Katherine Kjelleren is stepping down from the Carpenter-Carse Library board after several decades of guidance, work, and help as a library director. Read about how she became a board member, and her fond recollections of being on the board in the full article here.

Selectboard Send Letter to CVSD Regarding Turf Field

On May 9, the selectboard sent a letter to CVSD, urging them to exercise caution and careful consideration of the proposed gift of a turf field at CVU. Read the full letter here. For background on the board’s action, click here.

John Kingston Running for Vermont State Representative

John Kingston is an Independent seeking the seat being vacated by Phil Pouech’s retirement. He states, “I am running because I believe we can do better. We need to make progress on affordability and growth, and we need to do that in a fiscally responsible way. Vermont and our local communities are wonderful places to live, but they are at risk if we don’t take the necessary actions to protect them.” Read his full statement here.

Obituary: Linda Palmer

Linda Palmer of Hinesburg peacefully passed away on May 12, 2026, with her husband George and good friend Carol Cushing by her side. Visiting hours Tuesday, May 19; funeral services Wednesday, May 20, at the United Church of Hinesburg. Full obituary here.

Obituary: Kandy-Kay Potter

Kandy-Kay M Potter, 60, of Hinesburg, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the evening of May 9, 2026, after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. Visiting hours Monday, May 18; service and reception Tuesday, May 19. Full obituary here.

New Feature

In Brief: Timely Short Stories of Interest

We’ve started a new feature, an article called In Brief: Timely Short Stories of Interest. This page will hold short news stories that are too brief to warrant their own separate article. The link will always stay the same – we’ll add and remove items as needed. Check it out here.

In case you missed it…

Wendy Frink, Hinesburg Nursery School Director and Teacher, to Retire After 20 Years

After 20 amazing years helping Hinesburg’s young children learn, grow, and play, Wendy Frink has decided to retire from her teacher and director role at Hinesburg Nursery School. A celebration will be held on June 7. Read the full article here.

The Challenges of ALS

“I exist in two rooms. Mostly just one. My life is that small. Shockingly small. The rooms are not mine; they were assigned to me and, perhaps, I’m lucky to have two. But after five months of gray, of snow and rain and wind and cold, one of my last slivers of autonomy robbed by impassable roads, it’s hard to feel lucky. I feel imprisoned. …”

So begins our newest column, ‘Life on the Head of a Pin,” by Hinesburg resident, Nate Methot, who will be writing about the journey he is on with ALS. Click here to read his first column – Jailbreak in the Springtime.

If you support our advertisers, you are supporting The Record.

Police Incidents Log

A reminder that you can find the latest police incidents log by clicking on the “Police/Fire” heading on our website. There will be one article per month, which we update as we receive more incidents.

Word of the Week – Contumacious

Read about this fun wood, from a “cozy” series, in this article where we also discuss what “cozy” means with regards to books and games, and an interesting online bookstore that supports local bookstores.

Upcoming

Tuesday, May 19

• CVSD School Board Regular Meeting, 6-8:30 p.m. at the CVU library or via Zoom with this link. Meeting ID: 829 1919 4981 Passcode: cvsd11.

• DRB Meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Town Hall and by Zoom. Agenda and details here.

Wednesday, May 20

• Hinesburg Board of Abatement Meeting, 4:30 p.m. at Town Hall in the first floor conference room and by Zoom. Agenda and details here.

• Selectboard Meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall and by Zoom. Agenda and details here.

• Trails Committee Meeting, 7-9 p.m., Town Hall, third floor conference room.

Friday, May 22

• Meet and Greet with the Police Chief, 1-3 p.m. at the fire department. More info on our In Brief page.

Saturday, May 23

• Bloomtime Festival at the UVM Hort Farm, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 85 Green Mountain Drive, South Burlington. More info on our In Brief page.

Monday, May 25

• Memorial Day Observance, 9 a.m. at the Veterans Monuments at the corner of Route 116 and Silver Street, next to the former Good Times Café. More info on our In Brief page.

May 1:

8:15 a.m. A loose dog was located on Silver Street and later returned to its owner.

May 4:

12:18 p.m. An officer investigated a juvenile problem on North Road.

2:10 p.m. A citizen was assisted with a VIN verification.

3:08 p.m. A traffic stop was conducted on Shelburne Falls Road for a vehicle traveling 98 mph. The juvenile operator was cited for the crime of excessive speed.

3:15 p.m. The report of damage to property by a motor vehicle on Shelburne Falls Road was reported and investigated.

5:08 p.m. A juvenile problem on Hillview Terrace was investigated.

May 5:

1:27 p.m. An officer responded to Shelburne to assist PD with an incident there.

2:56 p.m. An officer assisted with a traffic hazard on North Road.

2:58 p.m. A welfare check was conducted on Ledgewood Lane.

May 6:

10:25 a.m. Officers responded to a domestic dispute on Route 116.

10:40 a.m. A welfare check was conducted on Shelburne Falls Road.

May 7:

9:13 a.m. Officers assisted county sheriffs with an investigation on Kailey’s Way.

May 8:

8 a.m. Theft of property from a motor vehicle on Burritt Road was investigated.

12:15 p.m. A traffic stop was conducted on North Road. Tina Merriam, 49, of Hinesburg was cited for driving with a criminally suspended driver’s license.

3:25 p.m. An officer assisted a citizen was a civil issue.

3:30 p.m. An office assisted another agency with a fraud investigation.

By Cathy Ryan

Last week, I discussed a book series that is considered “Young Adult” but is also enjoyable for adults. This week’s series is the opposite; the Shady Hollow series by Juneau Black is considered adult fiction, but many people feel it’s also great for middle-schoolers on up. “Juneau Black” is the pen name of authors Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel, who write the books together.

All the characters in the Shady Hollow world are animals. The author points out at the beginning of each book that you really need to “let it go” and not worry too much about how a moose can bake scones and make coffee, and serve animals from bears to mice (do they have different sized coffee cups, chairs, and tables? Never mind – I must let it go!). The books are all murder mysteries (or in the case of the two short stories in the series, other crime mysteries), but nothing more gruesome than some blood stains, or discussing the pulling of a body from a pond.

The main character is a fox named Vera Vixen, a newspaper reporter who also somehow always becomes involved in the solving of the latest murder. The Word of the Week, contumacious, appears in this paragraph:

“Today’s headline story profiles the spelling bee winner, Ashley Chitters (mouse, eight years of age), and features a photo of the student proudly wearing a bright bee-shaped medal on a long ribbon around her neck. She has triumphed for the third year running, spelling c-o-n-t-u-m-a-c-i-o-u-s with no hesitation whatsoever to great applause. Her rival – a stoat who ironically was somewhat contumacious – tried to put an i in lachrymose, to his detriment.”

