Donny Osman Kimberley Cheney Senate Candidates

PAGE 8 • AUGUST 19, 2010
THE BRIDGE
Senate Candidates
continued from page 7
That said, I think I’m putting forward some new ideas
here. That’s not only because the tendency to nibble around
the edges of familiar problems often doesn’t get to solutions,
but because if you put forward some new ideas, you may
find that people want to become engaged in government
again. When people think of state government as the place
that lays people off and cuts programs for disabilities and
then argues about a penny on the property tax, it’s not a very
engaging process. As I said before, being an effective senator
is not just about passing legislation. I’m for bringing people
together to look for solutions. Putting forward new ideas is
one way to accomplish that.
Donny Osman
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 62
Education: Goddard College (BA, Theater and Education); Woodbury College (Conflict Mediation)
Public Service Credits: three terms in the Vermont
House; vice chair, House Education Committee; director,
Central Vermont Early Childhood Council; director, Governor’s Institute on the Arts for 25 years; worldwide performing and teaching theater artist
★
★
As you campaign for a seat in the Vermont Senate,
what are you hearing from the voters?
I’m hearing from a lot of people about their concerns over
health care and the huge increase in costs that are unsustainable. So when I talk about Vermont having a system
where everybody’s in and everybody pays, that seems to resonate extremely well. People are also very interested and
concerned about our economy. They want to know what
I’m going to do to address that. To build up the economy,
first and foremost, Vermont needs a secure environmental
future. The relatively pristine, natural beauty of our state is
probably our greatest resource. I haven’t talked to anybody
who doesn’t think that preserving that is terribly important
to our future. I want to do anything I can to support our rural
and agricultural base. Generally, when we think of agriculture, we think of dairy, but I’m really excited about organic
farming, one of the largest growth sectors. Also, Vermont is
now producing value-added products that are becoming famous, literally some of the best cheeses in the world. So
broadening the Vermont seal of quality is a way of fortifying
the economy. We also need internet access down every dirt
road. Our future lies in small business, the kind that can be
done from the home, if we have high-speed internet available to everyone.
With the economic downturn and recent state government layoffs, unemployment is a worry in Washington County. Please outline your jobs program.
What will you do as a State Senator to get people
back to work?
I would do everything I could to encourage small businesses. We need to project a positive image of Vermont.
Having our high officials say Vermont is a bad place to do
business is counterproductive. In my opinion Vermont is a
great place to do business, a great place to live and raise a
family. We need to spread that word. We also need to work
with our institutions of higher learning to train people for careers that are in demand, such as IT and nursing.
What would make you an effective Washington
County State Senator? Please talk about your ability to
get things done.
I get along extremely well with people. I am the only candidate in this race who is not an incumbent who has experience in the general assembly. I served six years as State Representative. And I found my personality, my nature, my
humor, my ability to get along with all kinds of people of all
political stripes was really an effective tool in getting things
done. A lot of times, I’m sorry to say, things in the state
house happen more around personality than issues. So if an
issue is about bringing something to Washington County
that’s not going to hurt someone else and we’re not playing
a zero-sum gain, where to give to one you take from the
other, then the personal relationships that I have developed
in the State House are very good. I have virtually no enemies.
I was very careful to develop good relations with people, so
that when I needed something done for my district or that I
thought would be good for the state, people did not stand
against me because they didn’t like me. In fact, people were
more than willing to help me. When I was in the legislature
I helped secure $1.8 million for U-32 school construction.
Please distinguish yourself from the other Democratic candidates seeking a Vermont Senate seat. What
makes you different?
My track record distinguishes me. I worked with all members of the education coalition in my first year in the legislature to pass the bill requiring everybody who works in our
school to have an FBI fingerprint check. That took coordination between the teachers union, the superintendents
union, the school boards and also people who were concerned about civil liberties. I also sponsored a bill to remove
toxic substances from schools. I worked closely with VPIRG,
other members of the House and Senate to get that passed.
In my second year I was appointed Vice-Chair of the Education Committee.
I was a very strong person in advocating my fellow legislators on a number of issues—on doing the best we can, for
instance, to have the burden of the property tax be on ability to pay and less on the value of your property. I was in the
legislature when Act 60 was passed. When it passed the
House, the bill I voted for didn’t have a complicated income
sensitivity; it had a straight income tax. And I still think that’s
the fairest way. I advocated strongly for that, and it passed
the House. It didn’t pass the Senate or meet with Governor
Dean’s approval. What I was able to do because I had the respect and admiration of my colleagues was to be heard. That
doesn’t mean they did what I said. But I was able to put forward a progressive perspective on many of the discussions.
I think that my training in conflict resolution and mediation is a huge advantage in the State House, where language
counts and sometime how you say things determine how
things are heard or not heard. And my ability, honed in mediation school, to reframe questions, reframe debates, is extremely helpful in advancing a position.
What are the top two or three issues facing Vermont?
Please take any one of these and say in detail how
you would deal with it.
Health care is at the top of the list, and one of the reasons
is that the repercussions of the high cost resound throughout our economy. It’s on both sides of our property tax, education and municipal. And given the passage of S.88, Vermont is primed to lead the nation in a cost-effective health
care system that includes everybody.
There are many other issues worth talking about, but I
want to focus on a personal passion of mine. I see education
as the ticket to what people want to do in life, so I’m a big
believer in being a lifetime learner. I want to support education, starting in early childhood and continuing through
higher education. When I was in the legislature, I was
elected by my colleagues to the board of the state college
system. I will do everything I can to make sure that the state
colleges get the funding they need. But I’m going to put a
particular emphasis on early care and education because
strategic investments in early childhood will save this state
untold amounts of money. When kids begin kindergarten
without having had the exposure and intellectual stimulation
they need, they’re behind the starting line and they may
never catch up. The consequence is higher cost down the
line, from special education to corrections. Most of the population of our correctional facilities lack learning and reading
skills, while we’re spending more on corrections than on
higher education—something like $40,000 per year for each
inmate, just to keep them off our streets. Let’s compare that
to the fraction we would have to spend to avoid that if it
were invested strategically at the right points of a child’s education.
