The Bridge, June 26, 2019, P. 3
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When Lafayette Came to Montpelier • Pages 8–9 JUNE 26 – JULY 9, 2019 Summer Fun & Independence Day IN THIS ISSUE: The Future is Now in Jay Craven’s Wetware Pg. 5 Berlin Street Speed By Mike Dunphy Limit to Drop ivilization struggles in the face of scarce resources of political leadership; look at the lack of accountability or and collapsing ecosystems. There are jobs no one democratic structures; look at the decline of community and Pg. 10 Five Summer Hikes wants. Yet many remain desperate for security everybody increasingly cocooning in their own world; look at “Cand well-being”—so reads the opening frame of Jay Craven’s the nature of health care and the basic way in which systems in Central Vermont new film, Wetware. One solution for and corporations operate. Everything the down and out in this dystopic is transactional.” future world is to offer themselves In this world, emotion of any kind Pg. 12–13 Do Good Fest up for genetic enhancements—and appears as the rarest of commodities Makes Good wiped memories—and take on and is all but absent in the faces, the tough jobs, like toxic cleanup, voices, and movements of the film’s animal slaughter, bounty hunting, characters, as if the life has been and espionage. However, when Kay sucked out of them by some off-stage Remilard (Morgan Wolk) walks in original sin. The effect is enhanced ECRWSS PRSRT STD Montpelier, VT Montpelier, Permit NO. 123 the door, genetic programmer Hal by the dark lighting and confined U.S. Postage PAID Briggs (Cameron Scoggins) has spaces of most scenes, and lugubrious another idea. language wafting slowly inside them. It’s indeed a bleak reality in Wetware, Kay Remilard (Morgan Wolk) and Jack It’s also what drives Briggs to a cerebral, moody piece of sci-fi based Portman (Bret Lada) in Wetware. genetically enhance Kay and her on the 2003 book by Craig Nova Photo courtesy of Jay Craven. partner Jack Portman (Bret Lada)— that feels more real than it should. two prime specimens—with an ability That’s no accident, according to Craven. “The future is now,” to experience emotion and, perhaps, to love, raising questions Craven claims. “Look at the way commerce exists; look at the of the essential nature of humanity. “In many ways, the algorithmic media and information world; look at the nature most human people are Jack and Kay,” muses Craven. This Continued on Page 18 The Bridge 1143 Box P.O. VT 05601 Montpelier, PAGE 2 • JUNE 26—JULY 9, 2019 THE BRIDGE THE BRIDGE JUNE 26—JULY 9, 2019 • PAGE 3 HEARD ON THE STREET Veteran Public Works Director to Retire Tom McArdle, who has worked for the city for nearly four decades, will step into retirement at the end of the year. McArdle held several positions in the city’s Public Works Department before being named director in 2015. During his tenure, McArdle HistoricThen photos courtesy and of Vermont HistoricalNow Society; and his staff have dealt with a multitude of crises, from floods to landslides to last Captions and modern photos by Paul Carnahan winter’s water main failures and pothole-palooza. The move comes as the city is in the midst of several infrastructure projects, including major water and sewer upgrades. The The beautifully ornate French Second Empire-style home city is in the process of seeking his successor. Also leaving city government is Assistant at the corner of Elm and Vine streets was the proud home of City Manager Susan Allen, who has held the job since May 2017. Dennis Lane, president of the Lane Manufacturing Company. Speaking of Potholes … Lane’s house was on a prominent Montpelier thoroughfare where it could be admired by passersby, yet was within easy The City Council approved the purchase of a new Vactor truck to replace the current walking distance via a pedestrian bridge to his factory on the unit, which is growing unreliable, city officials say. One of the many uses of the machine other side of the North Branch. Notice the patterns in the that both vacuums and delivers pressurized spray is to suck the water out of potholes slate on the mansard roof, the decorated frieze board under the to allow them to be filled with asphalt. The $380,870 vehicle is also essential for the overhangs of the roof, and the iron filigree at the crests of the cleaning of sewer pipes and storm drains. The custom-built Vactor is not expected to roofs. This photo of this circa 1880 house was taken in 1891, arrive until next spring or summer, long after the next winter season. DPW Director three years after Lane’s death in 1888 at age 70. Tom McArdle said of its arrival: “The sooner the better