Contumacious means “rebellious,” “insubordinate,” or willfully disobedient to authority. The word is often used in legal proceedings, such as when someone is held in contempt of court.

The Shady Hollow series has six novels and two short stories. You should definitely read the novels in order (starting with Shady Hollow), but once you’ve read the first novel, you can read the short stories around the appropriate holiday: Evergreen Chase is set at Christmas, and Phantom Pond is set at Halloween.

These books are considered part of the “cozy” genre. Books and video games are “cozy” if they are relatively stress-free, have at least a somewhat happy ending, are relaxing, and fun. One might wonder how a murder can be “cozy,” but cozy murder mysteries are apparently a whole sub-genre. This PBS article discusses them.

Of course, if you’re considering buying this book, it’s best to support our local bookstores. But if you’re unable to get out, or don’t have time, and really want to shop online, one option that you can consider is the website bookshop.org.

Bookshop.org is a nonprofit bookstore. You can select a local bookstore to support with your shopping, and part of the purchase price goes to the local store. You can buy physical books and also ebooks, but note that the ebooks can only be read in the Bookshop.org app (on your phone or tablet) or in a web browser; you can’t read them on a Kindle or kobo ereader.

Happy Reading!

By Kathleen Rivard
For The Record

Katherine Kjelleren’s connection to the Carpenter-Carse Library began the way many meaningful community journeys do – through her children. When her kids were young, the library was a regular part of family life. Story times, programs, and shelves full of books became a gathering place for learning and connection. What she likely didn’t realize then was that those visits would grow into 25 years of dedicated service on the Carpenter-Carse Library Board of Trustees.

This year, Katherine made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the board, closing a remarkable chapter of service to the Hinesburg community.

Katherine recalls being approached years ago by a librarian who encouraged her to join the board, believing that as a parent she would bring an important perspective. Though initially unsure what she could contribute, she stepped forward anyway. With the encouragement and mentorship of then-board chair Earla Sue McNaul, Katherine found her place and quickly became an important part of the library’s leadership and community spirit.

Over the past quarter of a century, Katherine has witnessed – and helped support – countless moments that reflect the heart of a small-town library. While she says there is no single memory that defines her tenure, what stands out most are the people and the shared commitment to the library’s mission. She fondly remembers Ed Sengle shoveling several feet of snow off the library roof one winter, Paul Lamberson replacing toilets and doors when repairs were needed, and the late Darcelene Lewis-Wedge’s knitting bringing warmth and personality to gatherings and events. There were also the many holiday meetings hosted in trustees’ homes, where friendships formed alongside board business.

Katherine also recalls standing alongside fellow trustees in court as Roger Kohn represented the library, as well as the many dedicated librarians and directors who shaped the library through the years. She remembers choosing carpeting with longtime director Sue Barden, Sara Donegan bringing music and joy through ukulele story times before later helping organize library handbooks and policies as director, and Beth Royer – along with her volunteer husband – helping guide the library through the difficult COVID years. She also credits Jill Andersen for stepping in when the library needed leadership most and guiding it with “grace and strength.”

Through every season of change, Katherine says there was always a sense of teamwork, humor, and belief in what the library could mean to the community.

Her impact reaches beyond the library walls as well. As a third-grade teacher at Hinesburg Community School, Katherine has long invested in the children and families of Hinesburg, helping foster a love of reading, curiosity, and community both in the classroom and at the library.

A lifelong reader herself, Katherine says she gravitates toward nonfiction, though she recently enjoyed Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. One of her longtime favorites is Feed by Vermont author M. T. Anderson. She also keeps up with the world through daily newspapers and issues of The New Yorker – a fitting habit for someone whose life has long been rooted in learning and literacy.

Even as she steps away from the board, Katherine says she will miss the people most of all – and the way the library keeps her connected to the heartbeat of the town. She looks forward to seeing plans develop for the library’s “C” Space and hopes to continue supporting the library through The Friends of the Library in the future.

When asked what advice she would give others, her answer reflects the spirit of her years of service: volunteering locally is one of the best ways to connect with others while contributing to the community you call home. She also expressed confidence in the library’s current board, describing it as energetic, vibrant, and ready to continue keeping the library relevant for all.

The Carpenter-Carse Library and the town of Hinesburg are deeply grateful for Katherine’s 25 years of thoughtful leadership, generosity, and care – years spent helping ensure the library remained not only a place for books, but a place for community.

Kathleen Rivard is secretary of the Carpenter-Carse Board of Directors.

Linda Palmer of Hinesburg peacefully passed away on May 12, 2026, with her husband George and good friend Carol Cushing by her side. She was just shy of her 90th birthday. Born to Raymond and Edith (Drinkwater) Carter in Hinesburg, she was the third of seven kids. She was educated in Monkton and Hinesburg schools, graduating from Hinesburg High School.

Linda and George were married on Sept. 23, 1955, in Hinesburg, where they lived and raised their family. Linda worked as a bookkeeper at Iroquois Manufacturing prior to staying home to raise their sons. During this time, Linda pursued her entrepreneurial spirit by running G & L Gift Shop in the first level of their home. The gift shop not only displayed items of Linda’s crafts but also took in items on consignment. She also owned a ceramics business and taught classes several days and nights each week. She later returned to bookkeeping at Vermont Ware as well as keeping the books for her husband’s business, George’s Construction. Through the years and into retirement she could be found knitting, crocheting, and crafting, and attended many local craft fairs with her items. She was always up for a game of bingo or cards.

Linda is survived by her husband, George of 70 years; her sons Gary (Susan) of Jericho, Jason (Jennifer) of South Burlington, and Matthew of Waterbury; grandchildren Jeffrey, Kelly, Jordan, Kailey, and Catherine; and six great-grandchildren; her sisters Virginia Prescott and Peggy Zeno (Noel); her sisters-in-law Loa Jane Dragon (Beaver), Cindy Dunshee (John) and brother-in-law Donald Palmer (Chicky); as well as cousins and many nieces and nephews.

Linda was predeceased by her infant daughter Robin; her parents; and her siblings Carmelita, Elizabeth, Marlene, and Raymond.

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Age Well and Birchwood Terrace for her care during her last years with Alzheimer’s and to her friend Carol Cushing as well.

Visiting hours will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at the United Church of Hinesburg. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, at the United Church of Hinesburg. Burial will follow at the Hinesburg Village Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Hinesburg Fire Department or Age Well, 875 Roosevelt Hwy Ste 210, Colchester, VT 05446-4460.

By Anna Main
Executive Director, Hinesburg Community Resource Center

As many of us travel through the heart of Hinesburg each day, whether it’s on our way to work, the grocery store, or a child’s school activity, it’s easy to pass right through without stopping. What many may not realize is that right in the center of town is a small thrift store making a meaningful difference for neighbors facing difficult times.