Kimberley Cheney
Birthplace: Manchester, Connecticut
Age: 74
Education: Yale College (B.A., English), Yale Law School
Public Service Credits: U.S. Navy, LT, USNR,
1958–1967; Washington County State's Attorney,
1968–1972; Vermont Attorney General, 1972–1974; Montpelier School Board, 1979–1982; Vermont Labor Relations
Board, 1979–1988; Vermont Family Proceeding Advisory
Committee (Divorce law reform), 1981–1986; Chairman,
Interim Advisory Committee to Vermont Supreme Court
on Rules for Family Practice, 1987; Vermont Advisory
Committee, U.S. Civil Rights Commission, 1981–2005; CoChair, Vermont Adoption Reform Commission, 1990-1996;
Director, Vermont State Employees Credit, 2002–present;
Director, Washington Electric Coop, 2004 -2010; Private
Law Practice: Cheney, Brock & Saudek, P.C., 1975–present
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AUGUST 19, 2010 • PAGE 9
all the due process up front so there wouldn’t be any litigation afterwards. These voluntary efforts around the time Vermont Family Court was being created grew out of some of
my work at Yale Law School.
★
★
As you campaign for a seat in the Vermont Senate,
what are you hearing from the voters?
The economy. It’s a fundamentally different economy and
people are worried.
What would make you an effective Washington
County State Senator? Please talk about your ability to
get things done.
I have a huge breadth of experience, beginning with
rewriting all the government statutes for education in Vermont. So I know how the education system works. And basic
issues of law and governance in finance. Having served as
State’s Attorney and Attorney General, I have a real knowledge of law enforcement, of what police need and what we
need from police. And the whole issue of corrections and
prison reform—working with all the people involved in
that—I have experience there.
I was chairman of the state Labor Relations Board for 10
years. Essentially, I articulated all the rules for public-sector
labor law through the 1980s, some 250–300 decisions, laying the groundwork for collective bargaining for state employees and teachers. I tried to make bargaining effective for
both sides. And a lot of these rules get pretty subtle. But I
think the groundwork was laid, and collective bargaining in
the public sector works quite well.
While I was chair of the Vermont Advisory Committee to
the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, we wrote the seminal report on racial harassment in Vermont public schools and
tried to set up both statutes and procedures so that those
things were minimized. Out of that work grew the safe
schools coordinator, anti-bullying laws, anti-harassment laws,
and these are really serious problems. We articulated that,
creating a framework for people to work on those issues.
I’ve been on the board of Washington Electric Coop, a
publicly elected position, so I have a fair knowledge of the
electric power industry and how it works. I’m also on the
board of the Vermont State Employees Credit Union, so I
have basic knowledge of financing and the issues facing the
economy. People and businesses need credit and loans.
I helped create two citizen commissions, one of which
rewrote all the criteria for divorce and custody and the childsupport formula; the other revised the adoption laws to get
What are the top two or three issues facing Vermont?
Please take any one of these and say in detail how
you would deal with it.
The biggest issue we have in Vermont is the economy. I’m
a believer in Paul Cillo’s approach, which he articulated in
today’s paper [Times Argus, 8/15/10]. You have to build infrastructure, even if it means maintaining current taxes, you
have to maintain education. I think we’re in a fundamentally
different economic world than we were five years ago. It’s
going to take new leadership and new entrepreneurs and education, top to bottom. I want to support public transportation in as many forms as we can do it. The average homeowner making $50,000 to $60,000 per year will spend
almost 14 percent on transportation and 2 percent on education. Providing public services that we all need, and that
includes health care, can be done more economically,
putting more money in people’s pockets. We can talk about
lack of capital, but the real problem is we have lack of consumers. People have so much debt that they don’t have the
ability to buy. So to the extent that good public investment
can reduce household budgets, that to me is a way to build
the economy.
When I look around the world, Vermont is a pretty wonderful place. Among other things, we have almost no corruption—at least I haven’t seen any in my many years of public life. And we have things that people want. Young people
who leave here for jobs, a lot of then come back. I’d like to
keep them here. One good idea I’ve heard out of the gubernatorial campaign is giving young people credit, some form
of subsidy if they go to college and come back and work
here for three-to-five years.
With the economic downturn and recent state government layoffs, unemployment is a worry in Washington County. Please outline your jobs program.
What will you do as a State Senator to get people
back to work?
This is commonplace, but prisons are very expensive and
I think we can reduce the inmate population without reducing our safety at all—there are tremendous savings there.
What I try to articulate is a system of values. I can’t tell you
what one idea will catch fire, but I can tell you where my values are, which is what I’m trying to give an overview of here.
Please distinguish yourself from the other Democratic candidates seeking a Vermont Senate seat. What
makes you different?
My slogan is if you want something done, vote for somebody that’s done something. I’ve had a very satisfying and
productive public career in a lot of areas and I know the subtleties of a lot of issues. And I couldn’t have done those
things if I weren’t able to articulate differences, listen to people and find solutions.
Vermont is such an amazing place, where you have so
many choices of active, engaged people running for office at
personal and monetary sacrifice to themselves, and I’m really
glad The Bridge is doing this, because it’s so vital. Whoever
gets elected will be a beneficiary of the scrutiny and support.
Laura Moore
Birthplace: Clearwater, Florida
Age: 46
Come visit us at our new location:
Education: Carleton College (B.A, Geology); Boston University (M.S., Hydrogeology)
Public Service Credits: Board member, Barre Town
middle and elementary school board, 2006 to present;
board member, Barre Supervisory Union school board,
2006 to present (board chair, 2007 to present); founding
board member, Eleva Chamber Players, 2005 to present;
board member, Green Mountain Youth Symphony, 2007
★
★
As you campaign for a seat in the Vermont Senate,
what are you hearing from the voters?
At most forums that I’ve spoken in, voters want to know
about the candidates, so I always get asked to give a background as to who I am, what are my life experiences and
what informs how I would make decisions, my platform for
progress in the state. In terms of issues, I always get asked
my position on Vermont Yankee, on school spending, on the
economy. Probably people’s biggest worry is the economy
and jobs, but there are several spurs that come off of that and
those include energy needs and education spending.
What would make you an effective Washington
County State Senator? Please talk about your ability to
get things done.
