Williston Observer

Aug. 26, 2010

False pretenses

A $2,677 check was written to Curtis Lumber on April 27 from a closed account, according to police reports. Police subsequently charged Leonard G. Percy, 32, of Fairfield with “false pretenses or tokens” greater than $900, according to the report. The case was forwarded to Northeast Probation and Parole, the report notes.

Theft

On Aug. 17, Curtis Lumber reported to police that two fiberglass Green Bull extension ladders were stolen over the weekend after the building lock was cut, according to police reports. The case is under investigation.

Driving with license suspended

• Following a motor vehicle stop on Aug. 28, Robert Henry McGowan Jr., 28, of Burlington was charged with driving with a suspended license, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.

• Following a motor vehicle stop on Aug. 17, Nathan Neuenfeldt, 31, of Barre was charged with driving with a suspended license, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.

• Following a motor vehicle stop on Aug. 17, Ryan S. Lowe, 19, of Colchester was charged with driving with a suspended license, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.

Safe found

A safe was found on the side of the road on Christmas Lane on May 1, according to police reports. It had been forced open. Anyone with information is asked to call Williston Police at 878-6611.

Underage drinking

Two minors were issued “diversion paperwork” for underage drinking after racing their cars on St. George Road on May 2, according to police reports. No other information was released.

Wanted person

Police arrested Hunter L. Godeck, 22, of Williston on an outstanding warrant on Aug. 17 for “failure to appear on a DLS (driving with suspended license) from Washington County,” according to police reports. He was cited and released.

Driving under the influence

• David P. Fitzgerald, 37, of Richmond was charged with driving under the influence on Aug. 21 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. His blood alcohol test registered .127, according to the report. The legal limit for driving in Vermont is .08. No other information was released.

• Daryll E. Kemp, 27, of South Burlington was charged with driving under the influence on Aug. 22 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. His blood alcohol test registered .203, according to the report. He was cited to appear in court.

Property damage

An Oak Hill Road resident reported to police on Aug. 21 that there were tire marks on the resident’s lawn and the ground was “torn up,” according to police reports. There was approximately $100 worth of damage. The investigation is ongoing.

Unlawful mischief

A preteen skateboarder was issued a no trespass order on Aug. 21 after crashing into a Stonybrook Drive resident’s garage door and denting it, according to police reports.

Study, play, eat

Aug. 26, 2010

By Kim Dannies

The school schedule is kicking into full gear this week, and fast healthy food is paramount for ravenous students, athletes and people pushing the revolving door of activity. Fortunately for cooks, there is a mother lode of great produce just waiting to be turned into a meal that will please everyone.

Orecchiette (oh-rayk-kee-EHT-the), also known as “little ears” pasta, is fun to eat. The disk-shape cradles the sauce, delivering a fresh burst of flavor in every bite. For weekend guests, ricotta stuffed ravioli provides an excellent up-tick to the dish. This recipe is very forgiving — I recently tossed in leftover grilled corn and sliced kalamata olives, and they proved to be nice additions. Prep is super-fast, do-ahead, and the best part is packing lots of nutrition into a fun meal without your busy bodies noticing.

Tomato & Basil Orecchiette

In a large glass prep bowl, combine the following: 4 to 6 tomatoes (1.5 pounds), rough cut with skin and seeds; 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced; zest of 1 lemon, plus the lemon juice; 2 cups zucchini, finely diced; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; 1 fist-full of fresh basil, ribbon-cut; 2 big pinches of sea salt; fresh pepper to taste. Prep this mixture up to 24 hours ahead; store covered at room temperature.

To serve: Add 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese to the tomato mixture. Add 2 cups cooked cubed chicken or shrimp (optional).

Cook 8 ounces of Orecchiette for 10 minutes in boiling, salted water. At the 10-minute mark, scoop 1/2 cup of the cooking water into the tomato mixture. Drain pasta and toss into sauce. Serve immediately; reheats beautifully in the microwave. Serves 4 hungry people; doubles nicely.

On the side: Toast slices of Tuscan bread and slather with fresh or store-bought pesto.

For dessert: Microwave peach halves for 2 minutes; fill cavity with a scoop of non-fat Greek yogurt. Top peaches with a mixture of hazelnuts, fresh mint and warm honey.

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.

