Williston Observer

Burglary

Brian Leclair, 29, of Burlington was cited on a charge of burglary on March 24 after allegedly stealing $30 and two Boost phones valued at $478 from the Sprint store, according to police reports. A video of a person alleged to be Leclair was obtained and distributed by police, leading to a “positive ID” by the probation and parole department, the report notes. No other information was released.

Border patrol

While Williston Police were working with Operation Stonegarden for the Border Patrol and Vermont Homeland Security on May 31, an ATV was seen near the Canadian border, according to police reports. Operation Stonegarden is a program that aims to boost homeland security preparedness by enhancing cooperation and coordination between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Agents tried to stop the ATV, but the driver “took off on them,” according to the report. He was later found, and Williston Police Sgt. Bart Chamberlain subsequently cited Charles J. Grennon, 18, of Franklin on a charge of attempting to elude police. Chamberlain said he also issued Grennon two tickets for riding an ATV on a public road and careless and negligent driving on an ATV.

Driving under the influence

· Corey D. Bissonette, 23, of Milton was cited on a charge of driving under the influence on June 2 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. Bissonette’s blood alcohol test registered .110, the report notes. The legal limit for driving in Vermont is .08. He was cited to appear in court.

· Jason Grout, 26, of Cambridge was cited on a charge of driving under the influence on June 3 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. His blood alcohol test registered .099, the report notes. He was cited to appear in court on June 24.

· Javier Zelada-Lino, 36, of Danbury was cited on a charge of driving under the influence on March 28 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. His blood alcohol test registered .089, the report notes. He was cited to appear in court.

Driving with suspended license

· Following a motor vehicle stop on June 2, Steven M. Badger II, 24, of Moretown was cited on a charge of driving with a suspended license, according to police reports. He was taken to Chittenden County Correctional Center on an outstanding warrant, the report notes. No other information was released.

· Following a motor vehicle stop on June 4, Clifford Hill, 47, of Essex Junction was cited on a charge of driving with a suspended license, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court on Aug. 2.

Dogs on town-owned land

Now that summer has arrived, the Williston Conservation Commission hopes you have had the chance to take advantage of Williston’s parks and trails network. During this time of year, the Conservation Commission would like to remind you of the town’s dog leash rules.

According to the town of Williston’s dog leash rules, dogs must be on a leash at all trail head parking areas, along all public roads and on hiking trails that cut through private property. Dogs must be under voice control when within town-owned parkland. The police may impound any dogs not under control, according to the town’s Dog Control Ordinance. This applies to all parks including Five Tree Hill Country Park, Oak View Hill Country Park, Mud Pond Conservation Area and Mud Pond Country Park. If you are not sure what trails are located on public or private property, please contact the Williston Planning Office at 878-6704.

As always, your continued cooperation makes public use of Williston’s parks and trails network possible and helps ensure everyone has equal enjoyment of the trail systems.

Williston Conservation Commission

Delicious fare at Reading Restaurant

Have you ever ordered from the menu of The Reading Restaurant? It’s a Calliope House tradition at Allen Brook School.

Tyler Skaflestad, taught by Ms. Schoolcraft, invited me to the second seating May 19; he remembered that grandparents were welcome.

Students selected four pieces of writing from their yearly portfolio. They offered these in a menu of appetizers, sandwiches, entrees and desserts for our reading selection. Patrons tipped the students by writing a comment about each piece they read.

A lot of work went into this event: balloons, tables for diners, student staff organization — maitre d’, line cooks, a manager and servers to guarantee a fine experience.

And there were a couple of tasty treats as well.

I learned a lot, as Tyler thought I would, more than that Jackie Robinson was also a fine football player. I was reminded how special it is to be a grandparent and how much fun school is today!

Michael Kiey
South Burlington

The importance of fair trade

In the normal market, you may buy a $2 cappuccino. The farmer of the coffee that goes into this, at best, will get 2 cents. Fair Trade guarantees a better deal for those third world producers.

Our power as consumers is huge. By buying fair trade products you directly impact the lives of these people by supporting their trade. Local companies like Green Mountain Coffee have just released a new fair trade certified coffee from Rwanda. Fair trade is more than just food, it supports equal trade of various things like clothing, arts and jewelry. The fair trade movement wants to build a sense of community as well as teach the farmers business skills so they become more independent and are able to tap into the world’s economy.

