Mountain Times - Volume 49, Number 20 - May 13-19, 2020

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2 • The Mountain Times • May 13-19, 2020 Dr. Jonathan Spiro named interim president of Castleton University CASTLETON—The Vermont State Colleges board of trustees named Dr. Jonathan Spiro interim president of Castleton University, according to a news release Thursday, May 7. Dr. Spiro will begin June 1 and serve until a permanent president is named. “It’s an honor to be named Castleton’s interim president. I’m confident our amazing and hard-working team of faculty and staff will continue our trajectory of success far into the future. While the Covid-19 pandemic creates many challenges for small universities, Castleton will always be a strong and stabilizing force in meeting regional educational needs,” Spiro said. Dr. Spirohas served in a variety of academic posts since his arrival at Castleton in 2002. He has served as interim provost, academic dean, dean of the college of arts, humanities, and social sciences, and chair of the department of history, geography, economics, and political science. Dr. Spiro was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award for his courses on history, politics, race, slavery, immigration, the ancient Maya, and the nature-nurture debate. Formerly a professor at the University of California Berkeley, he twice won the “Distinguished Teacher” award. Dr. Spiro is known nationally as a leading authority on the eugenics movement, and authored the critically acclaimed In recognition of National Nurses Week, The Meadows and The Gables send a heartfelt THANK YOU to our caring and dedicated RNs and LPNs. The professionalism and kindness with which you serve our residents is truly exceptional. 240 Gables Place, Rutland, VT 802.775-3300 www.themeadowsvt.com Dr. Jonathan Spiro book, “Defending the Master Race: Conservation, Eugenics, and the Legacy of Madison Grant.” He is frequently called upon by national media, including The Atlantic and The New York Times, for his perspective on race and nationalism. Dr. Karen M. Scolforo will continue to serve as Castleton president until May 31. Under Dr. Scolforo’s leadership, Castleton University enjoyed numerous successes and achievements, including enrollment growth, balanced budgets, the establishment of two new campus locations, and the addition of more than 20 academic programs. 200 Gables Place, Rutland, VT 802.770.5263 www.thegablesvt.com Nurses are our community’s super-heroes Pop-up Covid-19 testing sites open for asymptomatic frontline workers and returning Vermonters Anyone with even mild symptoms is encouraged to contact a health care provider, to get tested WHITE RIVER JCT—Vermont health officials announced three pop-up testing sites will open this week for Covid-19 specimen collection, including one locally at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Jct. Saturday, May 16 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Over the weekend, a pop-up testing site in Colchester collected 138 specimens. The pop-up testing sites are for asymptomatic health care workers, first responders (EMS, fire, and law enforcement), and child care providers currently serving essential workers. People who are returning to the state, and who will be at day 7 or later in their quarantine period, can also be tested. These include people returning from wintering out of state, college students, and people who are coming to stay in their second homes. To make an appointment for one of the pop-up sites, health care workers, first responders child care providers and returning Vermonters should visit: humanresources.vermont.gov/popups. RANDOLPH—Brian Lowe, of Randolph, has helped hundreds of American kestrels successfully hatch and fledge in Vermont and was named the winner of the 2019 GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award. Lowe was announced as the 2020 winner rather than receiving the honor in person, in keeping with current Covid-19 physical distancing guidelines. The prestigious award is named for Meeri Zetterstrom, who inspired recovery efforts that led to the removal of the osprey from Vermont’s endangered species list, and it is given annually to one person, business, group or non-profit that has made a significant contribution to Vermont’s environment. The award is accompanied by a $2,500 donation to the winner’s environmental cause. Over a quarter-century, Lowe helped kestrels thrive despite decreasing numbers of natural homesites due to changing forest management techniques by setting up and maintaining kestrel boxes and banding hundreds of birds. “I know Meeri would be proud of Brian and would appreciate his work,” said GMP Vice President Steve Costello, who worked on osprey recovery efforts with Zetterstrom for years. “Meeri believed it was incredibly important to look at the entire web of life, not just the most charismatic birds and animals. “The kestrel is lesser known than many birds, but it’s a beautiful raptor and plays an important Other site include Tuesday, May 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Bennington College and Thursday, May 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Brattleboro Union High School The Health Department and the state’s enhanced testing and contact tracing task group have been organizing these events with support from the Vermont National Guard and EMS agencies. Health Commissioner Mark Levine, M.D., said the state has plenty of supplies to meet the goal set by Governor Phil Scott to conduct 1,000 tests per day. The pop-up sites are not open to the general public. The Health Department encourages all Vermonters with symptoms – no matter how mild – to contact their regular primary care provider to get referred to a nearby testing site. People who do not have a health care provider can call 2-1-1 to be connected with a local community or hospital-connected clinic for referral to a test site. For up-to-date information and guidance visit : healthvermont.gov/Covid19. Brian Lowe wins 2020 GMP- Zetterstrom Environmental Award Lowe honored for helping to save American Kestrels American kestrel By Steve Costello role in rodent and insect control,” Costello said. Lowe is credited with a singular effort, uncanny in its comparison to Zetterstrom’s work. The first bird box Lowe installed was a bluebird box, which had residents within a week. Inspired, he asked a neighbor if he could put a kestrel box on his farm, and a pair made it home almost immediately. He was hooked. Today he manages over 40 kestrel boxes each year, and bands the babies, often with school children looking on. “It is very gratifying Lowe > 15
