May - The North Star Monthly

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2 MAY 2010 THE NORTH STAR MONTHLY TableofContents 4 opinions EDITORIAL OFFICES: P.O. Box 319 ~ 29 Hill Street Danville,VT 05828-0319 (802) 684-1056 PUBLISHERS/OWNERS: Justin Lavely Ginni Lavely EDITOR: Justin Lavely FROM THE EDITOR 4 A thirst for green by Isobel P. Swartz 5 A municipal gem in white by John Downs 6 features 6 Balls of Fire by Dorothy Larrabee and Sharon Lakey 8 Pirates,War and Juramentado by Bill Amos 16 profile 12 Seed to flower by Donna M. Garfield 14 Bentley’s Bakery & Cafe opens its doors by Sharon Lakey A thank you to MikeWelch St. Johnsbury has been fortunate...the town’s recent list of town managers is prominent and respected. During my brief stint as a beat reporter and editor, I had the opportunity to work with a handful of town managers and administrators. I took note of their managerial style and communication skills. Though the sample size was small, I witnessed both the good and the bad of what can be an arduous position. Some managers excelled behind the scenes, working with budgets, developing policies and making their offices run efficiently. Others were skilled communicators with a natural ability for explaining complex issues. One skill, often understated by those in government and overstated by the voting public, is community outreach, the ability to become a community ambassador. I’ve only known one that appeared to have all these skills and he just tendered his resignation in St. Johnsbury. I interviewed Mike Welch for the first time when I was a senior in high school. He had just been hired by the Board of Selectmen. Ten years later, this is only the second time I’ve written about him. During his 10 years in St. Johnsbury, I don’t recall hearing any dissatisfaction with his job performance. Aside from his duties as town manager, his name appeared in various other places. Ribbon cuttings, town events, charity fundraisers, you name it, Mike was there. He was an ambassador, and a fine one at that. It can’t be easy, I would expect it’s like taking your work with you everywhere you go and Mike handled it flawlessly, in my opinion. The resignation of a town manager is far from uncommon. In fact, from what I’ve witnessed, Mike was the exception rather than the rule. Another town manager, shortly before exiting his own municipal position, told me five years was the norm. He said at that point, a shakeup is often needed so new ideas can be introduced. Hopefully, those new ideas will be positives for St. Johnsbury. I was glad to hear Mike would by staying in the area and I’m sure he’ll do well at his next endeavor. St. Johnsbury has been fortunate. Between not only Welch, but John Hall and the late Dave Clark, the town’s recent list of town managers is prominent and respected. Soon the town will be in the market for another and we can only hope the political atmosphere improves. We can be sure potential candidates will be paying close attention to the tenor of St. Johnsbury’s leaders and voters. You can bet it will be a major factor in who applies… and they have big shoes to fill. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: ADVERTISING / CIRCULATION: ART DIRECTOR/ PRODUCTION: PROOFREADERS: SUBSCRIPTIONS: OFFICE MASCOT: ADVISORY BOARD: Lyn Bixby Vicki Moore Angie Knost Tina Keach Woody Starkweather Ginni Lavely Judy Lavely Vanessa Bean Lynsey Lavely John Hall Sharon Lakey Sue Coppenrath Alan Boye Jane Brown The North Star Monthly is produced and published monthly by Northstar Publishing, LLC located at 29 Hill Street, Danville,VT. Subscription Rates are $16 per year. Printed in USA. Copyright 2008 by NorthStar Publishing LLC.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without expressed permission from NorthStar Publishing LLC. Publisher is not responsible for errors resulting from typographical errors.Acceptance of advertising is subject to publisher’s approval and agreement by the advertiser to indemnify the publisher from loss or expense on claims based upon contents of the advertising. Publisher does not assume liability for errors in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the individual item in which the error appeared. Postmaster: Send address changes to The North Star Monthly, P.O. Box 319, Danville,VT 05828-0319. Periodical postage paid at Danville,VT. ContributingWriters Isobel Swartz Lorna Quimby Nathaniel Tripp Rachel Siegel Lynn Bonfield Jeff Gold Ellen Gold Vanna Guldenschuh Bets Parker Albright John Downs Bill Amos Donna Garfield Marvin Minkler Bruce Hoyt e-mail: info@northstarmonthly.com www.northstarmonthly.com Write to Us Please Let Us Know IfYou Move The USPS is not willing, or not able, to remember where you have gone or where you once were. In the best of circumstances, the wrong address will significantly delay the arrival of your North Star. Dee Palmer Jim Ashley Dorothy Larrabee Capt.Alexis D. Scott Sharon Lakey LETTERS: Write to The North Star, and let us know what’s on your mind.Your point of view or observation is important to us. Letters must be signed. ARTICLES: We don’t have a big staff of writers. So we look forward to you sending your writing. If you have questions or ideas and want to ask us first, please call.We’ll send our guidelines. No fiction, please. PHOTOS: We’d like to see your photos and welcome them with a story or without.They can be black-and-white or color, but they must be clear. PRESS RELEASES: We prefer press releases that are unique to The North Star. DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior to publication. All materials will be considered on a space available basis.
