were and Cut” sale shop, one they plan on The decision came after nearly not to give up a public right-of-way. See ROAD, Page Eleven heating during winter with a Frank- lin stove. The shop will offer coffee and hot dogs to create additional sales for them, and also offer wreaths. Votes Needed For Commuter Chase said to attract customers to their site, a coupon will be sent to area schools and organizations and if presented by the customer, will Bus To Start Next Spring earn a $1 donation from the proceeds to the school or organization indicat- by Will Walters asked Rich Phillips, energy coordina- ting federal funds to finance the ed on the coupon. MARSHFIELD — A commuter tor, “Are we making a multi-year project. Chase said when harvesting bus between St. Johnsbury and commitment?” Phillips said this is for If the three towns approve the trees, the cuttings are now used to Montpelier needs only the towns of one year and will depend on annual local share needed then the bus route make wreaths for sale, with two or Marshfield, Plainfield and East renewals to continue. can begin operation in April, said three other students engaged in this Montpelier to vote the final $25,000 Phillips told the Select Board Phillips. He said plans are to have project. Last year, 200-300 trees and to fund the project. Each town will the state Agency of Transportation two buses running a morning route wreaths were supplied from the need to provide one-third, or $8,300 was funding the project though a in both directions as well as two af- Cabot farm. toward the total amount. grant to Green Mountain Transpor- ternoon runs. The cost, Phillips said, All of these business expansion The Select Board will warn the tation and St. Johnsbury is expected to be $2 for a one-way ride. ideas were thought up by the stu- question on the March Town Meet- Transportation to manage different The board reviewed the pro dents. ing ballot. Chair John Warshow sections of the run. AOT is also get- See BUS, Page Eleven The Hazen students expanded their educational experience with the opportunity to act as instructors to environmental studies students from Yale University in New Haven, Pies And Soup Plentiful Conn., who came up to work at the See STUDENTS, Page Seven For Thanksgiving Meals by June Pichel Cook any one person but seeing people community effort and provided Town And CRAFTSBURY — Elena working together. something extra at the area food Gustavson, education and commu- “That’s important. This project pantries, schools, and community nity outreach director of the Center is special on many levels. It’s our dinners. Village for an Agricultural Economy, wasn’t community feeding our community With the help of Sterling College sure if this year’s Pies-for-People and taking advantage of resources to students in harvesting this year’s project could match the energy of directly feed people.” crop; with the use of Pete’s Greens fa- Look At last year’s results. Two nights of The project, launched last year, cilities and refrigerated truck for baking and soup-making produced grew from efforts of High Mowing extracting the pulp and for deliver- 135 squash pies, doubled over last Seeds president Tom Stearns to use ies; with the donations from area Pros And year and equaling about 800 serv- butternut squash pulp after the producers; and with the volunteers ings; plus something new, 25 seeds had been extracted. With do- from Sterling College and the Uni- gallons of soup. nations of ingredients and pie crusts versity of Vermont, the Cons of Gustavson said Pies-for-People and volunteer help, the Pies-for-Peo- Pies-for-People project has helped to See PIES, Page Four Merging isn’t “about any one organization and ple project was well grounded as a by Will Walters CABOT — After casually men- This Is Easy! Take A Picture! Workers tioning the topic over the past Hardwick Elementary School third grader Noah Allaire, the son of Kendra and Dennis couple of years, the Select Board Allaire of Hardwick, shows how easily he can do a headstand during recess at school Nov. 19. and Village Trustees met last week With the warm days this week — in the 50s Tuesday — students, and adults, are turning Start and discussed merging the village cartwheels, at the unseasonable warmth. Shhh, it may snow by the end of the week... into the town. (photo by Vanessa Fournier) “Let’s go over the pros and con’s Construction here,” said Trustee chair Carl Bean, opening the discussion. “I don’t see any con’s to this, maybe one less On New board to deal with,” responded Select Board chair Caleb Pitkin. Health The major interest in merging, Venture Center Advisory expressed Pitkin, revolved around the village’s water department. Man- Center agement of the department by the by Tommy Gardner contractor for the town’s wastewater Board Formed, New Food HARDWICK — Even as winter department might be cheaper run- draws near, workers have begun ning both. work this week on a new health cen- “Realistically, both of them ter. Although the project has been could be run cheaper,” Bean said. “It Businesses To Be Solicited delayed for a couple months, the might be cheaper, but I don’t know if by Tommy Gardner the recently-formed advisory board tural Economy; David Marvin; either project’s overseers are confident the the rest of the village would want it.” doctor will be in by next summer. Pitkin said United Water, the HARDWICK — The Vermont met last week to prepare for when the Andy or Mateo Kehler; and Steve Food Venture Center will not start food business incubator finally opens Patterson, executive director of the Alan Langmaid is the facilities wastewater operator, wanted to do a manager for Northern Counties proposal but needed more informa- construction on its new 13,000 up in the Hardwick Industrial Park, Northeast Vermont Development square-foot facility this year, but perhaps next summer. The advisory Association. Health Care, the non-profit organi- tion. Bean said it gave a higher zation that oversees the Hardwick proposal than the current operator of while it does not have any walls yet, board is a who’s who of area agricul- Last week’s meeting was more of it does have a new board.

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