Hinesburg’s own Twice is Nice thrift store offers a thoughtfully curated selection of women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and small home goods and décor. Beyond providing affordable and sustainable shopping, the store plays an important role in supporting the broader community.

All proceeds from Twice is Nice directly benefit the Hinesburg Community Resource Center (HCRC), a local nonprofit that has proudly served the community since 1986. HCRC operates a fully volunteer-run food shelf, provides emergency financial assistance to community members, supports and connects young families through its Friends of Families programs, and maintains a medical lending closet for anyone recovering from hospitalization or surgery. To learn more about HCRC, please visit hinesburgresource.org.

As a small nonprofit, HCRC relies on the dedication of more than 80 volunteers, along with generous support from individuals, local businesses, municipal funding and our Twice is Nice shoppers. Together, these efforts help hundreds of community members each year.

This spring and summer, Twice is Nice is seeking additional volunteers to support store operations. Opportunities are flexible, ranging from as little as three hours per month to up to six hours per week. Please contact Kate Rugg at katemcrugg@gmail.com or Anna Main at main@hinesburgresource.org for more information about volunteering.

We are deeply grateful to Mary Crane, longtime Hinesburg resident and manager of Twice is Nice, for her seven years of dedicated service helping make the store such a special part of the community. We also warmly welcome Kate Rugg as the new store manager and look forward to her ideas and leadership as Twice is Nice continues to grow.

Like many organizations, the store has recently seen fewer shoppers as families tighten budgets and reduce non-essential spending, even as community needs continue to grow. Every purchase made at Twice is Nice helps fund essential services whether it’s putting food on a family’s table, helping a neighbor keep the lights on, or supporting programs that strengthen local families.

It truly takes a village. You can make a difference by volunteering your time, donating gently used clothing, or simply choosing to shop locally. The next time you pass through town, consider stopping in. We’d love to see you while you support your neighbors in more ways than one.

By John Kingston

Hello, my name is John Kingston. I will be running as an Independent to be your state representative here in Hinesburg (Chittenden District 4).

Why am I running?

I am running because I believe we can do better. We need to make progress on affordability and growth, and we need to do that in a fiscally responsible way. Vermont and our local communities are wonderful places to live, but they are at risk if we don’t take the necessary actions to protect them.

Why am I running as an Independent?

I have had a 40-plus-year business career, and I am a relative newcomer to elected office. I do not carry ideological baggage; I simply see that our legislature is not making the progress that needs to be made on key issues facing our communities and state. Addressing issues is more important than party. For me the harder path as an Independent is the right choice.

Please visit my website and reach out to me with any issues you wish to discuss. Over the coming weeks and months, you will see me around town or going door to door on your street. I will either be in my black Chevy Colorado or riding my bike. I look forward to having a meaningful dialogue with you, to gaining your trust and hopefully to earn your vote.

Thank you.

“Together … for an even better Vermont.”

Kandy-Kay M Potter, 60, of Hinesburg, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the evening of May 9, 2026, after a long battle with multiple sclerosis in her home, surrounded by her close family.

Kandy-Kay was born on April 10, 1966, in Burlington, Vermont, to Annette and Norman Potter. She left behind her spouse, Ernest Carrier, and her four children, John-Paul Morgan, Melissa-Sue Kinney, Benjamin Morgan, and Sierra Carrier-Potter. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Kandy-Kay went to Daniel Webster College and graduated with two associate’s degrees, one in business and the second in accounting. She was a known foster parent, and she helped several kids within the system. She was also a part of the Multiple Sclerosis group.

Kandy-Kay was known for having an open house policy and for having a big heart. She made sure that every child was loved and never left out. She was always the life of the party. When she would enter a room, she could light up the room just by her smile.

Kandy-Kay is now no longer in pain but at peace.

Visiting hours for Kandy-Kay will be held on Monday, May 18, 2026, from 3-6 p.m. at St. Jude Parish in Hinesburg. Funeral service will take place Tuesday, May 19, at noon at St. Jude Parish. A reception in her honor will immediately follow the service.

Bloomtime Festival at the UVM Hort Farm

May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join us for a day at the Hort Farm. Take a hayride, get a tattoo from Ian, visit our collections with the curators – the lilacs should be spectacular! There are plenty of kids activities and exploring to do.

Our special speakers are:

• Sarah F. Jayne, environmentalist, educator, and wildlife advocate offers ‘Weather’ or Not! How to Fortify Your Ecological Landscape for the Future

• Dana Williams of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, to speak on Second Vermont Butterfly Atlas

The Hort Farm is at 85 Green Mountain Drive, South Burlington, up behind the Toyota dealership on Route 7.

Mark Your Calendars: May 25.

A community service to honor Hinesburg’s veterans will be held at 9 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026, at the Veterans Monuments at the corner of Route 116 and Silver Street, next to the former Good Times Café. The public is invited to attend to pay respects to our vets.

Public Notice

CVSD Press Release

Notice is hereby given that the Champlain Valley School District (formerly Chittenden South Supervisory Union) including the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne, and Williston intends to destroy the special education records of all students who exited from any special education program during the 2020-2021 school year.

A permanent record of the student’s name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record, and year completed is maintained without time limitation.

Any former student, who has reached 18 years of age, may review and/or receive these records upon request. Also, any parent of a student who is 18 years of age or older, who has retained parental rights, may obtain these records.

Please contact the Champlain Valley Union High School Special Services Office at (802) 482-7115 by July 31, 2026. If no student, parent, or guardian responds to this public notice prior to or by July 31, 2026, the school district will assume consent to destroy the entire record specific to the student.

Habitat for Humanity Project takes big step

The Mechanicsville Road Habitat for Humanity project has been a hub of activity over the last few weeks – trees cut down, house gutted and then on Monday, May 11, the old house that was on the property was torn down. Habitat Project Manager Chris Lane was at the scene when the crew began to demolish the house and hall the remains away. Lane told The Record that Habitat hoped to get started right away on the foundation for the six-unit development, but they discovered they needed additional permits: state and local building permits. Lane said he hoped that wouldn’t take too long and work on building new housing could begin.

“Dear Champlain Valley School District School Board,

“The Hinesburg Selectboard has heard the concerns of many Hinesburg residents regarding the proposed artificial turf field at CVU, and we share their concerns.

“With very recent interventions to remediate contaminated wells in Hinesburg, and lessons learned from other communities who have spent millions to treat PFA’s in their water supplies, we are especially concerned about the Turf Field’s impact on our village water supply system, and individual residents’ wells.