Fair trade feeds off of support and the education of people like us. Fair trade benefits our world in more than one way. Fair trade helps with equality in the global market, works to be environmentally sustainable and empowers the producers to be able to tap into today’s global market and economy. With about 2 billion people living in poverty within this world, fair trade makes it a goal to lift these people from their impoverished lives. Fair trade is not through charity, but a way to become independent and build community within the world.

Rose Friedlander
Williston
Champlain Valley Union High School freshman

Blockade serves a purpose

The United States made their best efforts to blockade Germany in both World Wars. These actions were both legal and necessary to reduce combatant’s ability to wage war. In 1962, JFK ordered our Navy to blockade some peace loving Caribbean nation when several dozen 1 megaton H-bombs strapped to ICBM’s were discovered 90 miles off Florida.

Hamas in Gaza has announced to the world their intentions of waging war and the destruction of Israel. The 4,000 or so rockets recently fired at Israeli civilians from Palestine prove that this is not just a war of words or some defensive measure.

Israel permits the transport of over 10,000 tons of food and supplies per week (also known as humanitarian relief) by ship to Gaza. Why then were the Vermont Communist groups protesting recently on the Church Street Marketplace in support of peace ships containing terrorists running the Gaza blockade? The protesters have the same sympathies as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called on the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution that would “cut off” Israel’s hands, thus preventing it from committing more “crimes.”

The Israeli navy intercepted several ships loaded with Iranian mortars, RPGs, rockets and other heavy weapons shipped from Iran to Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza ostensibly to create peace by exploding even more Jews. The thinking that arming belligerents is peaceful is pretty darned bizarre.

Attorney General Eric Holder has banned using the terms “jihad” and “terrorist.” When did we start letting the government ban words? Killing people is the same no matter what you call it. What pleasant name could we use to describe the Palestinian who killed and maimed all those young soldiers in Texas?

Shelley Palmer
Williston

Start here, go anywhere
By Katherine Bielawa Stamper

Motivated young people are like those baby spiders in E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.” They are born, linger among us for a while, and then take off with the wind.

As Champlain Valley Union High School prepares to graduate its Class of 2010, I am reminded of two young Willistonians featured in this column several years ago. As members of CVU’s Class of 2005, Mairead Harris enrolled in Middlebury College while Emily Bickford packed up for New York City to study at Barnard College. It was clear these ambitious women were going places. Both have since earned undergraduate degrees. I offer this update.

Mairead is living in Hangzhou, China, teaching English at a private language school. Hangzhou is a large city about one hour south of Shanghai. Her colleagues hail from England, Australia and the United States. Average class size is about 18 students, a welcome change from the 60 she encountered on an earlier teaching assignment in Hunan Province.

“China may well be the number one destination in the world if you are looking for cultural differences,” Mairead writes. “I am constantly confronted with new challenges to my world view. The Chinese education system is set up completely differently from ours. In the US, we try to teach students to think critically and analytically about any topic, and we encourage them to pursue their interests. In other words, we try to ‘give them tools’ to be successful in their own way. In China, a country with over a billion people, this type of education is seen as frivolous and a waste of time and money. Students don’t need to be equipped to think critically about anything, but rather, they need to have a specific skill or major that will directly translate to a job when they graduate university. People here scratch their heads in confusion when I explain that my father majored in biology but is now an attorney.”

I invited Mairead to reflect on what, if anything, she carries with her from Vermont as she pursues her travels.

“I carry with me a snobbery towards fake maple syrup and a terrible sensitivity to air pollution. What can I say? I was spoiled,” Mairead observes. “I am coming to appreciate more and more the beauty, the stillness, the lack of crowds, and the central heating that Vermont offers. I also miss being around people who are so ready to try new things. Vermont is full of people who are always thinking and, for its small population, is a very alive place.”

Mairead comments that her stint in China — she returns to the United States in the spring of 2011 — has its ups and downs but it is certainly never boring. Applying an American mindset to a communist — albeit with capitalist tendencies — system surely raises many “aha” moments. She is grateful for the experience and the wonderful friends she’s made.

Emily Bickford recently returned from a six-month gig in Birmingham, England. She rented a “flat” across the road from a cricket field, enjoying the convenience of being able to hop a bus to get to the “city centre” (downtown) for shops and museums.

Emily, a dance major at Barnard, was afforded the opportunity to choreograph Columbia University’s 114th Annual Varsity Show — kind of like Harvard’s “Hasty Pudding.” This follows her experience choreographing shows at Williston Central School and CVU. The student-run performance involves creating a full-length musical satire. Oscar Hammerstein ranks among alumni who’ve worked on the production.

