BRGN Offers $500 for Break-In Info

Following the forced break-in at Black River Good Neighbors' (BRGN) Thrift Shop in Ludlow, concerned citizens have donated $500 as a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the Thanksgiving break-in and robbery.

According to members of the BRGN Board, the break-in focused on stealing personnel records plus a donation jar estimated to contain $60.

According to Ludlow Police chief Jeff Billings, no hard evidence has been found as to the perpetrators other than "innuendo", referring to last year's accusations by the "Take Back BRGN".  This group accused the BRGN of mismanagement after the dismissal of the Thrift Store manager by the BRGN Board.

BRGN Board member Jean Eggleston indicated that the Board was "grateful for the donations for the reward so that BRGN would not have to use funds it needs to provide aid to area families in need, especially during the holiday season."

Any information regarding this crime should be communicated to the Ludlow Police Department, 802-228-4211.

BR Academy Museum Restarts Web Site

Black River Academy Museum has updated its web site to cover all attributes of its collections, programs. and exhibits.  The web site, www.bramvt.org, will provide a photo tour of the building, updated exhibits and classes, planned programs, plus access to the BRAM gift shoppe.  A special Contact form will enable user-friendly communication of questions and comments to the Museum.  Those with "bookmarked" or "favorite" addresses of the earlier web site at www.blackriveracademymuseum.org may still use that address as it will be redirected to the new web site automatically.  Emailed questions or comments may be sent to director@bramvt.org or info@bramvt.org.   Comments about the web site itself should be sent to webmaster@bramvt.org.

Champlain College Offers Digital Filmmaking

Champlain College is rolling out a new degree in Digital Filmmaking. This fall, 30 students have switched into the new major as part of a “soft launch” of the new program—a full year before the program’s official start in Fall 2008.

In Champlain’s program, students will earn a bachelor of science in Digital Filmmaking, unlike the bachelor of fine arts with a concentration in filmmaking this is common in other film programs. Students will also choose to focus in one or more of four genres of filmmaking: narrative/dramatic, documentary, experimental or industrial/educational.

With a programmatic emphasis on hands-on learning and production experience, first-year courses include Digital Artwork, Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, Digital Image and Electronic Media Writing. In the second and third years, students will complete Film History, Video Communications, Screenwriting, Fundamentals of Acting, Video Composting and Special Effects, and Advanced Audio Production and Sound Design.

Program co-directors Karen Klove and Dr. Nancy Kerr say Champlain’s program provides a deliberate mix of traditional filmmaking theory and hands-on technical skill development that is distinctive in New England. “While there are other filmmaking programs out there, most remain in a traditional format with limited access to equipment in the freshman and sophomore years. This is due in part to the prohibitive cost of cameras, film stock and developing,” Klove said. “The digital format, however, allows students to explore freely without such concerns. Our students dive in immediately. From day one they discover, they experiment, they develop as artists because every semester they are expected to apply theoretical inquiry to their individual filmmaking practice.”

Because students are learning the same technologies as professionals in the industry, their skill set will be current and relevant. Graduates from the Digital Filmmaking program may choose to start careers in traditional filmmaking on the East and West coasts; among the many jobs available to graduates they can work as producers, directors, editors, gaffers, cinematographers, art directors, special effects artist, screenwriters and sound designers. They’ll also be ripe for jobs in corporate media, experimental media and documentary filmmaking.

To learn more about Champlain’s new program, visit http://www.champlain.edu/majors/digitalfilm.

Stuff-A-Bus Dec. 1 to Benefit Area Families

On December 1st you’ll see an empty bus parked in Shaws Parking Lot in Ludlow. Black River Good Neighbor Services is counting on the support of all shoppers to help fill this bus with non-perishable food for the 2007 Christmas Basket Program.

It is estimated that 125 area families will be helped this season. Items needed to help fill 125 baskets include: canned fruit, cranberry sauce, pickles, olives, mac & cheese, hot chocolate, cookies, frozen turkeys, carrots, peas, corn, green beans, yams, gravy, soup, stuffing mix, tea, cereal (oatmeal), coffee, candy, and margarine.