The Mountain Times • May 13-19, 2020 • 3 Mobile lunch program fills stomachs when school is out By Julia Purdy Even when schoolchildren are required to stay home, the school meals program must go on. And this year, in addition to seeing that kids don’t miss out on nourishment, the program helps to relieve the extra financial hardship of parents being out of work as well as offering paid work to paraeducators, school bus drivers and meal preparers. Every student under 18 is eligible; families must apply. Families in the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union received 5,293 breakfast-lunch combos the week of April 27-May 3 alone. RNESU includes Barstow Memorial School in Chittenden, Lothrop Elementary in Pittsford, Neshobe Elementary and Otter Valley Union High School in Brandon, and Sudbury, Leicester and Whiting elementary schools. Since March 19, brown paper bags containing snacks and light meals have been delivered by paraeducators riding school buses, dropping off a breakfast and lunch combo at or near students’ homes. In mid-morning, school buses trundle along the roads, where picnic coolers of all shapes and sizes await delivery of bags containing whole fruits, pints of 1% milk, breakfast foods and protein lunch fare. Meal bags may also be picked up each morning in the parking lots at Neshobe, Lothrop, Barstow and Leicester. Weekend meals were added April 24. The Abbey Group, a contracted school food service based in Enosburg Falls, Vermont, puts up the meals, employing four cooks at the Otter Valley UHS production site for weekday meals, and four cooks at Neshobe Elementary for weekend meals. Connie Burleson, operations administrator at Enosburg Falls, told the Mountain Times that all the cooks volunteered for the project. All staff has gone through the Vermont Dept. of Labor’s Covid training, which includes social distancing, masks and gloves, in addition to the national restaurant association’s annual ServSafe training in food handling. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) reimburses costs individually by site. The Abbey Group contracts with school districts in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York as well. “Last week alone we provided 150,000 meals as a company” for all the schools, Burleson said. By Julia Purdy Kaleb Cornell, 6, and Levi Cornell, 3, walk (and bike) to the end of Barnard Road in Chittenden to pick up their school meals. Mom Joannah Cornell was employed part-time as an occupational therapy assistant until mid-March. Raising three active young boys, she said the meal deliveries help to reduce frequent trips to the Rutland supermarkets, a 12- to 15-mile trip from her home. Killington Rec to offer modified summer camp KILLINGTON—In response to Gov. Phil Scott’s announcement Friday, May 8, that summer camps can open if they “can meet strict health and safety requirements,” Killington’s Department of Parks and Recreation will offer a modified summer camp. The regulations put in place by the state of Vermont include measures to increase social distancing, allowances for easier contact tracing, and increased sanitation. “We are currently working on a plan to hold camp and meet these regulations,” said Sarah Newell, director of parks and recreation. “The number of children that will be able to attend camp may be reduced, and normal camp activities may be modified, but we will do our best under these unusual circumstances to meet the camp needs of the community.” The planning of camp under these new restrictions is still underway. Questions such as when camp will start and where it will be located are still being answered. The Department of Parks and Recreation hopes to have a detailed announcement soon. For the most up-to-date information visit killingtontown.com/parksrec or killingtonrec.com. A major change to camp planning includes the cancellation of Rek and Trek as it has been run in the past. Children age 10 to 13 will still have a place at camp, with activities that meet their social and developmental needs, but they will not be traveling as they would have in past years. “While many of these changes may seem difficult, the safety of our counselors and campers is my first priority,” said Newell. Currently, registration for camp is on hold until additional details are resolved. Camping is restricted in national forest As prime-time backpacking season approaches, the Green Mountain National Forest is responding to the Covid-19 pandemic by restricting overnight camping at designated campgrounds and shelters, in addition to closing pit toilets along the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail segments. The majority of the National Forest remains open. After Secretary of Natural Resources Julie Moore announced, May 6 that: “No longer are Vermonters being asked to limit outings to no more than 10 miles from home,” “No longer are Vermonters being asked to limit outings to no more than 10 miles from home,” said Moore. people understandably want to get out and explore. John Sinclair, forest supervisor of the Green Mountain a national forests,said: “Restricting access to recreational sites or areas is a particularly difficult decision for the Forest Service.” For more info and specfic closures visit: fs.usda.gov/main/gmfl/home. By Tom Harris Picky eater? This black bear was caught raiding Tom Harris’s garden in Plymouth on Wednesday, May 6. Turns out he doesn’t like onions, Harris said.
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