“We request that you take time to research all the ramifications of the proposed Artificial Turf field and present an analysis of alternative solutions to the problems that currently plague the fields. As part of your research, we request that you contract with a hydrogeologist to study the possibilities of the proposed Turf Field contaminating Hinesburg’s drinking water, and that you share the results with the Hinesburg Selectboard.

“Like you, we are an elected governing board, and we thoroughly understand the obligation to listen to a variety of voices and opinions, and the need to weigh all consequences before making a decision – regardless of funding restrictions or opportunities.

“We are grateful for your consideration to “take care of this place” as you continue to explore all options.”

Merrily Lovell, Selectboard Chair
For the Hinesburg Selectboard

The Challenges of ALS

“I exist in two rooms. Mostly just one. My life is that small. Shockingly small. The rooms are not mine; they were assigned to me and, perhaps, I’m lucky to have two. But after five months of gray, of snow and rain and wind and cold, one of my last slivers of autonomy robbed by impassable roads, it’s hard to feel lucky. I feel imprisoned. …”

So begins our newest column, ‘Life on the Head of a Pin,” by Hinesburg resident, Nate Methot, who will be writing about the journey he is on with ALS. Nate is a remarkably upbeat and active person, and we are sure that his column will prove both fascinating and inspiring. Click here to read his first column – Jailbreak in the Springtime.

Turf Battle

Selectboard votes to send a stern letter to the CVSD board expressing their concerns about the proposed donation of a $5.5 million artificial turf field at CVU, saying the risk of contamination of Hinesburg’s water – and other problems – put the town in a terrible position.

Coaches outline the need for better fields and why an artificial turf field is the answer.

Wendy Frink, Hinesburg Nursery School Director and Teacher, to Retire After 20 Years

After 20 amazing years helping Hinesburg’s young children learn, grow, and play, Wendy Frink has decided to retire from her teacher and director role at Hinesburg Nursery School. A celebration will be held on June 7. Read the full article here.

Obituary: Nancy Ann Berger

Nancy Ann Berger was an active volunteer and member of many town organizations. A Celebration of Life scheduled for July 25. Read the full obituary here.

In case you missed it…

My Story: Rufus Patrick

Hinesburg’s Mr. Music talks about his family heritage of playing in bands and inspired him to start the Hinesburg Community Band in 1996 in this audio story on our website.

Almost Time to Plant Potatoes

Our bi-monthly gardening column offers ideas on how and when and what types of tubers to plant this spring. Did you know that in New England, dandelions can be used as a reasonable gauge to tell if the soil has dried and warmed enough for potatoes to be comfortable? Read more here.

Summer Theater Returns to Williston

Hinesburg couple Connor Kendall and Merrill Cameron star as Will and Viola in Shakespeare in Love, running June 11-20 at the Isham Barn. Read the full story here.

Outdoors: The Most Dangerous Creature in Vermont

Our Outdoors columnist Philip Werner discusses how Lyme disease-carrying ticks remain a major health concern for residents and visitors. Read the full article here.

If you support our advertisers, you are supporting The Record.

Word of the Week

By Cathy Ryan

This week’s Word of the Week is actually a 3-for-1! Learn about jings, japes, and boffo, all from one amazing book series for youth or adults – the Tiffany Aching series, set in Discworld, by Terry Pratchett. Full article here.

Upcoming

Tuesday, May 12

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. by Zoom only. Agenda and details here.

• Recreation Commission Meeting, 6 p.m. Town Hall, third floor conference room. Agenda here.

• Conservation Commission Meeting, 7 p.m. at Carpenter Carse Library. Agenda here.

Wednesday, May 13

• Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Town Hall, lower level conference room and on Zoom. Agenda and details here.

• Gone Guys: Community Film Screening and Discussion, 6:30-8 p.m. at Charlotte Central School library. A Vermont-produced documentary exploring the growing disengagement of boys and young men from school, work, and community life. Details here.

Friday, May 15

• Virtual Birding Workshop, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Carpenter Carse Library or from home online. Details here.

Saturday, May 16

• Big Truck Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hinesburg Nursery School. Details here.

This week’s Word of the Week is a 3-for-1. All three words are from a book I’m currently reading, Wintersmith, by Terry Pratchett. I know, I mentioned another of Pratchett’s books, The Hogfather, in a previous Word of the Week, but I just couldn’t resist, because this book series is amazing, and I come across a fun word every few minutes.

Wintersmith is the third book in the five-book Tiffany Aching series, set in Pratchett’s Discworld. He was a prolific writer, with over 41 books set in Discworld. Some of the books (like The Hogfather) can be read out of order, but many are in groups, or subseries, where it’s best to read them in order, and I highly recommend that for this subseries. So, you should start with the first book in the series, The Wee Free Men.

The series is considered “young adult” – appropriate for middle school kids and older, but I didn’t know that when I started reading the books, and I’m thoroughly enjoying them. I think it would be a great series for parents and kids to read at the same time.

This series focuses on Tiffany, who is nine years old in the first book; she turns 13 in the third book. She’s a young witch but doesn’t really know it yet. But other witches in the area are noticing, and start training her. She’s befriended by small, blue-tattooed, six-inch-tall fairy folk called the Nac Mac Feegle. They are as far from “fairy-like” as you can imagine – they curse, steal, drink, lie, fight, and carry on in a hilarious way.

So let’s get to the words.

Merriam-Webster lists “jing” but in the book it’s “jings” – “Jings! I see you there, ye wee schemies!” It’s a Scottish exclamation of surprise or amazement, similar to “Oh my goodness!” This was spoken by a Nac Mac Feegle. Their dialect in the books is a tiny bit difficult to read and understand, but once you’re a couple books in, you’ll be an expert.

“Jape” can be a verb or a noun – a practical joke, or to perform a practical joke – to be silly. In Wintersmith, one witch got some items from a certain company:

“The Boffo Novelty & Joke Company!
Guffaws, Jokes, Chuckles, Japes Galore!
If it’s a laugh, it’s a BOFFO!”

That advertisement also uses our third word:

Merriam-Webster says that boffo came about in the 1930’s and 1940’s and may have started as a shortening of “box office” – a box office hit is boffo. It can also be used as a noun – something can be “a boffo.” The definition page links to an article called “7 Great Ways to say Great” and boffo is at the top of the list.

In Wintersmith, it refers to the calculated use of props, costumes, and theatrical tricks to enhance a witch’s reputation and power. Witches serve a community, providing minor medical assistance, helping the elderly, settling disputes, etc. But in order for a community to trust a witch, they have to believe she has power. They expect witches to be a certain way, so one witch in particular uses a bit of boffo to be a bit more “witchy.”

“That was the magic of the pointy hat. It was what Miss Treason called ‘Boffo.’”