For those who would rather let BRGNS do the shopping, donations of money are always accepted and greatly appreciated. It is the goal of Black River Good Neighbor Services to see that no adult or child goes hungry over the holidays and that every child has a gift to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Your help is vital, every contribution makes a difference.

Please call Audrey at the Thrift Shop 802-228-3663 with any questions or if you can volunteer a few hours of your time during this very busy event. All the food and money raised goes to benefit those in need in Ludlow, Proctorsville, Cavendish, Mount Holly and Plymouth.

Okemo Sets Nov. 16 As Opening Day

Okemo Mountain Resort is slated to open for the start of its fifty-second skiing and snowboarding season on Friday, November 16 - one day ahead of its targeted opening day. With snowmaking teams working diligently at every possible opportunity, the mountain is ready to welcome skiers and snowboarders with intermediate and advanced terrain on up to a dozen trails.

Okemo anticipates having five lifts running on opening day: F-10 Carpet, Sachem Quad, Glades Peak Quad, Northstar Express Quad and Green Ridge Triple.

Lift tickets will be $45 for adults, $38 for young adults and seniors, and $29 for juniors and super seniors. Special early-season lift ticket rates, determined daily by availability of terrain, will be offered through the weekend. Lifts will begin running at 9 a.m. on opening day.

"Okemo's top-ranked snowmaking team has been working around the clock as temperatures permit," says Okemo VP and General Manager Bruce Schmidt. "It's amazing how quickly they are able to lay down the snow for our expert groomers to turn it into corduroy. We are fortunate to have them out on the mountain making the "Okemo Difference."

On Okemo's first day of the season, all accessible terrain will be located on the upper part of the mountain. Guests will ride the Sachem lift to access terrain and they will download on the Northstar Express to return to the base area. No top-to-bottom skiing is expected for opening day, but snowmaking operations will continue at every opportunity to add trails and to provide top-to-bottom skiing and riding as soon a possible.

Base 68, The Sitting Bull Lounge and Summit Lodge will be welcoming skiers and riders. The Okemo Express Rental/Repair Shop, Penguin Playground Day Care Center, Okemo Snowsports Shop and Mountain Services Office will also be open.

Coinciding with opening day, Okemo Mountain Resort's Annual Ski and Snowboard Sale, located in the Clocktower base lodge, offers a huge variety of equipment and accessories with some of the best deals in ski country. The three-day sale of new and previously owned ski and snowboard equipment, clothing and accessories kicks off Friday, November 16 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 18. A portion of every sale benefits students attending Okemo Mountain School and helps provide scholarships for athletes with financial needs. Last year's sale raised more than $18,000.

For more information contact Mariel Meringolo at 802-228-1512, or visit okemo.com. Skiers and riders can check up-to-date lift ticket rates, weather and surface conditions by visiting okemo.com or by calling Okemo's 24-hour snowphone at (802) 228-5222. For more information, please call (802) 228-1600.

Fletcher Library to discuss 1000 Splendid Suns

The Friends of the Library continues to host book discussions in November. The book choice for November is 1000 Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini. As the editorial staff of Amazon.com writes “It’s difficult to imagine a harder first act to follow than The Kite Runner: a debut novel by an unknown writer about a country many readers knew little about that has gone on to have over four million copies in print worldwide. But when preview copies of Khaled Hosseini’s second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, started circulating at Amazon, readers reacted with a unanimous enthusiasm that few of us could remember seeing before. As special as The Kite Runner was, those readers said, A Thousand Splendid Suns is more so, bringing Hosseini’s compassionate storytelling and his sense of personal and national tragedy to a tale of two women that is weighted equally with despair and grave hope.