Aug. 26, 2010

Going home

By Katherine Bielawa Stamper

“You know,” the elderly man leaned in toward my husband and said, “that sandwich would taste even better with a little bit of onion.”

My husband looked up and simply smiled.

“Actually, sir,” I interjected, “my husband doesn’t speak Polish. I’ll translate for him.”

Embarrassed, the man offered a quick, “Przepraszam,” which means, “pardon me.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” I assured him. His friendly overture was a sweet surprise.

After a brief conversation, he wished us a pleasant dinner and walked away slowly. My eyes followed him. His gait reflected a slight limp, similar to one my father developed later in life. The man paused to read the inscription on a monument honoring victims of Nazi persecution before disappearing into the crowd. I felt an inexplicable rise of emotion. There was something unusual, almost otherworldly, about our exchange.

Our picnic consisted of rye bread, cheese, tomatoes, chips and kefir. My family sat on a bench overlooking the San River in the town of Przemysl, enjoying a casual meal as pedestrians streamed past. The sun lay low, bathing the summer sky in pink-orange light.

My paternal grandfather was born in Przemysl when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nestled near the tranquil Bieszczady Mountains, it is today a Polish frontier town, 12 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

We were in no hurry to return to our lodgings. I booked what was likely the cheapest hostel in this eastern outpost. Our three-person room was spartan yet clean, tainted only by small bits of plaster missing from otherwise unblemished walls. Crisp linens rested atop bunks and a bureau with three drawers occupied a small corner. The shared bath and communal kitchen resided down the hall. We were the odd family in residence amid a sea of college students.

A picnic by the river seemed a fitting way to mark our return to Poland following a five-day excursion to Ukraine. It was the summer of 2005. Six short months before, a frustrated Ukrainian electorate took to the streets to protest a flawed presidential election. The Orange Revolution was remarkable for its peacefulness and positive outcome. Civil disobedience prompted new elections. We encountered spell-throwing gypsies, intriguing definitions of vegetarian fare (Note: Americans do not consider white chicken breast vegetarian) and friendly Ukrainians expressing fervent hope that the revolution would improve their lives.

Our mission in Ukraine was simple: visit my father’s hometown of Turka, the one the Nazis took him from in October 1941, transporting him to a German slave labor camp. At war’s end, Turka was absorbed into the Soviet Union, making travel there nearly impossible. My father’s family was deported, forsaking forever the beloved house grandfather built for an abandoned German dwelling in Silesia. My father landed in America in 1949, a refugee. He longed to return to the place of his childhood, a childhood interrupted by war.

Ours was a sentimental journey, a grasp at the past. We hired a Polish-speaking guide in Lviv to make the journey to Turka. Ivan answered our every request with an enthusiastic “Absolutnie!” which means, “Absolutely!” We hit the road in his little Lada, traversing a circuitous path along bumpy lanes.

We found my father’s church, the one closed by Soviets and turned into a warehouse. Stain-glassed windows, long since destroyed, were replaced by simple, transparent panes. Damaged floor tiles were slowly being replaced. We climbed the steeple — devoid of its bell — where my altar boy father called townspeople to Mass.

The parish, reopened shortly after the collapse of the U.S.S.R., is shepherded by a young Polish missionary from Gdansk. Father Tadeusz was friendly, vivacious and a bit harried — the rectory was filled with an assemblage of priests, nuns and youths preparing for a five-day, 150-kilometer pilgrimage on foot. My family sat at a rickety table sharing tea — a mark of hospitality given the building’s lack of running water — and conversation with pilgrims. I remember three youthful Polish nuns — Sisters Joanna, Marzena and Ewa — giddy with anticipation. Our language of currency was Polish, given its similarity to Ukrainian; English proved useless.

We walked the streets of Turka past an open air market and the small square whose homes were inhabited by Jewish shop owners and professionals before the war. Poverty was evident in the shabbiness of the houses. We stood out — for our clothes and non-Ukrainian mutterings.

We ventured towards the outskirts of town to the neighborhood where my father once lived. The house is gone; the trees grandfather planted remain. I embraced pastoral views, imagining my father as a happy-go-lucky kid catching fish in the stream and playing ball with friends. He was very outgoing and sociable then, or so my uncle tells me. Imprisonment by Nazis coupled with displacement from home and family left their mark on my gentle father.

