“My Place In The Sun”, Poems of Rural Vermont by Dottie Ann Richardson is a small volume of poetry extolling the simple pleasures of life in a peaceful valley among the Green Mountains.  The author’s favorite of all places, her native Vermont. It is her first book of verse in which she shares her uplifting words on the natural world around us and her love for quiet country living. She and her husband, Dennis live on a gravel road at the edge of a small village.

Dottie loves to observe the life and nature here in her own ‘place in the sun’ and tend to her gardens both flower and vegetable. She shares the wonder she finds in everyday happenings with readers of her poems.
She also enjoys quilt making and kayaking the quiet waters while photographing the wildlife found there. Oil painting is another of her hobbies. 

Copies of “My Place In The Sun” are available from the author by phone at 802 263-5444;  by mail at  58 Old Center Street, Perkinsville, Vt. 05151 or email at dottie.richardson@gmail.com  and at The Proctor Library in Ascutney and Busy Bee’s Hair Salon both in Ascutney, for $10.00 or for slightly more at Black River Used Books in Springfield, VT, Misty Valley Books in Chester, VT and at The Red Barn Café in Ascutney, VT.

A wildlife habitat workshop is planned for Sept. 6 in Weathersfield.

The workshop, sponsored by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service, is aimed at landowners, land managers and others with an interest in wildlife and wildlife habitat.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Little Ascutney Wildlife Management Area. It will be held rain or shine.

Attendees will learn how to create wildlife habitat on their land or to enhance what is already there.

Experts — wildlife biologists, foresters and district conservationists — will present information and answer questions.

Information on how to get financial and technical assistance for habitat management will be offered.

Attendees will tour the wildlife management area, where they will see habitat management in action including field management practices, information about management of apple trees and mast trees, control of exotic species and opening wildlife clearings.

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SPRINGFIELD - Emilienne M. Clipet, 83, died Aug. 20, 2008, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law.

She was born Feb. 13, 1925, in Coulogne, France, Pas De Calais, the daughter of Joseph and Alice (Lecoustre) Martin.

She received her education in France.

She was married to Maxime A. Clipet in 1945 in Calais, France. He predeceased her in 1967.

She moved to the United States in 1952, settling in Philadelphia for several years, and later moved to Vermont.

Mrs. Clipet worked as a comptroller with American Fabrics in Bridgeport, Conn., from 1968 until her retirement in 1990.

She was a member of the Springfield Senior Center and enjoyed playing cards, shuffleboard and traveling with the seniors group.

Survivors include her daughter, Danielle Bonta of Weathersfield; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

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WEATHERSFIELD -- When school starts on Aug. 27, the students of Weathersfield School will have at least two reasons to be happy the summer is over.

With the completion of the new school, and the Jonathan Crawford gymnasium, students will have a lot to look forward to when the school bell finally rings.

On Sunday, at 11:45 a.m., the school held a ribbon cutting to usher in the new era.

"When I first came here 17 years ago, it was made clear to me that there was two buildings, but one school," said Principal Mario Bevacqua. "Well, today there is just one school."

Bevacqua thanked the school board, the architects, the construction companies, clerk Graham Hunter and the students and staff.

Chairman of the Weathersfield planning commission Steve Walasewicz also had a chance to thank everyone who helped make the new school a reality.

"This was a very slow process, it took us 200 years to get to this stage. From the 13 original Weathersfield schools to one," said Walasewicz. "I just want to thank the residents and taxpayers of Weathersfield, because without your vote, we wouldn't be standing here.

"I hope this school will be a source of pride," said Walasewicz. "Because it's going to be here for a long time."



The construction of the school began in July 2007, with construction beginning in September for the gym.

"The foundation took a while, but once we saw the steel beams in place, we started to get excited," said Bevacqua.

The school is almost finished, with only the art room, music area, and multi-activity room scheduled to be finished before school starts.


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SPRINGFIELD -- Joshua R. Atwood, 21, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008, in Springfield.

He was born Sept. 17, 1986, in Claremont, the son of Brian Atwood and Kimberly Daniels.

Joshua joined the Army National Guard in May, 2008.

He was predeceased by his paternal grandfather, Roy Atwood, and maternal great-grandfather, William Hall.