Copies of the book are available to borrow at the Library. The group will meet November 29th in the Community Room of Fletcher Memorial Library at 7 pm. Please enter from the rear parking lot of the library. New people are always welcome to come and enjoy a fun, stimulating evening with really nice people. All of our programs are free and accessible to people with disabilities.

Vermont Ranks #1 in Health Care - But . . .

In a recently released national study, Vermont came out as the number 1 state in the Union in terms of healthcare.  However, the state's ranking in terms of binge drinking placed it at 37th in the nation.  The state also saw a rise in obesity.  Vermont ranked 41st in per capita public spending for healthcare, spending $93 per person. 

The study covered 1990, 2000, 2006, and 2006.

To see the details of the state's scores in this study, click HERE.

Friday, Nov 9, BRHS Championship Day

TOWN OF LUDLOW

Resolution

BLACK RIVER HIGH SCHOOL Girls & Boys
SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONS

WHEREAS: The 2007 Black River High School Girls and Boys Soccer Teams won the Division IV Vermont State Soccer Championships on Saturday, November 3, 2007 in Proctor, Vermont; and
WHEREAS: The 2007 Black River High School Girls and Boys Soccer Teams have established a tradition of success and achievement in athletics; and
WHEREAS:  The 2007 Black River High School Soccer Teams featured seven All-State selections and seven All-League selections: and
WHEREAS: The 2007 Black River High School Girls and Boys Soccer Teams displayed outstanding excellence in sportsmanship and preparation; and
WHEREAS:  The 2007 Black River High School Soccer Athletes and Coaching Staff and their accomplishments are a true credit to the school and community; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Howard Barton Jr., Chair of the Select Board for the Town of Ludlow, with unanimous consent of the Ludlow Select Board, do hereby congratulate the 2007 Black River High School Boys and Girls Soccer Teams for their outstanding victories and the acknowledge the season-long support from the citizens of the Town of Ludlow.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WE have signed this RESOLUTION officially and caused the Executive Seal of the Ludlow Select Board to be affixed this 5th day of November, 2007.
Howard Barton, Jr., Chair
John Neal
Bruce Schmidt
Brett Sanderson
Earl Washburn


Friday, November 9, 2007 Shall Be:

Black River High School Girls & BOYS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP DAY

In The Town of Ludlow, Vermont. 

We encourage the citizens to support our Champions
by wearing maroon and white on Friday.

Ludlow Property Transactions Through Oct 07

Click HERE to view the detailed Ludlow property transfers, year-to-date through October 2007.

OKEMO ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT PROMOTIONS

Okemo Mountain Resort Owners Tim and Diane Mueller announced the promotion of three members of their management team.

Director of Human Resources Crystal Stokarski has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources. An employee of Okemo since 1986, Stokarski has worked in various positions, including mountain operations and administration. She has managed Okemo’s human resources division since 1999 and, in addition to her responsibilities with Okemo, she will continue to be involved with many aspects of human resources for the Muellers’ other resorts: Mount Sunapee Resort, in N.H. and Crested Butte Mountain Resort, in Colo.

Director of Marketing Scott Clarkson has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing for Okemo Mountain Resort. Clarkson began his career with the resort as director of marketing in 1995. He has been instrumental in coordinating the resort’s marketing, public relations and sales efforts, as the mountain has seen the addition of Jackson Gore, two golf courses and a more year-round focus.

Director of Real Estate Planning and Development Ted Reeves has been promoted to Vice President of Development and Real Estate for Okemo Mountain Resort. Reeves started with the resort in 2005 as a division manager and has been project manager for the Phase II development of Jackson Gore’s base area, as well as mountain projects and permitting.

“All of our new VPs do a great job and work very hard in their leadership positions,” says Diane Mueller. “They deserve to be rewarded, as have other division managers over the years.” She added, “Our company has grown and we felt it made sense to recognize these three for their dedication and expertise.  Okemo is fortunate to have a very high level of professionalism and expertise among the leaders of our resort.”

Information about career opportunities at Okemo Mountain Resort may be obtained by calling (802) 228-1966.