I have embodied, both in my professional life and in my
public service, a skill set of being very good at listening to
people and finding the lines that intersect from their different points of view and helping to assemble a way to
progress. I’m able to pull out of complicated, complex problems ideas or nuances that get to comprehensive solutions.
My goal is to have everyone at the table feel that they’ve
been listened to and that their ideas have meaning and are
part of a solution. My most recent success in this regard has
been as chair of the Barre Supervisory Union. Discussions or
debates on issues among the Barre City and Barre Town communities have not always been aimed at solutions. So while
I don’t take credit for the progress we’ve made specifically,
being at the table helping everyone else stay focused on solutions is important, and the board has worked well together—which is what I do professionally. I’ve spent 25
continued on page 10
PAGE 10 • AUGUST 19, 2010
Senate Candidates
continued from page 9
years working on some of the most complex environmental
problems in the country. I cut my teeth on the Boston Harbor cleanup in the late 1980s, as project manager for citing
the facilities—very complicated problems involving very
public debate. I regularly find myself at a table with industry
or policy makers or regulatory enforcement people or NGOs
discussing very complicated, emotional issues, trying to find
solutions. And personally, as a mother of two young girls,
helping them to develop those skills in any encounter, it’s
important to recognize and value everyone and anyone.
What are the two or three most critical issues facing
Vermont? Please take any one of these issues and tell
in detail how you would deal with that issue.
Jobs and the economy are the critical issues, with education programming and energy needs related. I believe the
days are gone when Vermont should be pursuing big industry. We still have some and we should make sure those industries, while complying with relevant laws and regulations, are valued in the state. But we need to recognize that
small business is compatible with Vermont, our infrastructure, the way most Vermonters want to live. So the state
should help small business flourish—working with banks to
make sure loans are fluid, while being responsible, and making broadband accessible. I’m a poster-child for broadband,
having worked out of my home as a telecommuter since I
moved here in 1995. In the early years I didn’t have broadband and I would wake up at 5 [a.m.] and turn on my machines to download for two hours and then work for a few
hours and then go for a long walk to upload and then come
THE BRIDGE
back and work intermittently late into the evening. So I realize what an impediment that was and also, now that I have
broadband, the value of being able to communicate and interact regardless of location. Some of our best small business
owners in Montpelier depend upon a market that transcends
central Vermont, or Vermont, for that matter. We need to
work comprehensively with all the providers across the state
to make sure there is a seamless approach to ensuring
broadband access. The state role is clear; whether its coordination, permitting, or right-of way, all these components
need to be structured.
With the economic downturn and recent state government layoffs, unemployment is a worry in Washington County. Please outline your jobs program.
What will you do as a State Senator to get people
back to work?
Well, as I say, broadband is essential for a vibrant smallbusiness economy. Health care is another issue that impacts
whether small businesses can thrive and provide appealing
jobs. We need to close the gap between the state’s two current programs, Dr. Dynosaur and Medicare, making sure the
center of our population has access to affordable, comprehensive, maintenance healthcare.
And the other component affecting jobs and the economy
is power sourcing and distribution. I was listening to a discussion with the CEO of Duke Energy, who reported that for
every four kilowatt hours of energy produced on average
around the country, whatever the source, only one of those
kilowatt hours actually makes it to an end use. That’s a grid
problem. Any discussion about improving energy efficiency
needs to include our outdated, dysfunctional grid.
Regarding Vermont Yankee, I’ve concluded, as an environmental scientist used to evaluating risk, that there is simply not enough transparency or confidence in the data provided by the owner-operator to reliably determine the risk of
that plant. So I don’t see how anyone can vote to relicense.
But as important as it is to say no to Vermont Yankee, it is irresponsible to do so without having a plan to address the
economic consequences, the loss of jobs and the loss of
power being supplied. It’s not just a yes/no question; it’s incumbent on us to frame a comprehensive solution.
Back to unemployment in general, I’m constantly amazed
at public forums how many people have ideas they want to
pursue. Making it relatively easy to start a business is part of
the solution. Having the state act as liaison to federal stimulus dollars, protecting unemployment insurance and reexamining the tax burdens on employers are all obviously
worth doing.
Please distinguish yourself from the other Democratic candidates seeking a Vermont Senate seat. What
makes you different?
I bring a unique skill set and professional background. Certainly the state faces a number of questions around environmental protection and natural resources, and my technical
training and the voice I would bring to the Senate I think are
very unique. It’s a passion for me, making sure we’re not in a
reactive state but being proactive. I’m 46 years old, and the
energy I would bring—I have enough life experience under
my wings that I have some wisdom and certainly enough energy and passion to bring voice to the ideas I’m expressing
here. I’ve been told, though I haven’t researched it, that were
I elected to the State Senate I would be the only member with
school-age children, plus the only member from Barre. When
we talk about the value of the Vermont citizen legislature and
we look at the cross-section of the current representation,
having the perspective of someone raising a family—I’m also
a single mother—that place in life, along with my skill set and
professional background, is unique.
—interviews by Rick Mastelli
Theater by Kids Production of Alice in Wonderland
August 20 and 21
by Nat Frothingham
M
Emily Bashara as the March Hare and Aaron Roberts as the Mad Hatter. Bashara and
Roberts are both returning for their second year at the summer theater program. Photo
courtesy of Lost Nation Theater.
ontpelier’s Lost Nation Theater will
be presenting a Theater by Kids for
Kids musical production of Alice in
Wonderland on Friday and Saturday, August
20 and 21 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both
days.
This year the popular “Theater by Kids”
summer theater program at Lost Nation is
bursting at the seams, according to Lost Nation’s Kim Bent. The production includes a
cast of 23 kids age 9 to 15.
Bent expressed appreciation to Montpelier voters who for the first time approved a
budget item at City Meeting to support Lost
Nation’s educational programs. The ballot
item appropriated $3,500 for the theater.
Talking about the impact of that support,
Bent said, “It’s allowed us to hire an education program’s coordinator position.” It has
also made it possible for the Theater to expand its offerings to children. There was an
initial program for children this year in the
February school break.