While tapping into England’s dance scene — attending classes and even some auditions — Emily launched her own business. EmmyBo Originals (www.emmybooriginals.co.uk) features greeting cards designed by hand. Creating product, marketing and processing orders kept her busy amid endless cups of tea. It seems that the British really do drink tea all the time.

Asked about cultural differences, Emily offers the following:

“As a dancer, I was really interested to see all of the similarities straight away between dance in England and America. It’s brought to my attention the wonderful universality of dance — an aspect of the art that I’ve always found particularly intriguing, and have often focused on as a choreographer.”

Emily notes that the global spread of American culture results in fewer cultural distinctions. Re-runs of the popular show “Friends” appeared on the “telly” most evenings and yet, according to Emily, “Cars are smaller, homes are smaller, food portions are smaller, it’s commonplace to bring reusable bags when grocery shopping ….” She points out that the notion of paying (directly) for a doctor visit is “unfathomable and even laughable” to some of her British friends. Emily moves to New York City in August, where she’s accepted a teaching position at Brearley, an all-girls private school.

Time will tell where Mairead and Emily land. Endless noodles, cups of tea, foreign political systems, iconic monarchs, the streets of Manhattan — these experiences meld with homegrown Vermont roots to guide these women on a path they define.

It’s my wish that each member of the Class of 2010 recognizes that starting here, you can go anywhere.

Katherine Bielawa Stamper lives in Williston. Reader comments are welcome at [email protected] or [email protected]

Snappy shortcuts
By Kim Dannies

Summer is a double-edged sword for cooks who go nuts for glorious local produce even though bounty-excess holds them hostage in a hot kitchen. To prevent this trap, my mantra for warm weather meals is ”snappy casual:” the food must be super fresh, colorful and easy. Here are a few shortcuts to make your summer cooking a snap.

1. Grilled Potato Salad – Zap baby red potatoes in the microwave for 5 to 8 minutes. Lightly coat with olive oil and place in a veggie grill basket. Brown the potatoes on medium-high, gently shaking the basket until spuds blister, 5 to 8 minutes. Add to a prep bowl along with lots of local spring peas, chopped spring onion and fresh mint. Coat salad with local crème fraiche; season with sea salt.

2. Naam Bread – This delicious, Indian-style flatbread is available at supermarkets and is super for grilled pizzas. Lightly coat both sides with olive oil. On medium heat, toast each side 1 to 2 minutes, then load one side with slices of local mozzarella, lightly steamed baby spinach or kale and sliced tomatoes. Turn off grill and close the cover; set 5 minutes.

3. Asian Cole Slaw – Always keep Napa cabbage and carrots on hand. Shred desired amount of veggies and place in a prep bowl.

Dressing: In a small processor chop three quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger with 2 garlic cloves. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 scant tablespoon of mustard seeds and 1 cup of Marie’s Cole Slaw dressing. Blend 30 seconds.

Coat veggies with desired amount of dressing. Lightly crush 1 packet of ramen noodles and fold into the mix. Top with 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and cilantro.

4. Stock up on essentials that you cannot make faster, better or cheaper. For example, Tapenade, the delicious and versatile olive paste, is great right out of a jar. Use it to flavor-jack sandwiches and pizzas and as a Crostini base for spontaneous hors d’oeuvres. For something extra-special on greens with local feta cheese, add a tablespoon of Tapenade to an olive oil/vinegar salad dressing.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston with her husband, Jeff; they have three college-aged daughters who come and go. For archived Everyday Gourmet columns go to kimdannies.com.

Stephanie Choate, Observer staff

The local organization Connecting Youth is looking for responses to a survey it sent to parents of eighth through 12th grade students last week.

The electronic survey, sent with the Champlain Valley Union High School e-mail newsletter, is part of Connecting Youth’s campaign to educate parents in order to prevent underage drinking.

The Vermont Department of Health has partnered with Connecting Youth, or CY, and nearly 30 other community coalitions to help parents learn how and when to talk to teens about drinking.

CY, which works to create a safe environment for young people, also sent a survey to parents last fall.

“The first one was to gauge where everyone was, and we crafted our campaign after that,” said Kate Wheeler, interim program coordinator for CY. “Now, we’re doing a post-campaign survey to see if it was effective or not.”

The survey asks questions like how often parents talk to their kids about alcohol, whether they let them go to parties where alcohol will be present and whether they think European teens binge drink less than American teens.

The answers are completely anonymous. There will also be a separately entered raffle for several gas cards to thank participants for their time.

The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/s/SXZLCVG.