www.northstarmonthly.com MAY 2010 3 Young man recovering after rogue fire ball strike, Concord teen returned to father after a brief stint as a fugitive The North Star “WHERE LIBERTY DWELLS THERE IS MY COUNTRY” 1807-1889 Est. by Ebenezer Eaton Danville, Vermont THE NORTH STAR May 9,1879 Habits of the Honey Bee – The honey bee is a model of neatness as of industry. The infallible instinct of the insect allows it to select only the delicious nectar produced in the grand laboratory of nature. Bees are impatient of any disagreeable odor and are enraged if impure or decaying matter is brought in proximity of their hive. Bees sometimes go three miles from the apiary in search of honey. Whenever a bee secures a load of honey, it at once rises in the air to a certain altitude, apparently takes its bearings, and then starts in a perfectly straight direction toward its hive. A Bath in the Dead Sea – A correspondent of the Washington Star, who has had a bath in the Dead Sea, describes his experience as follows. The water, which is quite clear, and nearly the color of the Niagara River below the falls, seemed to be a little more bitter and salt, than that of the Great Salt Lake, as the difficulty of swimming was greater on account of the inability to keep one’s feet under water. So large a quantity of salt is held in solution that the water has what is called a “ropy” appearance, much like a plate of well-made tapioca soup. However, when you come out of the water there is not so large a deposit of salt crystals on the body as after a bath in the Great Salt Lake, and the feeling of the skin, instead of being dry and prickly, as expected, was oily and sticky. May 16, 1879 What is in the bedroom – If two persons are to occupy a bedroom during a night, let them step on weighing scales as they retire and then again in the morning and they will find their actual weight is at least a pound less in the morning. Frequently there will be a loss of two or more pounds and the average loss during the year will be around one pound — that is, during the night a loss of one pound of matter from their bodies, partly through the lungs and the pores of the skin. The escaped material is carbonic acid and decayed animal matter or poisonous exhalations. This is diffused through the air, in part, and absorbed by the bed clothes. New Butter Market – Mr. George W. Spencer opens his butter market at St. Johnsbury this week. The price of butter at this time is quite low, and many farmers may feel inclined to pack their summers make and keep it until winter, hoping there will be a better price. The chances are that this action will yield no better a price than the one currently being offered. Spencer desires to bring Caledonia County as near as possible to the head of dairy manufacture in the state, and with the help of our farmers he could no doubt succeed. He will be pleased to see all the best dairymen in his shop on Eastern Avenue. May 23, 1879 Ball of Fire – A boy, about 15 years of age, named Edward Brain, living with his father, left to purchase some groceries at a store nearby. He was joined on the way by another boy, named Robert Duroe, about 12 years of age. It was raining hard. As they were going across a vacant lot on Pearl Street, at the end of Summit Street, in order to get to the store on Mechanic Street, Duroe said he looked up and saw coming toward them from above in an oblique line a small ball of fire, which in an instant struck Brain on the left breast, passed under his coat, and spread into a mass of flame all over the boy’s side. Brain was holding his left hand on his breast at the time and in it was a quarter of a dollar. Both boys were terribly frightened, and Brain said he was nearly knocked down. They ran into the grocery store and the keeper quickly stripped off the boys flaming clothes. The boys coat was burned to a cinder on one side and so was his under clothing. His side was badly scorched and blistered and the end of his thumb, including the nail, was burned off. His left hand was also badly burned and the 25-cent piece in his hand was partly melted. The doctor says the boys injuries are not life threatening. The boy said he saw nothing but heard a loud hiss just above him before he was struck. Brain said he doesn’t remember feeling the shock of a solid object and his friend distinctly remembers the ball of fire coming down and hitting his companion. Both boys are truthful in their story. Smart Old Man – Mr. Nathaniel Foss, now living in Hardwick, but some years ago a resident of this town, is about the smartest man we know of, for a person of his age. He is now 88 years old and was on a short visit here last week. He is tall, straight as an arrow, and steps off as sprightly as a boy. He stated he walked 15 miles without resting and with no apparent fatigue. He took the cars for home, and being fearful that he might miss the train, started for it with a double quick step. A smart man, surely. Rapid Growth – Mr. John Sias of this village has in his garden about one acre of corn, which is now some four or five inches