The production is being directed by Education Coordinator Tara Downs with music
direction by Dan Boomhower. Sam Biondolillo is helping to run the backstage
Join Alice’s madcap adventures as she
chases the White Rabbit, races the Dodo
Bird, raps with a bubble-blowing Caterpillar,
tangos with Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee,
and beats the Queen of Hearts at her own
game. This fast paced adaptation of Alice at
Wonderland features updated dialogue and
new arrangements of such classic songs as
“I’m Late” and “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” along
with three Alices, three Cheshire Cats,
singing Flowers, Lobsters, and CardGuards.
On stage, Alice in Wonderland features
these young actors: Devon Andrews, Emily
Bashara, Kassandra Bell, Sydney Benjamin,
Brynn Bushey, Tanisha Clarke, Miranda
Coryell, Ben Demars, Talvi Ekis, Angus
Fraser, Kit Gurin, Payton Kurrle, Truman
Lee-Solomon, Liam Malmquist, Ella McCarthy, Theresa Noonan, Alex Ordway,
Matthew Pawlowski, Aaron Roberts, Karli
Robertson, Jeff Steinman, Autumn Wheeler,
and Savannah Yates.
For show information, please phone 2239607 or visit www.lostnationtheater.org.
Deborah DeGraff
Licensed Acupuncturist with 25 years experience
PIANO TUNING
Cranio-Sacral Work and Acupuncture
David Gaillard
Aches and Pains, Digestive Problems
Fertility, PMS and Menopausal Support
Respiratory and Sinus Complaints
Tuning • Service • Repair
Tune-up Special . . . $65
Enjoy playing your piano even more when it’s well tuned.
PO Box 473 • Hardwick, VT 05843 • 802-472-3205
279-6829
Sliding Scale Available
223-6821
★ SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY ★
Shop Downtown, Shop Local!
THE BRIDGE
AUGUST 19, 2010 • PAGE 11
The Bridge Talks to Republican
U.S. Congressional Candidates
Paul Beaudry
Birthplace: Holyoke, Massachusetts
Current Residence: Swanton, Vermont
Age: 47
Education: Graduate of North Country
Union High School, Newport, Vermont;
two years of college
Occupation: 21 years of full and part-time
service in the Vermont National Guard
Public Service Credits: Justice of the
Peace; Swanton Zoning Board (state-appointed); Lt. Colonel, Vermont State Guard
(the State Guard is a back-up for the Vermont National Guard).
Please relate any part of your life or career to your effectiveness as a member
of the U.S. House in getting things
done for Vermonters?
A couple of things come to mind: 21 years
in the military, especially with a war going
on. This will be a valuable asset. I want to
win this war and get it over with. I was a retail store manager. That gives me business
and management experience. I was a talk
radio host for five years right here in Vermont. I had the largest conservative talk
radio show in Vermont. We deal with politics. We deal with all of the issues. I’m very
familiar with the political process. I’ve been
very active with several bills. I was the guy
in the media stirring the pot, getting people
to call in, signing petitions. I was active in an
anti-pedophile bill. Ultimately, it passed and
was a good bill. I give Brian Dubie the credit
for that.
Why do you want to replace U.S. Congressman Welch?
I’ll answer that question with a question.
"Do you feel that your future and your children’s future is going to be better if our federal government keeps going in the same direction?" Peter Welch is spending like crazy,
jacking up the deficit and putting this debt
on ourselves and our children. Right now
every one of us owes approximately $42,000
to the federal government and most people I
know can’t afford an additional $42,000 to
pay off the debt.
What is the most compelling issue facing the nation at the moment? How exactly would you deal with that issue if
elected to the U.S. House?
The number one issue is a combined
issue: our deficit and our economy. To get
out of debt and fix the economy we need to
create hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs. I want to make America 100-percent energy self-sufficient. Right now, America spends up to 700 billion dollars on
foreign oil. And I’ll be honest—some of
these countries we are buying oil from are
not friends of the United States. [We need
to] harness our own resources such as natural gas (it runs 80 percent cleaner than
gasoline and we have an abundant supply
here in America) and get government out of
the way to drill for our own existing oil. I believe in limited wind and solar primarily
geared toward the homeowners and small
businesses to make them energy self-sufficient. I also believe in clean, green, renewable nuclear power that provides low-cost
base load power. We also need to look at
hydro, biomass, geothermal, methane digesters, coal—I could go on and on. If we
become energy self-sufficient, this could create hundreds of thousands of high-paying
jobs that would get people to work and help
reduce the deficit. I would also like to increase trade with our Canadian friends. I
even speak some French, which would be
helpful in relating to our Canadian partners.
What is your current assessment of
American involvement and Congressional leadership in the war in
Afghanistan?
My attitude is that we need to win the war
in Afghanistan and bring the troops home
with a victory.
Please distinguish yourself from the
other Republican candidates in the upcoming primary election. How are you
different from the other Republican
candidates?
I have a proven track record of supporting
the Republican Party. I’ve been in the
trenches for the past five years in fighting for
fiscal conservative causes. I also have good
name recognition and I’m well-known for
standing up for what I believe in.
John Mitchell
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Age: 71
Current Residence: Rutland, Vermont
Education: A.B., Economics, Dartmouth
College; M.B.A., Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College
Occupation: Retired president of Vermont Marble Company, now known as
Omya
Public Service Credits: Temporary executive director of the Rutland Regional
Parent-Child Center
Please relate any part of your life or career to your effectiveness as a member
of the U.S. House in getting things
done for Vermonters?
For the last 23 years of my career, I was
president of two companies respectively.
One was Powell Duffryn, USA. It’s an English
company and I was head of U.S.A. operations. The second company is Omya, the
successor of the Vermont Marble Company.
In order to be a successful [corporate] president, one has to find compromise and solve
problems and get results. This is what the
U.S. House should be doing.
Why do you want to replace U.S. Congressman Peter Welch?
I believe that Congressman Welch has
supported the leadership of the House and
not represented the interests of the people
of the state of Vermont because the leadership of the House is raising taxes, increasing
spending and heading for fiscal collapse.
What is the most compelling issue facing the nation right now? How exactly
would you deal with that issue if
elected to the U.S. House?
The most compelling problem in America
today is the economy and the most compelling problem in the economy is uncertainty. This uncertainty includes such questions as: "Will taxes go up or down? Will
spending increase or decrease? Will regulations strangle the ability of companies to initiate creative solutions to business problems?"