because the existing truck is getting tired and is currently out of service again.” Night Work Expected on Stone Cutters Way The City Council will be asked to allow work on the reconstruction of Stone Cutters Way to take place at night. If approved, the work is expected to take place from 9 pm to 7 am for three nights this season. Caledonia Spirits Grand Opening The new Caledonia Spirits distillery opens to the public on June 29, with a day of celebration including handcrafted cocktails, distillery tours, spirit tastings, live music, local eats, and much more. The day kicks off at 11 am on the company’s spirits bar and expansive outdoor patio. Tours will kick off beginning at noon and continue throughout the afternoon, on the hour, until close. President and head distiller of Caledonia Spirits, Ryan Christiansen, will make a celebratory toast and remarks to welcome the distillery’s first-ever guests at 2:30 pm.The Starline Rhythm Boys, Chad Hollister, and Eric George and Mountain Elder, will add live music. Nature Watch Artwork and Words by Nona Estrin. Bridge Community Media, Inc. P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 • Ph: 802-223-5112 Editor in Chief: Mike Dunphy Managing Editor: Tom Brown Publisher Emeritus: Nat Frothingham Copy Editor: Larry Floersch Calendar Editor: Marichel Vaught Layout: Sarah Davin, Marichel Vaught ith short nights, female turtles are risking all, crossing roads, to find Sales Representatives: Rick McMahan Distribution: Sarah Davin, Lora Stridsberg, Carl Etnier just the right soil, slowly dig a hole, deposit their clutch of eggs, Board Members: Phil Dodd, Donny Osman, Jake Brown, Josh Fitzhugh, Larry Floersch, Greg Gerdel, Irene re-cover and tamp down the soil before returning to their feeding Racz, Ivan Shadis, Mason Singer Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14 • [email protected] territory.W In spite of the cold wet spring and the deluge of last week, nuptual flights Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Stone Science Hall. at dusk of dance flies, and the emergence of the huge ash spinx moth, are right Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601. on schedule. montpelierbridge.com • facebook.com/thebridgenewspapervt Twitter: @montpbridge • Instagram: @montpelierbridge PAGE 4 • JUNE 26—JULY 9, 2019 THE BRIDGE Library Check-out Records to be Expunged City News By Carl Etnier software system at Kellogg- orders to turn over records of books people people borrow. Verso, on the other hand, memory of what they’ve read. “Patrons say, Hubbard Library that allowed a had borrowed or bought, with no way for will purge patron data by default, although ‘I want you, as a librarian, to be able to patrons’ borrowing history to be the library or bookseller to challenge the a library user could request to have his or look up and tell me if I’ve already read this savedA for a year or more is being replaced, demand. The orders often also included her history preserved. or already seen this DVD, before I check it and the switch should ease privacy concerns “gag orders,” so it was even illegal to tell For some reason, pre-2008 checkout out again,’” Brennan said. that trace back to the 9/11 terror attacks. anyone the order had been received. records had been retained and were Since its passage in 2001, the USA The library had announced in 2008, a In January 2003, Bear Pond Books co- brought into the Destiny system, too. In PATRIOT Act has been modified a number time of national ferment about checkout owner Michael Katzenberg worked on the her office, I asked Brennan to pull up of times, and in 2015 it was replaced records and privacy, that it was expunging principle that the store couldn’t give the my records in Destiny. Page after page by the USA FREEDOM Act. U.S. Sen. checkout records when items were FBI information it didn’t have. He ended of books and DVDs with familiar titles Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was a co-sponsor of returned on time. The policy had been the store’s records of titles purchased by came up. Overdue books were noted in a the USA FREEDOM Act, and his office almost accidentally reversed by a software members of the Readers Club. “We updated scarlet font. There was a gap from 2008 to cited endorsements of the bill by library purchase in 2012, with notice given at the the software so that only the amount of 2012, but otherwise the records went back associations. Now the USA FREEDOM library, but absent the spotlight of attention the sales is kept as a record of purchases,” to when I first got a card at the library in Act allows judicial review of federal gag the original change had received.