By Lani Duke
GMC ranks among “best college farms” along with Middlebury College and UVM in Vermont
POULTNEY—Green Mountain College’s organic Cerridwen Farm recently placed 12th in the OnlineCollegePlan.com rankings for the best college farms in the U.S.
The 11th spot went to Sterling College Farm in Craftsbury Common, part of the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems. Middlebury College and the University of Vermont also made the list, which adjudicated a total of 60 college farms from across the country. The rankings were compiled in honor of National Farm to School Month in October, a month dedicated to spreading awareness and celebrating the efforts of the farms at participating schools.
Slate Valley Board seat election announced
Addison Rutland Supervisory Union (ARSU) superintendent Ron Ryan announces that the time is approaching for people who want to sit on the Slate Valley Unified Union School District board to get their petitions in. Presuming that voters approve the creation of the new district through their March town meetings, each of the towns in the new district—Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Orwell, and West Haven—will have three board seats up for election: a one-year seat, a two-year seat, and a three-year seat. Petitions may be filed between Jan. 20 and Feb. 3, and are available at the respective town clerk offices.
Benson school becomes a fish hatchery
BENSON—Benson Middle School students are prepared for the delivery of more than 200 brook trout eggs, to be raised in the school’s 55-gallon aquarium. Students will conduct daily water chemistry tests, measuring and recording pH and the amount of such chemicals as ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. All grade levels will use the growing hatch in their science and social studies classes.
VSP now working out of Castleton
CASTLETON—Vermont State Police have begun working from the new Castleton police station on Route 30 as the final details of a contract between town and stage agency are resolved. The VSP’s contract to lease outpost space in the Fair Haven police station expired Jan. 7, 2017.The relocation will not affect service to the community, said Lt. Michael Studin of the Rutland Barracks. The new site is just a short distance from the old one and merely one exit farther west on Route 4. The new station is to provide two desks for troopers and provides a location for officers to do paperwork or process an arrested person without having to drive into the Rutland Barracks. The Castleton facility also has holding cells and interview rooms as well as updated connections for digital evidence such as video and audio. The Castleton Police Department also benefits from the arrangement, with access to technology for recording and storing fingerprints, Police Chief Peter Mantello said. Fair Haven Police Chief William Humphries said he sees no major disadvantage in the move. There will be no change of service or relationship, nor in response time. “They’re just going to be hanging their hats in a different place,” he commented.