What is your current assessment of
American involvement and Congressional leadership in the war in
Afghanistan?
Foreign policy is the purview of the President. And Congress should support the
troops on the ground. Recall that we saw the
Empire of Japan and the Third Reich of Germany 70 years ago. And we still have troops
in both countries. The secret to solving the
war in Afghanistan is to encourage American
and other countries’ businesses to develop
the mineral resources of Afghanistan.
Please distinguish yourself from the
other Republican candidates in the upcoming primary election. How are you
different?
I have more international and problemsolving experience at a senior-level experience than my colleagues.
Keith Stern
Birthplace: Springfield, Vermont
Current Residence: Springfield, Vermont
Age: 55
Education: B.S., Johnson State External
Degree Program.
Occupation: Owner, Sterns Quality Produce in White River Junction, Vermont
Public Service Credits: Member, Springfield Zoning Board, 10 years (chair for three
years)
Please relate any part of your life or career to your effectiveness as a member
of the U.S. House in getting things
done for Vermonters?
When I served on the zoning board when
we granted a variance for a conditional-use
permit, we had to look at all the aspects of
the permit to see how it would affect neighbors and future permits for that property. I
could influence other House members when
I knew I had a better answer than they did. I
could work with them to see my position.
Why do you want to replace U.S. Congressman Peter Welch?
It’s pretty simple. He’s a big government,
big spending, big deficit politician. And it’s
putting our children’s future at risk. We’re
going to end up with no Social Security in a
few years. It’s in the red and he’s not talking
about it. We’re losing good-paying jobs overseas. Nobody has solutions. Peter Welch
doesn’t have solutions. He’s not talking
about that. Peter Welch doesn’t seem to be
worried about our national debt going out of
control. He keeps voting for bills that increase the debt.
What is the most compelling issue facing the nation right now? How exactly
would you deal with that issue if
elected to the U.S. House?
I don’t know if there’s one compelling
issue. They’re tied together. It’s the tax system we have that’s costing us jobs which is
causing the deficit to grow. The lack of jobs
is leading to lack of tax revenue. They are
tied together. We have to create more jobs
in this country. My income tax plan will help
create jobs and reduce the deficit and get
the economy rolling again.
My income tax plan is a flat tax with the
first $75,000 exempt. Right now we have
the very wealthy who are setting tax shelters
to avoid paying most, if not all, of their taxes.
My plan would eliminate those tax shelters.
Also, the other part of my plan is to tax all
companies making a profit in this country.
Companies like General Electric and Ingersoll Rand are using accounting tricks to
avoid paying taxes. This is amounting to billions of dollars.
What is your current assessment of
American involvement and Congressional leadership in the war in
Afghanistan?
I think it was a huge mistake going in
there and an even greater mistake to stay
there. We are propping up President Karzai
who said he would side with the Taliban if
things went against him. His brother is the
biggest heroin producer in Afghanistan.
Please distinguish yourself from the
other Republican candidates in the upcoming primary election. How are you
different?
I have a distinct plan for income tax reform that will create jobs in this country. I
have a plan for health care that will reduce
health costs by 50 percent or more. I have a
plan to make sure that Social Security stays
solvent for future generations. When the
other candidates say, "I will support this or
that," I say, "I will go to Washington and I will
take my agenda and push to make it happen."
Feeding a crowd?
We can cater for your business,
organization or group — onsite
or offsite — or host your event at
our intimate Northfield location.
We also host family
reunions, weddings,
and retreats.
—interviews by Nat Frothingham
PAGE 12 • AUGUST 19, 2010
THE BRIDGE
THE
THE
tiny bites Hands-On
Gardener
A
PAGES
central Vermont food news
by Miriam Hansen
ugust is the month of bounty. Even
the most persistent pests have abated
and weeds have been surpassed by
the favored crops—for what is a weed but a
plant you have decided not to grow?
Everything is going for broke and so am I:
pickling, canning, freezing and drying. I’ve
been pickling cucumbers, summer squash,
green beans and onions; freezing beans,
peas, kale and chard; and drying baby zucchinis, cherry tomatoes and peppers. The
garlic is harvested and curing on the back
porch, out of the sun. We’ve knocked over
all the onion and shallot tops to encourage
the bulbs to size up and the foliage to die
back. In the same vein, we topped the tomatoes and squash by cutting back the growing
tips to the last fruit and picking off new flowers. This forces the plants to put all their energy into sizing up and ripening their fruit.
Both the tomato and potato leaves
showed signs of blight—dark spots and
patches on the margins and center of the
leaves—most likely early blight as opposed
to the wet looking patches that characterize
the late blight that decimated the crop last
year. Late blight is in Vermont, however, so
I’m keeping an eye on the foliage that remains. Just in case there was some late
blight, I denuded the tomato plants and harvested the half of the potatoes whose leaves
looked affected. We put all those leaves in
plastic bags and buried them. They must not
be added to the compost: a homemade compost pile doesn’t heat up enough to kill off
the spores. Paste and eating tomatoes have
more than half ripened with no signs of late
blight on the tomatoes themselves. Looks
like a bumper crop for tomato sauce and
dried tomatoes for stews, pizzas and salads
this winter.
We are harvesting green beans every other
day and when a plant succumbs to mildew, I
happily pull it up to give neighboring plants
more air. I over-planted the pole beans and
had to add poles to accommodate the
searching tips waving in the air! Next year I
will plant four or five to a pole and reduce
the seedlings to three, instead of six or seven
reduced to five. I’ll never be done picking at
this rate!
I began harvesting some of the edamame
(soy beans) whose pods had filled out, but
friends said that they wait until all the fruit
has plumped up and then yank the whole
plant and strip off the beans. That will save
me hours of labor! My mid-season broccoli
should be ready to harvest by mid-September and the new carrots and beets begun
mid-July are well up and should make a great
winter crop.
We’ve planted Canadian peas as a green
manure to add nitrogen for next year and
we’ll plant red clover between the blueberries and currants to get some extra nitrogen
into that soil. Tomorrow we’ll remove all the
fruited raspberry canes that have produced
so well since early June and give the new
canes room to grow and prosper. This week
we’ll spread the milky spore powder between the raspberries and just outside the
fence on the grass. Hopefully, that will
knock the Japanese beetle population down
next year.