Dad died of cancer in July 1996. It later dawned on me that the friendly, gentle man who greeted my husband did so on the exact anniversary of my father’s passing, on the day we returned from Turka. It was almost as if dad — who loved onions on his sandwiches — was trying to say, “You did well. Thank you for returning to the place from where I came.”

Katherine Bielawa Stamper lives in Williston. Reader comments are welcome at LittleDetailsCol@yahoo.com or editor@willistonobserver.com.

Aug. 26, 2010

Playing at Mud Pond

We have been enjoying the recent coverage about Mud Pond Country Park and all of the new trail improvements. Kudos to the Fellowship of the Wheel Mountain Biking organization for all of the time, effort and expertise they have devoted to maintaining this gem of a trail. The Fellowship of the Wheel (fotwheel.org) is an outstanding group of outdoor enthusiasts who have created amazing hike and bike trails all over Chittenden County. An outing at Mud Pond will be a highlight of your family’s fall weekend schedule — check it out, it is only a few minutes from home!

Buying FRONTLINE online

If you are a pet owner and you like to get good deals online be careful what you shop for. If the price seems too good to be true the product may not be what it should be.

My dog takes FRONTLINE to protect her from getting fleas and ticks. What many people don’t know is that some websites sell counterfeit items. FRONTLINE is a pet product used to kill biting lice, ticks and fleas on your pet or pets.

There are four ways to tell if your item is counterfeit:

1) The lot numbers on the box need to match the lot numbers on the applicator;

2) The connected applicator packaging should have a v-notch between each applicator packet;

3) There should be a full applicator picture on the back of each applicator packet with specific writing under picture stating, “To remove applicator, use scissors or lift and remove plastic tab to expose foil, then pull down.”

4) The unit of measure on the back of each applicator should be in ounces, not millimeters.

For the safety of our pets, the company should state that their products are U.S. EPA and FDA approved.

Vermont adopts national education standards

Aug. 26, 2010

On Aug. 17, the Vermont State Board of Education approved the adoption of the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards initiative is a national effort to have common learning expectations for all students across the country. Vermont is the 31st state to adopt these standards, and it is expected that all remaining states will do so as well in the coming months.

The Common Core State Standards are comparable to the most rigorous international education standards. What this means for Vermont and other states with high standards is that we will not be lowering our standards in this move, but rather more states will now have high expectations comparable to what we already have. We will also be able to truly see how well our students perform compared to their peers nationally.

For the past six years, Vermont — along with Rhode Island, New Hampshire and most recently Maine — have shared common standards and a common assessment called the New England Common Assessment Program, commonly known as NECAP. Our states’ standards are considered to be some of the highest in the nation, and we do not take this change lightly.

The NECAP consortium will no longer be viable after 2014, since all states will be using one of two new assessments based on the Common Core. Of the two assessments, Vermont is participating in the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium, which has approximately 32 states participating. This assessment will expand the use of technology by delivering the assessment to students electronically. Each student will respond to a unique set of items that will provide more information about progress as well as achievement. This move to only two assessments nationally means there will be better comparisons across states, and more collaboration and sharing of resources among all states. In addition, through these common assessments, colleges and universities will be better able to incorporate student results in their admission process, which will make this assessment much more relevant for our high school students.

Vermont has been actively involved in the development and review of these new standards and will be actively involved in the assessment consortium. Because of our experience working in multi-state consortia, Vermont is able to bring perspectives to the discussion that only a handful of states can provide.

The transition from our current standards and NECAP assessment to the implementation of the Common Core in curriculum, instruction and assessment will require a multi-year effort at the local and state level. Professional development will be the single most important aspect of preparation for this change, and will require a statewide initiative and investment to support teachers in this transition.

This initiative comes with some concessions. This transition means Vermont will be changing assessments for the third time in 16 years, making it difficult to look at trends and how improvement to curriculum and instruction is impacting students’ test scores. There will be some additional costs for staff development and implementation of new curricula, which will require additional resources at the state and local levels to ensure all of our educators are well prepared to support the Common Core. However, these are minor concessions to make when we look at the long-term benefits of adopting the Common Core.

The State Board’s vote to adopt the Common Core State Standards continues to push Vermont’s already strong educational system forward. We expect these changes at the state and national level will result in enhanced outcomes and increased aspirations for students beyond high school, and will accurately measure true college and career readiness skills for all Vermont students.

For more information, visit http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_curriculum.html.

Armando Vilaseca is the Vermont commissioner of education.