high. He planted it a week ago. He also has potatoes that are up and will soon require hoeing. Vegetation of all kinds is doing quite well. In many fields, the wheat is up, and looking finely and the grass is settling well, and now promises a heavy yield. None of it was winter killed. West Concord – Chester Bailey, a 14-year-old son of R.S. Bailey, stole $40 from his father, a week ago last Friday, and started for Canada, with Edgar Blancher, a boy about his own age, now on furlough from a reform school. The telegraph headed them off at Sherbrooke and they were brought back Saturday morning, sadder and it is hoped, wiser boys. Timely Pension – Mrs. Isabella Brock of Barnet has lately received notice that her claim for a pension for her son has been granted, to the amount of $20 a month, the back pay amounting to $3,200. Her only son, Robert H. Brock, colonel of the 77th Illinois regiment, died of diseases contracted in the service, Mrs. Brock is 84 years old and her husband is about the same age. They have been married nearly 60 years. New North Star Subscribers and Renewals Fairbanks Museum, St. Johnsbury VT Downs Rachlin & Martin, St. Johnsbury VT Patricia Ainsworth, Hardwick VT Bets and Peter Albright, Danville VT Dan Allen, Weare NH Sig & Bonnie Andersen, St. Johnsbury VT Marvin Bailey, Barnet VT Thomas & Susan Ball, Montpelier VT Lois Begin, Manchester CT Mrs. Alice J. Blair, Danville VT Walter Bothfeld, Cabot VT Please! Send a gift subscription to: Name Send her The North Star for Mother’s Day Address Susan Bowen, St. Johnsbury VT Alan Boye, Barnet VT Jane & Kevin Braley, Limington ME Richard S. Brucker, Point Richmond CA Pat Burnham, Hanover NH Morris Burrington, West Danville VT Anne Chase, Lower Waterford VT Thomas Claffey, St. Johnsbury VT Reg Craig, St. Petersburg FL Rodney Daniels, St. Johnsbury VT Elizabeth Spencer Dawson, Concord MA Apt. No.. City State Zip YOUR NAME ADDRESS You’ll both be glad APT. NO. CITY STATE ZIP Barbara Destino, Mission Viejo CA Virginia Dzen, South Windsor CT Bob Farnham, Alton Bay NH Roscoe & JoAnn Fisher, Danville VT Irwin Gelber, West Barnet VT Mrs. Amy C. Graham, Stratford CT Elaine J. Greenwood, St. Johnsbury VT Carol Hyman, Barnet VT Tim & Jenness Ide, Danville VT Dianne B. Isa, Providence RI Nancy Isham, Morrisville VT Lois Jones, St. Johnsbury VT Charles A. Joyce III, North Bennington VT Irene Kinerson, Groton VT Michael & Jean Ledden, Parsons WV Sandra Lynaugh, St. Johnsbury VT Howard A. Manosh, Hyde Park VT George McBride, Laurel MS Hazen & Mary McLaren, Barnet VT Jim & Rose Mary Meyer, St. Louis MO Mrs. Eloise Montgomery, Leesburg FL Steve Moore, Aldie VA Marilyn L. Moulton, St. Johnsbury VT Alison Muller, Parkton MD Edie Patenaude, East St. Johnsbury VT William Peabody, St. Johnsbury VT Dick & Wanda Peters, Groton VT Melissa Polson, Mill Creek WA Ed Quirk, Flowery Branch GA Yes! Send me The North Star Monthly: Name Address Peter Randall, Lyndonville VT Maurice & Susan Roberts, Barnet VT Bertha Robinson, St. Johnsbury VT Denise & Robert Rodd Jr., Scotts Valley CA Jonathan A. Ross, Currituck NC Ruth Rubin, Danville VT Walter & Marylene Sevigny, Danville VT Ila Shatney, Cabot VT Betty Lou Sherry, Atlanta GA Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Warner Staley, Danville VT Gilbert & Cynthia Steil, East Ryegate VT Barbara L. Taylor, Danville VT The Merrills, Bismarck ND John Turner, West Brattleboro VT Pauline Urie, St. Johnsbury VT Mr. & Mrs. Russell Vance, Nelliston NY Ross Vance, Danville VT Mrs. Eleanor Vance, Danville VT Mr. & Mrs. Roland Vance, Bedford NH Mr. & Mrs. Richard Vance, Danville VT Mr. & Mrs. Roy Vance, Danville VT Mr. & Mrs. Robert Vance, Burlington VT Larry & Mary Wisner, Danville VT Norman & Ruth York, Lyndonville VT Apt. No. City State Zip Please let us know if you don’t want your name published as a subscriber of The North Star. Limited number of back issues are available for the previous 12 months. Get them for $1.50 per copy at The North Star office or send $2.50 each and we’ll send them to you. Where can I find The North Star Monthly Barnet Village Store Barnie's Market (Concord) Box Car & Caboose (St. Johnsbury) Go Go Gas (St. Johnsbury) Buffalo Mountain COOP (Hardwick) Cabot Village Store Center Tower (St. Johnsbury) Coles Market (Lyndonville) D&L Beverage (Greensboro) Danville Inn Diamond Hill (Danville) East Burke Market Green Mt Books (Lyndonville) Hastings Store (Danville) Horizons Deli (St. Johnsbury) Joe's Pond Country Store (Danville) Lyndon Freighthouse Lyndon Mobil Mart Marty's First Stop (Danville) Natural Provisions (St. Johnsbury) NVRH (St. Johnsbury) Paul's Whistle Stop (McIndoe Falls) Petty Co Junction (St. Johnsbury) South Walden Store (Walden) St J Mobil (St. Johnsbury) St. Johnsbury Food Co-op Tim's Convenience Store (Plainfield) TJ's Lunch Counter (Wells River) West Barnet Quick Stop The White Market Galaxy Book Store (Hardwick) Willey’s Store (Greensboro) Contact us about selling The North Star Monthly in your store: (802) 684-1056 info@northstarmonthly.com
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