Cabbage moth larvae are eating some
holes in the Brussels sprouts and broccoli
leaves so we got some more bacillus
thuringiensis (BT) concentrate to spray on
those leaves. A farmer friend suggested mixing some fish emulsion in with the BT solution. Apparently, it will help the BT stick
through two or three rains. In addition, it is
an excellent foliar feed for the plants.
I’m thinking seriously about compost, manure and green manures. Buckwheat, red
clover and Canadian peas still have time to
germinate and grow before first frost. Then
when those are knocked back, we will plant
our customary winter rye whose greatest
value for us has been the allopathic substances in their roots that retard and discourage growth of witch grass.
I planted lettuce, spinach, mache, kohlrabi and arugula seedlings to transplant into
the greenhouses at the beginning of September. I should be harvesting winter greens
and crops by late October all the way to December! A couple of months’ rest, and all the
greens will start up again in March.
In the meantime, I’m trying to keep up
with the bounty and hoping that you all are
also having a bumper crop year. Happy gardening!
Miriam Hansen has been writing and
teaching about gardening longer than the
thirty-odd years she’s actually been gardening. It is a great pleasure for her to share
her experience with folks, now that she actually has experience to share. She has
written a number of manuals including
Horticultural Management of Solar Greenhouses in the Northeast. She lives in East
Montpelier.
o time to fire up your own grill? No worries: The folks at The Uncommon Market will
do it for you! On August 19 and 20, they’ll barbecue an assortment of sandwiches to eat
in or take out. Head down to Elm Street and follow your nose to the burgers of local beef, blue
marlin sandwiches and grilled portabella caps smothered with creamy goat cheese. Thursday’s a lunchtime event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday they’ll grill from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
so you don’t have to worry about dinner. Proprietor Sharon Allen promises another barbecue
on September 16 and 17. The theme? “Sausage-o-Rama.” Mark your calendar!
N
Y
oung farmers and aspiring food producers are invited to vend at the Capital City Farmers Youth Market on Saturday, August 28. Youth ages 5-19 may sell items they have
grown and/or made with minimal adult help. The deadline to apply is August 20; information and applications are available at www.montpelierfarmersmarket.com or by calling market manager Carolyn Grodinsky at 223-2958.
he Wisdom of the Herbs School in Woodbury offers unique experiential programs
embracing wild plants, holistic health and sustainable living skills. Learn about wild edibles and medicinal plants during a guided walk on Friday, August 27, 6-7:30 p.m. ($10). Or,
“Eat on the Wild Side” by harvesting wild edibles from the land surrounding the school and
prepare several tasty dishes to eat on Monday, August 30, 6-8 p.m. ($20). Register in advance
by calling 456-8122.
T
E
ver wonder how Vermont’s cheeses, meats and veggies get from farm to table? Distribution company Black River Produce (BRP) currently sends more than 30 trucks six days
a week from its North Springfield distribution center to deliver fresh food throughout Vermont and parts of several other states. The company currently works with more than 100
Vermont farmers and considers buying local as often as possible a key component of the
company’s mission.
Black River Produce will host the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) Networking Get-Together on August 26 at their distribution center in North Springfield. Attendees will have the opportunity to chat with BRP co-owner Mark Curran, share business ideas
and enjoy iced coffee shakes from Vermont Coffee Company.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are appreciated ([email protected]), but walkins are also welcome. The get-together happens on Thursday, August 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at
Black River Produce, 449 River Street, North Springfield.
T
he APPLE (Association for the Planting of Edible Public Landscapes for Everyone)
Corps—the folks responsible for the edible garden on the Statehouse lawn—will be sharing the season’s bounty with Montpelier on Saturday, August 28. During the event, APPLE
Corps members will harvest vegetables from the garden and bring them to the Montpelier
Farmers Market, where the Woodbelly Pizza folks will create a “Statehouse Slice.” Shoppers can buy the special slices and donations will go to local food pantries.
All the veggies from the gardens are donated to Vermonters in need; last year, the APPLE
Corps donated almost 300 pounds of food to local food pantries.
T
here’s no better way to celebrate the bounty of Vermont’s growing season than the second-annual Growing Local Fest on Saturday, September 11. Head up to the Vermont
College of Fine Arts green, 2-7 p.m. for the family-friendly celebration of local food and culture that aims to strengthen the local food system by educating, motivating and inspiring citizens to both support and become local producers. Proceeds from the Fest ($10/person;
$20/family; $5/students and seniors) support the “Garden in Every Washington County
School” initiative.
Learn from workshops related to gardening, cooking, composting and environmental sustainability; dance on the green to music by Vorcza, the Dave Keller Band, and the Starline
Rhythm Boys; chow down on food from Kismet and NECI and Bon Temps Gourmet; and
enjoy a beer in the Three Penny Taproom beer tent.
Show off your own home-producer skills in the “Anything Goes” pesto contest (bring 6-12
oz. of pesto by 3:30 p.m.) and the Homebrew contest (bring two growlers or five 12-oz. bottles by 3 p.m.). Prizes will be awarded in both contests.
Youth ages 5-19 may vend at the Youth Farmers Market. Youth vendors will receive free
admission to the event. Application deadline is September 4; contact Michelle Lesnak at 2295752 for details or an application.
Check out cvfsc.wordpress.com for a complete list of the day’s events.
—compiled by Sylvia Fagin
send food news by the 7th of each month to [email protected]
SUPPORT CENTRAL VERMONT:
Buy It Locally!
THE BRIDGE
AUGUST 19, 2010 • PAGE 13
THE
PAGES
The Joy of Royal Orchid Thai
by Sylvia Fagin
Now, Art supervises the four Thai cooks
who are responsible for the particular mix of
sweet, salty and spicy that characterizes the
Royal Orchid flavor.
The flavors aren’t the only elements in the
restaurant that are characteristic of home.
Like many Thais, Art and Claire are Buddhists. Culturally, it’s common practice to
display images of the Buddha and pictures of
honored monks in the restaurant. (At Royal
Orchid, Thich Nhat Hanh graces the cash
register area.) And it’s common to offer the
first meal of the day to the altar to the Buddha inside the restaurant and to the caretaker of the property outside the restaurant.