But serious situations sometimes call for seriousness – no boffo:

“This was witching cut to the bone. No toys, no wands, no boffo, no headology, no tricks. All that mattered was how good you were.”

I truly think this series is boffo, and I hope you check it out, either for a middle-schooler in your life, or for yourself. Tiffany is an amazing, strong, smart, courageous character. That frying pan she’s wielding in the book cover above? Spoiler alert – she knows how to use it, and I don’t mean for cooking.

From the beginning of the first book in the series, The Wee Free Men:

“Another world is colliding with this one,” said the toad. “All the monsters are coming back.”
“Why?” said Tiffany.
“There’s no one to stop them.”
There was silence for a moment.
Then Tiffany said, “There’s me.”

Video of Hinesburg Selectboard meeting courtesy of MediaFactory.

By Geoffrey Gevalt
Hinesburg Record staff

In a meeting packed with concerned Hinesburg residents, the selectboard on May 6 voted unanimously to write to the Champlain Valley School District board to express the town’s concerns about potential contamination of the town’s water supply from a proposed artificial turf field at CVU.

Eli Lesser-Goldsmith is leading the group that is offering to build a $5.5 million artificial turf field – at no upfront cost to the district – with handicapped access, parking, concession stand and bathrooms at Field B behind the school. Lesser-Goldsmith has said repeatedly that the gift is restricted to only the option of an artificial field.

In explaining why she put discussion of the field on the selectboard agenda, board chair Merrily Lovell said the board has received letters from “a lot of people [who] are very upset about it.”

The major concern is runoff from the fields containing what are known as PFAS or compounds used in and resulting from the manufacture of artificial turf fields. These chemicals never break down and, combined with micro- and nano-plastics that become airborne as the field gets older, threaten the town’s water sources that are downhill from the school.

Numerous communities have had problems with runoff from turf fields, including Easton, Massachusetts, where their fields have required $11 million in remediation and filtration to clean up the town’s water supply.

“Actually the only email that we received that was not against the field,” Lovell continued, “was from Lesser-Goldsmith, who asked us not to make a decision until he could present his side of the picture.” Lesser-Goldsmith and the company he is partnering with, FieldTurf, have repeatedly said the field would comply with Vermont’s new law restricting PFAS in artificial turf fields.

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One letter stood out to Lovell: “I was happy to receive one from Barb Galgon who emphasized that we think about community collaboration and shared values and that we strive not to have controversy but come to agreement on this.”

The town, however, has no say at this juncture. The proposal has been made to the Champlain Valley School District and its board will determine whether to accept the gift or not. Its next meeting is May 19 at 6 p.m. at CVU; a vote could come as early as June 16.

Various town officials have told The Record that should the district decide the project should move forward, it would require Act 250 review, hearings with the Agency for Natural Resources as well as approvals from the Hinesburg Development Review Board on several parts of the plan, including storm runoff.

Selectboard member Paul Lamberson was crystal clear in his opposition to the project. “I absolutely want to improve access to playing time and the quality of the fields,” he said. “It is wonderful that the need [for better fields and access] has been identified … but I want to protect Hinesburg’s water sources.

“As we know firsthand in Hinesburg, we are dealing with contamination of some wells neighboring our old landfill. … So as a selectboard member, as a community member, as a human being in 2026, I want to be really careful not to make any mistakes moving forward where five years, 10 years, 50 years [from now] there’s some district trying to clean up the mess we made because we didn’t spot the size of the risk, the severity of the risk.

“I’m not keen on this project. … And I really have taken offense to the strategy of the [donating] group: ‘We’ve got the solution that we’re going to impose on your community. Take it or leave it.’ That doesn’t work for me at all, and I’ll be pushing back on that ultimatum.”

For selectboard member Maggie Gordon, the issue is the town’s water, plain and simple. “Just from what we’ve learned from [the contamination of wells from the old landfill] just the thought of the costs if there were some kind of contamination – the costs of a filtration system, the cost of remediation would be just mind-boggling. It would be many times the amount of our annual budget. Really inconceivable. And who would bear those costs? The town? The school board? Either way, it’s the taxpayers.

“I just feel like there must be other options that haven’t been considered. It seems like there’s this bright, shiny, free thing that some people are really excited about, but when we look at the potential negative effects, the bright, shiny thing kind of loses its luster. So I hope and trust that the school board will take some time to consider all the ramifications.”

Selectman Mike Loner also was concerned.

“A lot of people who know me know sports is an important part of our family. My daughter played at CVU. I would love to see a facility; it’s long overdue and it would be amazing.

“But I just can’t get to a place where I feel comfortable putting down [artificial] turf within our water source area. The school needs a new facility, and they’ve known this for decades … I would love to see a solution that allows for protection of our water source. Whether that’s a natural grass field, whether that’s this fancy stormwater system they’re going to put in that has monitoring on it and somebody else takes responsibility for that, or whatever it might be, I just can’t get to a spot where I’m comfortable with it.”

Board member Dennis Place was not present.

The board then opened up discussion to members of the audience; Merrily asked that the comments be on ‘new’ issues and points given the extensive letters and comments the board has received outlining the issues.

Margaret McNurlan asked, simply, “who pays for the mistake” if one is made? Can there be a stipulation that someone other than the town and district pay for clean up?

On Zoom, Bill Scott urged for full participation between the district, town and donors. “I’m not all that impressed with how the school board is handling this. and if they’re going to tend to defer to the donor and the manufacturer rather than treat this as their own project. To my view, this is a school district project, and it should not be handed over to a donor as a turnkey process just because they’re putting up the money.”

Andrea Morgante noted that given the Act 250 and stormwater reviews, “I think it would be important for the selectboard to prepare itself with legal advice to participate in that process.” She also noted the potential traffic issues should the field be built and tournaments held at the field. “I’m not saying there should not be tournaments, but there’s a lot to consider.”

Barbara Forauer, who lives a mile away from CVU, expressed concern over airborne micro- and nano-plastics, noting that the Teflon plant contamination in Bennington found such plastics 20 miles away in the national forest. She also was concerned about the “light pollution” from the lights that would be installed.

Carol Jenkins pointed out that another concern – should the town’s water be contaminated – would be reduced property values. “We would be a dead town. Who would want to move to Hinesburg if we end up with contaminated water?”

Jennifer Decker, who has been voicing her opposition since the proposal first surfaced last fall, urged the town to hire its own hydrogeologist to determine the runoff path from CVU. Decker asked FieldTurf at its presentation last month whether it would provide a sample for independent testing. “Absolutely not,” was the answer. She urged the selectboard to request a sample.

