Archive - Feb 8, 2010
The greatest diversity challenge that Vermont public schools face is socioeconomic. I discovered this during my first few days as a teacher at Middlebury Union High School. My senior advisory, which included a random cross-section of that year’s graduating class, socialized almost exclusively along class lines: those who were going to college versus those about to enter the workforce.
MIDDLEBURY — When Bill Sims Jr. and Mark LaVoie perform at Middlebury College and the Art House in the Marble Works this Thursday and Friday, it won’t be their first time playing together. Since Sims, a guitarist and vocalist from New York City, first met Bristol native and harmonica virtuoso LaVoie at a blues festival in Burlington back in 1992, their mutual interest in folk music and the blues has blossomed into a 17-year friendship and collaboration.
MIDDLEBURY — When the curtain comes up on the 82nd annual Academy Awards on March 7 in California, Weybridge writer Jay Parini will be tucked away somewhere in the crowd of tuxedo- and ball gown-clad movie stars, fingers crossed for a pair of actors nominated for awards at the film industry’s most anticipated night of the year.
FERRISBURGH — Ferrisburgh selectmen have proposed a 2010-2011 budget that, including charitable donations to be decided by residents on Town Meeting Day, would add about a half-cent to the town’s property tax rate. That increase would translate to $5 per $100,000 of assessed value.
Including about $57,700 of charitable requests, selectmen are proposing increasing town spending from about $1.52 million to $1.565 million.
That increase of about $45,500 translates to roughly 3 percent.
BRISTOL — When Mount Abraham Union High School senior Harper Davis struck up a conversation with the members of the band The Kin after a concert last September, the New Haven youth had no idea what was to follow: a promise to play at his high school, the mind-boggling work of planning a professional concert, and the excitement of a major musical event a few months down the line.
ADDISON COUNTY — Town Meeting Day will bring contested selectboard races in New Haven, Starksboro and Lincoln this year, while most of the other races in the five-town area feature single candidates.
NEW HAVEN
New Haven is fielding one contested race for the selectboard this year: Incumbent Kathleen Ready is running against challenger Michael Dunbar for a two-year position on the board.
MIDDLEBURY — It was almost a storybook ending for the Middlebury Union High School boys’ hockey team on Friday night.
Down 3-0 against the Brattleboro Colonels going into the third period, the Tigers hit for four goals in the first five minutes to take the lead. Ultimately, however, MUHS couldn’t hang on, and Brattleboro came out on top, 6-4, in a Division II clash.
It was game largely dominated by the short-staffed Tigers (6-9-2), who ran only two lines but managed to keep the puck in the Brattleboro zone most of the night and outshoot the Colonels by a wide margin.
STARKSBORO — Two newcomers are running to fill the Starksboro selectboard seat being vacated by incumbent Alice Dubenetsky, who is not running for re-election.
Mathew Norris and Peter Ryersbach both seek the three-year term on the selectboard that will be up for election on Town Meeting Day.
Norris, 37, grew up in Starksboro, and worked as the postmaster in town until he was promoted to the position of postmaster in New Haven.