Joshua is survived by his mother, Kimberly Farrar and stepfather Gregory, of Proctorsville; his father, Brian Atwood of Lebanon; two brothers, Kevin Atwood, of Springfield, and Timothy Wright; three stepsisters, Heather, Phylicia, and Sabrina Farrar; maternal grandparents, Peter and Carol Daniels of Weathersfield; paternal grandmother, Nancy McCoy of Cornish; maternal great-grandmother, Agnes Hall of Florida; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
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Sat. Aug. 23rd, 9am-3pm - After visiting the Rummage sale on the green, head 2/10 of a mile to Stoughton Pond for more YARD SALE adventure. First driveway on the right.

MOVING and Multi Family cleanout.
Lots of kids stuff / toys, some baby stuff, GE Profile gas stove, other misc items.

August 23 Perkinsville Green
There will be a community rummage, craft sale on the Green starting at 9 am until 1 pm. There is no charge for having a table but please let Betty Adams know at 263-5595 if that is your plan. This is open to village residents in the 05151 zip code. The Perkinsville Community Church will also be having a clothing rummage sale the same day with the emphasis on back to school clothing for children.

LUDLOW — Police are looking for a man considered armed and dangerous in connection with a string of burglaries and auto thefts in the Ludlow-Cavendish area.

Police are searching for Robert C. Wade, 26, whom police believe has stolen three vehicles during the past two weeks and is connected to at least one burglary and possibly others, said Officer Richard King of the Ludlow Police Department.

On July 22, police recovered a gold Geo Prism containing burglary tools they believe had been stolen by Wade. King said police recovered the car, but Wade fled on foot near the West Hill Recreation Area, forcing police to evacuate about 30 children from the park. The youngsters were there for day camp.

On Sunday, police said Wade stole a blue 2005 Chevrolet pickup with Vermont license plate PANDP from a residence on Town Farm Road in Ludlow, King said.

King said Wade was last seen Tuesday in Weston.

According to an official with the Department of Corrections, Wade was sentenced in March 2005 to 42 to 72 months in prison after being charged with two counts of aggravated domestic assault, violation of an abuse prevention order and violation of conditions of release.

In February, Wade was released on furlough and on July 22 was placed on escapee status, the DOC official said.
He served 2 1/2 years before he was placed on furlough. He is currently wanted for escape from furlough.

King said Wade had been living with family in Reading.

King emphasized that Wade should be considered armed and dangerous.

"He had made some threats when he got out that he would take care of some cops," King said.
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By JULIA LLOYD WRIGHT -- Contributing Writer
Photo by Julia Lloyd Wright

ASCUTNEY -- Finishing touches are being made to concrete paths and plantings around the new and refurbished buildings at the Weathersfield School in Ascutney in readiness for the ribbon cutting ceremony and Open House on Sunday, Aug. 17.

Parents and community members are invited to participate in the events and take a tour of the new facility.

* 11:45 a.m., a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the new school entrance.

* At noon the dedication will take place at the new Jonathan Crawford Gymnasium in memory of the late gym teacher and a plaque unveiled on the wall leading to the gym.

* 12:30 p.m., the canvas mural will be officially unveiled. The mural, designed and painted by Lisa Curry Mair, depicts Weathersfield's original 13 schools where they were originally located and shown on an old map of the town. It is dedicated to historian Edith Hunter and author of "The History of Weathersfield for Young People" used for teaching fourth-grade students.

* 1-2 p.m., open house tours of the new school facility.

Meanwhile, construction of the wood chip burning plant is still going full throttle but the bunker and exterior walls and standing seam roof are not expected to be completed until after school reconvenes on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

The 65-foot smokestack is in place, the Cor-Ten steel will oxidize according to clerk of the works Graham Hunter, and will not need painting.

Work is still to be done on the older section of the school housing the art and music rooms. The low ceilings have been removed and Principal/Superintendent Mario Bevacqua said they decided to leave the wooden rafters open. Art can be hung from the beams he said and the large music room will benefit from the acoustics. The music room is also furthest away from the rest of the classrooms eliminating any noise.

Space and storage have yet to be found for supplies and equipment transferred over from Perkinsville and elementary teachers are busy readying their new classrooms.

The flag is already flying from a new flagpole donated by the Perkinsville Hawks Mountain Grange and the new bell, located over the entranceway, is installed and tested. read more (209 words)

WEATHERSFIELD -- At a Weathersfield select board meeting when looking for a quilter to design the town square, the first name mentioned, synonymous with quilting, was Dottie Richardson.

Richardson accepted the assignment and her finished square depicts Ascutney Mountain with merino sheep grazing in the foreground.

One of the town's more illustrious forefathers was William Jarvis, appointed Consul to Portugal who, in 1811, smuggled prized merino sheep in his ship to his farm in Weathersfield Bow where they were bred and sold nationwide.