Decker said that she has more than 365 signatures from Hinesburg residents opposing the turf field. And she noted that FieldTurf has been subject to several class-action lawsuits. One of those suits, which was settled in 2024 for more than $50 million, accused the company of false claims and defective products.

Meg Handler challenged the selectboard “to think a little more about exploring how much power you do have in this situation instead of just accepting that because CVU owns the property they can do whatever they want.

“I don’t really think that’s true, and I feel like we live in a time where government has become reluctant to stand up to money; and I’m concerned that we have a tendency to just bow to whomever is putting up the money. I think we need to challenge that and I think that this body controls the town and has more power than perhaps you’re willing to acknowledge right now.”

The board then voted to draft a letter outlining its concerns to the CVSD board.

The Hinesburg Conservation Commission has already sent a letter of opposition to the district board. Even the Charlotte Conservation Commission – of which Lesser-Goldsmith is a member – began discussing the issue at its last meeting. Lesser-Goldsmith appeared on Zoom as a ‘private citizen’ and was subjected to numerous questions. The commission will resume its debate later this month. And on May 19, the district board will resume its discussions of the proposal.

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By Anna Gilmore
Hinesburg Record Intern

The Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) board has vowed to hold off on any authorization to proceed with a proposed artificial turf athletic field until a long list of additional information is gathered, but debate about the project has not paused and continues to be divided.

The privately funded $5.5 million field would replace the grass Field B at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg. Supporters say it’s an overdue upgrade to the often soggy and unplayable grass field; critics worry about environmental impact. The board at its regular April 14 meeting requested an independent hydrogeologic study, environmental comparison between turf and natural grass and other new information.

Charlotte resident Eli Lesser-Goldsmith is the leader of the Community Field Project, which is proposing the turf field; he’s also CEO of Healthy Living. He told The Hinesburg Record last week that he’s not daunted by the request for additional information.

“We are a group who only sees opportunity. We are following the process; we are excited by the process; we’re thrilled that the school board has now taken up the issue and discussed it at that meeting [April 14] and we’ll be discussing it in the future as well,” Lesser-Goldsmith said.

Meanwhile, the topic remains contested.

For all The Record’s coverage of the artificial turf field proposal – including the Hinesburg selectboard’s concerns expressed in a meeting last week – click here.

The often swampy condition of CVU’s fields is not only a hazard in itself, but it’s also forced four teams to practice consistently in the school parking lot, which further puts players’ safety at risk, supporters say. Scheduled home games frequently have to be moved, creating more problems.

So far, CVSD has not been able to come up with figures for how many games and practices are missed in an average year, nor the cost of maintenance and busing students to other locations to practice or play games, nor the extent of injuries caused by less-than-ideal conditions.

“When the weather does cause a game change of site, we also risk students’ safety by putting them on a bus or individual vehicles to drive somewhere else,” said Somer MacKillop, a certified athletic trainer and former student athlete at CVU. “If environmental concerns are a factor, this is even more travel energy going into the air.”

Critics worry about the potential for PFAS – forever chemicals created or used in creating plastics – to run off to local water supplies from the turf. Easton, Massachusetts, is one town that has experienced contamination of its water from artificial turf fields.

“I think it’s really important to have a good field, I think it’s important to have good outside space, but I think weighing the potential for permanent contamination on Hinesburg’s town well is not trivial,” said Meg Handler, a parent of two former CVU varsity athletes.

She also expressed concern about the “coercive nature of a private contribution to a public school.. I’m concerned about the values this conveys to the school. It’s a public school and it needs to be serving the interests of the whole community,” Handler added.

The project was first proposed last fall; a public presentation of the proposal by Lesseer-Goldsmith’s team and FieldTurf, the manufacturer, finally happened in early April. It would include new bleachers, lighting, a larger parking lot, bathroom and a concession stand.

From MacKillop’s perspective, the proposal would be a big improvement to the current dysfunctional state of the fields.

“Fields are essentially unusable from mid-October to May, and sometimes that’s generous,” he said. “The only months the fields are perfect are June, July, August, and September, which 50 percent of the time we are not in school. There’s a reason that over the last twelve years, there have been three attempts at building a turf field, and that’s because it’s necessary.”

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Many questions have been raised over the impact the turf could have on Hinesburg’s drinking water, on student health and safety, and on long-term maintenance costs. Multiple public meetings have already taken place to educate about both respective sides of the proposal. At the Champlain Valley School District board meeting on April 14, parents, local residents, students, and coaches offered a range of opinions.

“The big picture is that we’ve had numerous games postponed, practices moved, and senior games and playoff games hosted by other schools when we’re the home team,” said Tucker Pierson, the girls varsity lacrosse and field hockey head coach and a CVU parent. “While this might seem like merely an inconvenience to some folks, I want to convey the … weekly stressors that the unknowns and changes which are often last minute add to the many families, coaches, and administrators as we’re all hustling to find where we can be at the last minute.”

She emphasized another downside to maintaining a grass field – the strenuous seasonal lining process the facilities crew goes through annually. This is a days-long process, which means the space is made off-limits until all the lines are painted and dried. She stressed how if there was turf, then the lines would be permanent and therefore this would no longer be a concern.

When the fields are not in a playable condition, it often means athletes are sidelined.

“On rainy days where most folks in the area who have access to facilities that would allow them to practice, we sit in a classroom and watch film,” said Owen McCuin, former CVU athlete and current boys varsity lacrosse assistant coach.

“Although this is still incredibly valuable, it’s extremely important for us to bond while also playing the sport that they all love together,” he added. “All of our players were sitting in classrooms throughout the whole day, and they really look forward to going out and playing. That affects the mental wellbeing of a player and I’d love for them to get more time to do the thing that a lot of them love to do most.”

The board also heard from those who hadn’t been convinced.

“We voted this down twice and following democracy is good for our mental health just like real grass is good for our mental health,” commented Jennifer Decker, a Hinesburg resident.

After discussion regarding public comments, the board said they would weigh student benefits, community concerns, and individual responsibilities as a board member when making their decision. They then called for a list of studies to be conducted before any further steps can be taken, including:

• Independent hydrogeological study to assess possible water contamination

• Environmental comparison between artificial turf and natural grass

• Analysis of turf material options

• Product data and guarantees, including potential solutions in case of failure or contamination

• Cost analysis

• Lighting impact review

• Legal and procedural review

Superintendent Adam Bunting and the district’s chief operating officer, Gary Marckres, were assigned the task of answering some of these questions in time for the board’s next meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont internship, for the Hinesburg Record

(Editor’s note: Today we begin a regularly irregular column, “Life on the Head of a Pin.” The author, who was diagnosed with ALS 15 years ago, will be writing about his life and its challenges.)

By Nate Methot
For the Hinesburg Record

I exist in two rooms. Mostly just one. My life is that small. Shockingly small.