While the Elm Street location doesn’t have
a caretaker as a similar building might in
Thailand, Art and Claire continue to set out
a dish as an offering. It symbolizes that “we
appreciate them taking care of us,” Art explains. “You have to give it first.”
Patrons are unlikely to see Art and Claire
simultaneously taking care of Royal Orchid,
because one of them—usually Claire—takes
care of their second location, Ocha, in Waterbury. Art is the one bustling around Montpelier, often working 12-hour days, seven
days a week.
“I’m a workaholic,” Art admits with a
laugh. “I want to make sure everything’s
right!”
His efforts have paid off, and the Montpelier community has rewarded his hard work
with their loyal patronage. The admiration is
mutual.
“I’ve been through a lot of cities,” Art
says. “I love Vermont.”
T
o talk with Art Jilandharn is to be in
the presence of happiness. Jilandharn, owner of Royal Orchid Thai
restaurant on Elm Street in Montpelier,
smiles constantly. And laughs. And waves to
passers-by on the street, all of whom greet
him as they travel on their way.
As the owners of the only Thai restaurant
in town, Art and his wife Claire Puntupetch
meet a lot of people. And that makes him
happy.
“I like serving people,” Art says simply, his
face erupting in the wide smile that is his
alone. “It’s fun. I talk to a lot of people.”
In the 11 years that Royal Orchid has been
open, those people have come back time
and again for the take-out that Art and his
crew of cooks prepare so efficiently, and for
the chance to relax in the soothing dining
environment that he has created.
Beautiful paintings of flowers and images
of the Buddha decorate the walls of the
restaurant. Attentive diners notice the fresh
roses on every table every day and the front
windowsills are lined with orchids that Art
nurtures toward flowering.
“I eat a lot of places and I expect something nice,” he says. “That’s why we get
fresh flowers every week. And I like to have
green. It makes me happy.” The outdoor
seating area is graced with seasonal flowering plants.
Jilandharn has served Thai cuisine in
Montpelier since 1999, when he and Claire
moved to Vermont from Portland, Oregon.
Claire had a friend whose daughter was
studying at Norwich University and while
visiting the friends in Vermont, Art and
Claire decided to move east.
The Elm Street space was for lease and
they’ve been there ever since. The decision
was a good one, Art says. “It’s quiet here and
the people are nice,” he says. He lived on
the west coast for 15 years before coming to
Vermont. “Compared with L.A., it’s different!” he concedes with a hearty laugh. “I
don’t have to worry about anything here.”
Art’s journey to Vermont started in the
Art Jilandharn of Royal Orchid Thai. Photo by Sylvia Fagin.
1980s, when he moved from his native Thailand to Los Angeles to study business. Studying soon gave way to working in the shipping and airline industries, and then Art met
Claire.
The pair moved to Oregon, where Art
worked for three years in a Thai restaurant,
serving food and learning the ins and outs of
running a restaurant. When the Montpelier
opportunity opened up, Art and Claire were
ready. Art notes that Claire’s mother owns
one of the best restaurants in Ayvtaya, a city
north of Bangkok, so between them they
had the skills to make it work.
Royal Orchid’s cuisine is based on Art’s
mother’s recipes. Thai cuisine is based on
basic ingredients—fish sauce, oyster sauce
and a handful of spices—which every cook
combines in a unique way. The flavors at
Royal Orchid are what Art ate growing up. “I
helped [my mother] out when I was a kid,”
he says and learned her secrets.
Royal Orchid Thai, 38 Elm Street, Montpelier, is open Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.2:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Saturday 12:30-9
p.m. and Sunday 4-9 p.m. Call 223-0436
for more information.
Sylvia Fagin writes about local food and
agriculture. Contact her via her blog “Aar,
Naam ~ Come, Eat,” at sylviafagin.wordpress
.com, or via email at sylviafagin@yahoo.
com.
Liven up
your Sunday!
The Skinny Sunday Music Series
Starting August 22nd • 4-8pm
Live on our patio: The Joshua Panda Band
with special guests TBA. Come on down!
•
•
•
•
•
•
She knows what’s going on
because she reads
The Bridge
Dozens of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Dessert Crepes
Wine & Microbrew Beers
Full Espresso Bar, Tea Selection & Smoothies
Vegan & Gluten-Free Options
Wireless Internet Access
A Deep Commitment to bringing local
foods to the table at an affordable price
[802] 262-CAKE
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8-9; Fri-Sat: 8-10; Sunday: 8-8
City Center Building • 89 Main Street • www.skinnypancake.com
Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!
PAGE 14 • AUGUST 19, 2010
THE BRIDGE
Upcoming Events
Meet at 12:50 p.m. at Montpelier High School. Contact leader Ken Hertz, 229-4737 or
[email protected].
Celebrate the Waters in East Montpelier
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20
Youth Vendor Day at the Hardwick Farmers Market
Young gardeners, artists, bakers, and craftspeple sell their wares.
3–6 p.m. Hardwick. Rain or shine. 533-2377 or [email protected].
Villagebuilding Convergence: Our Energy Options
A community conversation about Vermont’s clean energy future, with a panel of people
concerned with biomass, wind and hydroelectric power.
6–8 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellog-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Free. Part of the 10-day Villagebuilding Convergence: www.vbc-vt.org.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 21
St. Jacob of Alaska Orthodox Church Open House
Akathist of thanksgiving, various talks, icon demonstration, liturgical music, vespers, and
outdoor barbecue. All ages welcome; child care and meals provided.
9:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Northfield Falls (across from the Rustic Inn). Contact Father Caleb at
485-9615 or [email protected], or visit www.stjacobofalaska.org for full schedule.
Shop with the Chef at the Farmers’ Market: Crystal Maderia
Follow Madeira, coowner of Kismet, through the market as she selects choice ingredients
for fresh, local dishes, then watch cooking in action, taste samples and take home recipes.
10:30 a.m.–noon. Capital City Farmers’ Market, 60 State Street, Montpelier. Free. 2232958 or www.montpelierfarmersmarket.com.
Ethan Azarian in Concert with Indigo Ruth-Davis
7 p.m. Adamant Community Club, corner of Martin Road and Haggett Road. $10 in advance (purchase tickets at the Adamant Co-op), $12 at the door.