The rooms are not mine; they were assigned to me and, perhaps, I’m lucky to have two. But after five months of gray, of snow and rain and wind and cold, one of my last slivers of autonomy robbed by impassable roads, it’s hard to feel lucky. I feel imprisoned.

Seven years. It’s been almost seven years. I can’t believe I’ve been here that long, longer than any place since my childhood home. There were ten of them in the intervening years, each filled with activity – with life. Each packed full by comparison, even those that felt empty. And they often felt empty.

The world has changed around me – 2019, pre-pandemic, is lost and gone, distant, quaint. It marked the end of my independence, of almost fifteen years on my own, out of my parents’ house; of owning and driving a car, and of my walking outside the house. It’d been coming for years – a gentle, gradual decline that should’ve prepared me – but can you ever be ready for the light to turn out; can you ever be ready for life in the dark?

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My parents were in the midst of building a house when I was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“ALS,” also known as Motor Neuron Disease) in the summer of 2011, a month into my twenty-seventh year. Nearing retirement, they’d designed a single-level home, but now the little red house in the woods would need to accommodate a wheelchair: doorways widened, ramp installed, front and back porch level with its interior. I watched it take shape, visited and saw the foresight of its features, but evaded such foresight myself.

It was a mindset of rebellion. Refusal. Accepting a future of dependence – a complete loss of control – was acquiescing. Capitulating. It was a betrayal of the very core of my identity, of so much of the value I saw in myself. Even before the loss they insisted was coming – the loss of my life – I’d been sentenced to continuous wasting, a shrinking of its scope. I couldn’t accept that. Everything I could do, for as long as I could do it, I would do – had to do.

I’ve advised friends – those new to Vermont; flatlanders – that the key to getting through winter is to get out and do stuff – embrace it. But it’s hard to put that advice into action in my own life. This house was built with my future in mind, but its location was not. The end of a long driveway off a dirt road, miles from a paved surface, is not an ideal location for a wheelchair user who no longer drives. I’m left asking for rides, depending on others. I’m often trapped in two rooms.

Finally, in the last week in April, our driveway and road are – for a few days, at least – free of snow, ice, and mud, and I am free to roam. My 375-pound battery-powered, joystick operated wheelchair is safe to climb and descend hills; safe from hopelessly spinning its wheels and stranding its user, or arriving home, tire treads packed tightly with mud, like boots you can’t leave at the door. Gone five months without, more than the sunshine, these days are desperately welcomed. One taste of freedom that remains.

The first time I rolled out the back of my converted minivan, every eyeball’s glaring judgment – real and imagined – bore holes to my soul. Belted into the back seat, driven by my mother, behemoth wheelchair strapped to the floor, I saw my image clearly. Eerily. So, this is my life. It felt like failure. Grief. Loss. I felt less human than ever before.

This day is different.

Cell phone in my cupholder, I roll down the ramp and out the garage, up the driveway and cautiously onto the road. It’s been recently graded: rocks unearthed and strewn over every inch of its surface. They pound on the chair’s six solid wheels and prevent a long outing. The jostling is hard on my weakening neck, whether pinned to the crashing headrest or absorbing each blow without assistance. Seeking out smooth spots and listening for the stray mid-weekday driver hiding just over the hill or behind, I climb the hill to the cemetery and bump along on its yet-to-be-mowed grass to a spot of my choosing. In sunglasses and a t-shirt in the intermittent sunshine, steady breeze on my face, I sit still and breathe in the peace, admiring the familiar, picturesque ridge lines to the east, broad smile in my mind.

Nate Methot has written a memoir: “A Life Derailed: My Journey with ALS,” published by Onion River Press. It's available at Carpenter-Carse Library or for purchase through Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne. Nate will be writing this column in The Record on a regular basis. In the meantime, you can find more from Nate at natemethot.com.

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If you plan to do any type of digging on your property, you or your contractor must contact Dig Safe™ at 811 at least 72 hours prior to digging.

Dig Safe will notify member utilities, who will locate buried facilities they own and ensure they are clearly marked. If you plan to work within 18 inches of the marked lines, please make sure it is dug by hand.

How to Detect a Gas Leak

Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. VGS adds an odorant similar to the smell of rotten eggs, so it can be easily recognized.

Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.

Sound: It may result in an unusual noise that replicates the sound of roaring, hissing, or whistling.

If you suspect a leak, move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-639-8081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition. Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

Be safe

Visit vgsvt.com/be-safe for more safety information.

By Amanda Webb
HNS Board President

After 20 amazing years helping Hinesburg’s young children learn, grow, and play, Wendy Frink has decided to retire from her teacher and director role at Hinesburg Nursery School.

Wendy began her HNS journey as a parent and board member and loved it so much that she became a teacher when her sons moved on. She has shared her sense of humor, imagination, and creativity with so many children over the years, and for this, the Hinesburg Nursery School is so grateful. Many will remember her delicious treats, her traditional gingerbread-making classes, her warm hugs, and her laugh-out-loud storytelling – often making the children characters in the story itself. And we cannot forget her long-time classroom companion, Fang (the snake), who will also be retiring with her.

We are excited for her and her next adventure, though we will certainly miss her kindness and leadership that have made her a pillar of our parent cooperative preschool for so many years. As Wendy finishes her final year at HNS, we will begin the process of finding someone to carry on her important work and continue supporting our students.

Save the date and help us celebrate Wendy on June 7 from 1-3 p.m. at the Hinesburg Community School playground. Feel free to bring a dish, or at the very least, Wendy stories, to share! The invitation can be found here.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Nancy Ann Berger went peacefully to be with God. She had spent the day surrounded by the warmth and love of her husband, Russell, and their family – just as she would have wanted: together, telling stories, sharing memories, and holding her hand.

Nancy was the first-born child of Alverta Hoppes and Michael Kistler. She and her two brothers, Allen Kistler of Andres, Pennsylvania, and Eugene Kistler (deceased), were born and raised in the Mahoning Valley area of Pennsylvania. It was there that she met her soulmate and husband, Russell George Berger Jr. at a dance. They married in the spring of 1961 and on April 16 of this year they celebrated 65 blessed and beautiful years of marriage.

In 1968, Nancy and Russell moved from Pennsylvania with their young children to Hinesburg, Vermont. The Hinesburg community became Nancy's home. Over the years, she was an active volunteer and member of many town organizations, including Hinesburg Volunteers for Community Service, where she led bingo to fundraise for local causes. Nancy could also be found enjoying time with friends and neighbors at Papa Nick's. In later years, she was a regular at senior meals and bingo. She was a warm, friendly person and was kind and thoughtful to everyone she met.

Across the 80 years we were gifted with her presence, Nancy delighted us with her sense of humor and love of a good joke. She lived with an optimism and positive outlook that never faded and her energy was bright, joyous, and contagious. Nancy lived her life through acts of kindness and compassion; giving to others was one of her greatest gifts. She was truly one of a kind, and countless people were touched by her caring nature. She was our angel on earth.

Nancy's love and legacy live on through her daughters, Lori Hennessey (Michael), Michelle Rushford (Michael), and Gretchen Stallings (Timothy). She is reunited in Heaven with her daughter Theresa and her son Russell, where they are surely watching over us all and perhaps even plotting a little mischief.

Nancy was a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her memory is cherished by 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; all of whom were blessed to hug her, laugh with her, and be deeply loved by their "Granny." She lit up whenever she spoke about her beautiful family.

While Nancy has left us for now, the lessons she taught us remain and will continue to guide us. She never met a stranger and always had a place at her table for a new friend.

The family will be holding a joyful celebration of Nancy's life on July 25, honoring the love, laughter, and light she brought into the world. Time and place to be announced.

We'll all remember the sound of her voice as she would say goodbye: "love ya baby."

Mr. Music of Hinesburg talks about his family heritage of playing in bands that led him to start the Hinesburg Community Band in 1996 in this audio story on our website. A 30th Anniversary concert is upcoming May 10 at 4 p.m. at CVU.

Almost Time to Plant Potatoes

Our bi-monthly gardening column offers ideas on how and when and what types of tubers to plant this spring. Did you know that in New England, dandelions can be used as a reasonable gauge to tell if the soil has dried and warmed enough for potatoes to be comfortable? Read more here.

Promoted Content: Pleasant Mount Farm Opens! Check out the flyer about this Huntington greenhouse. Coupons, too!)

Thanks to Lantman’s for their support.

May News and Events at the Library

Check out the latest news and events at Hinesburg’s Carpenter Carse Library, including some new reading displays.

Summer Theater Returns to Williston

Hinesburg couple Connor Kendall and Merrill Cameron star as Will and Viola in Shakespeare in Love, running June 11-20 at the Isham Barn. Read the full story here.

If you support our advertisers, you are supporting The Record. Click Trillium’s banner ad to find out more about signing up for their CSA and growing season.

The Most Dangerous Creature in Vermont

Our Outdoors Columnist Philip Werner discusses how Lyme disease-carrying ticks remain a major health concern for residents and visitors. Read the full article here.

in case you missed it…

Special Mother’s Day of Music

The Hinesburg Artist Series (HAS) will celebrate spring and Mother’s Day with a concert full of beautiful music on Sunday, May 10, at 4 p.m. in the CVU auditorium. Read the full article here.

Monkton Historical Society: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

Check out this article about Monkton Historical Society’s new museum, which opened last July. Full article here.

Word of the Week

By Cathy Ryan

This week’s Word of the Week is “ell.” Because I was quite wordy discussing the 1895 book in which I read this word, we’re trying something new – putting the WotW in a separate article which you can read here.

Upcoming

Wednesday, May 6

• Selectboard Meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall and by Zoom. Agenda and Zoom details here.

• Korean Lotus Flower Lantern Workshop, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Carpenter Carse Library. Join us to create your own lotus lantern, symbols of purity and resilience in Korea. We'll also watch a short cultural film about Korea. More info here.

Thursday, May 7

• Homespun Comedy Open Mic Nite, at Frost Beer Works. Sign-up at 7 p.m., show 7:30-9:30 p.m. More info here.

• Deadline is May 7 for registering for the May 12 Age Well Senior Meal at St. Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St. in Shelburne. Check-in time is 11:30 a.m. and the meal will be served at noon. More info here.

Saturday, May 9

• Toy and Book Swap, 10-11 a.m. at Carpenter Carse Library. Claim a spot and start setting up at 9:30 a.m. Any items not swapped must be taken away by the original owner. No donations needed to “shop.” For more info, email Alex at Koncewicz@hinesburgresource.org

• Shelburne Museum Community Day, a free celebration of opening day at the museum. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info here.

This week’s Word of the Week is “ell.” I read this word in Frances E. Willard’s 1895 book, A Wheel within a Wheel: How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle. An ell is an old English unit of measure, of about 45 inches (see more in the Merriam Webster definition). The sentence in the book is, “We all know the old saying, Fire is a good servant, but a bad master. This is equally true of the bicycle: if you give it an inch—nay, a hair—it will take an ell—nay, an evolution—and you a contusion, or, like enough, a perforated kneecap.”

This book is in the public domain, and you can read it online at Project Gutenberg.

Willard’s book is about more than just how she learned to ride a bicycle. It is about motivation and trepidation — the excitement of learning something new and the thrill of success, and the fears of ridicule, failure, and personal injury.

Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard was born in 1839 in Churchville, New York, and spent most of her childhood in Janesville, Wisconsin. She was an educator, a temperance reformer, and women’s suffragist. Her work was instrumental in the passing of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution (Prohibition and women’s right to vote), raising the age of consent in many states, and instituting an eight-hour workday. Willard’s many professions included: a public school teacher, President of Evanston College for Ladies, Dean of Women at Northwestern University, a newspaper editor, a public speaker, an author, and President of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). The WCTU had a three-prong mission of abolition, suffrage, and temperance.

Although Willard was briefly engaged, her primary loyalties and relationships were with women, including her longtime companion Anna Adams Gordon. Her fight for temperance focused on “home protection” — protection from the devastation caused by intoxicated men, both in and outside of the home. She argued that if women could vote, they could vote in prohibition.

Willard was a feminist, but also became a socialist and fought for a wide variety of social reform: federal aid for education and school lunches, unions and worker protections including an eight-hour workday, sanitation, public transportation, anti-rape laws, protections against child abuse, prison reform, and world peace.

Willard’s interest in the independence, health, and well-being of women naturally led her to embrace the bicycle. Bicycles allowed women to travel farther distances, without a chaperone, and gave many women their first sweet taste of freedom. Bike-riding women pushed for clothing reform, so that they could wear clothes more suitable for bike riding. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are credited with declaring that “woman is riding to suffrage on the bicycle,” a line that was printed frequently in newspapers around the turn of the century.

To men, the bicycle in the beginning was merely a new toy, another machine added to the long list of devices they knew in their work and play. To women, it was a steed upon which they rode into a new world.

—Munsey’s Magazine, 1896

Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel.

—Susan B. Anthony, 1896

Of course, learning a new athletic pursuit in one’s fifties is not always a simple task, as this book attests to (especially when wearing the standard women’s clothing of the day). But (spoiler alert), she does successfully learn to ride, and ends the book with the encouragement, “Moral: Go thou and do likewise!”