Significant Landscapes
A concert and art show in celebration of our natural surroundings, featuring music by
Arthur Zorn, Celian Moore and Diane Huling; poetry by Rip Keller; and art by Zorn, Huling, Valeria Keller, Victoria Austin and Florence Darling.
7:30 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. $16 suggested donation. 223-2424.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 22
Hike with the Green Mountain Club, Montpelier Section
Easy to moderate hike in Duxbury. Couching Lion parking lot to Montclair Glen Lodge and
back. 5 miles, 3.5 hours round trip.
Exhibits
73 Main Street, Randolph. Through August 29. Hours: Thursday, 4–6 p.m.;Saturday and Sunday, 1–3 p.m. 431-0204.
BIG RED BARN ART SHOW
Photographs from around the world by
Dean Mogavero of Randolph.
44 South Main Street, Randolph.
Through October 6. 728-2324.
More than 130 works by 36 Mad River
Valley artists.
Lareau Farm/American Flatbread,
Route 100, Waistfield. Through September 5. Hours: Thursday–
Saturday, 11 a.m.– 9 p.m.; Sunday,
12:30–8 p.m.www.vermontartfest.com.
GIFFORD GALLERY
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
Live music by Coco and Lafe, Susannah Blachly, George White, and Colin McCaffrey, refreshments, and words from grassroots groudwater and envirnomental protection groups.
1–5 p.m.; speeches at 2 p.m. 1120 Coburn Road, East Montpelier. $10–$15 suggested donation (no one turned away), benefits the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Bring
folding chairs or blankets. 454-7303.
Doggie Day at the Pool
Bring your pup for a swim. Maximum two dogs per owner, please. Cosponsored by the
Central Vermont Humane Society and the Montpelier Recreation Department.
5–7:30 p.m. Montpelier swimming pool, Elm Street. $5 adults, $3 kids, dogs free.
223-6829.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24
Meet Lucy Stone
Nationally known storyteller, Judith Black, is Lucy Stone, lifelong suffragist.
7–8 p.m. House chambers, State House, Montpelier. Free. Joanne, 398-2300, ext. 2,
[email protected], or www.storiesalive.com.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25
Authors at the Aldrich: Art Edelstein
The Vermont musician presents his book Fair Melodies Turlough Carolan: An Irish Harper.
Light refreshments follow. Final event in a weekly summer series.
6 p.m. Milne Community Room, Aldrich Public Library, Barre.Free. 476-7550 or
www.aldrich.lib.vt.us.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26
Brown Bag Series: Rachael Rice and the Cosmic Americans
Alt-country sound. Part of Montpelier Alive’s weekly outdoor summer concert series.
Noon–1 p.m. Chirst Church courtyard, 64 State Street, Montpelier. Free.
www.montpelieralive.org. Sponsored by Sullivan, Powers & Co.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27
14th Annual Used Musical Instrument Sale
Drop off your instrument on Friday, buy a new-to-you one on Saturday. All profit goes to
provide music scholarship assistance to local individuals.
Instrument drop-off 4–7 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. Kevin, 2290295, Jeff, 229-4416, [email protected], or www.sharethemusicvt.org.
THREE MOUNTAIN CAFE
Purely Pastel, landscapes, still lifes, and
figurative work by Vermont Pastel Society
artists Kate Mueller, Jan Ghiringhelli, Judy
Greenwald and Joyce Kahn.
Waitsfield. Through September 7. Julie,
496-5470.
TULSI TEA ROOM
Paintings by Miranda Syp Stewart.
34 Elm Street, Montpelier. Through August. Artist reception (with homemade
pierogis) August 20, 5:30–8 p.m.
VERMONT SUPREME COURT
BLINKING LIGHT GALLERY
Free Community
Meals For All
in Montpelier
MONDAY • 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Unitarian Church, 130 Main
Street
TUESDAY • 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.,
Bethany Church, 115 Main
Street
WEDNESDAY • 11 a.m.–1 p.m.,
Christ Church, 64 State Street
Recent mixed media paintings by Craftsbury artist Kathy Stark (above, Deep in
the Night the Deer Cry Out Beyond the
Edge of Time II).
Pavilion office building (fifth floor),
State Street, Montpelier. Through September. Tracy, 828-0749.
THURSDAY • 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.,
Trinity Church, 137 Main
Street
FRIDAY • 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.,
St. Augustine Church, 18
Barre Street
GREEN BEAN ART GALLERY
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon,
nature-themed pottery, graceful tableware and fanciful ceramic sculpture by
Brenda George (above).
16 Main Street, Plainfield. Through August. Hours: Thursday, 2–6 p.m.; Friday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
454-0141 or www.blinkinglight
gallery.com.
CENTRAL VERMONT
MEDICAL CENTER LOBBY
Paintings from the Galapagos Islands by
Adelaide Tyrol.
Fisher Road, Berlin. Through September
30. 271-4375.
CHANDLER GALLERY
Impressions, works by George Lawrence
and Virginia Webb.
Picture This, photographs by Roger
Crowley and Mitch Moraski.
Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. Through August.
[email protected].
SATURDAY • Second Saturdays
only, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Trinity Church, 137 Main Street
(hosted by Shepherd of the
Hills)
KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY
Star, Sphere, Meander, Branch, Spiral and
Helix, photography by Linda Hogan on the
first floor; Midsummer Mysteries, acrylic/
mixed media/found object assemblage by
T. Wendelken on the second floor.
135 Main Street, Montpelier. Through
August. 223-3338.
New abstracts by Ray Brown (above, San
Gimignano #1).
11 State Street, Montpelier. Through August 30. Tracy, 828-0749
RHAPSODY NATURAL FOODS
VILLAGE PIZZA
Sky Whales, illustrations by Eva Schectman from the children’s book of the
same name.
28 Main Street, Montpelier. Through August 28. 229-2766 or www.evasikons.
blogspot.com.
Daydreams and Nightscapes, original oil
paintings by Robin LaHue.
89 Main Street, Montpelier. Through
September. 485-7770 or
www.artwanted.com/robinlahue.
SUNDAY • Last Sundays only,
4:30–6:30 p.m., Bethany
Church, 115 Main Street
(hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue)