Okemo Hit By Security Breach

News Release from Okemo Mt Resort

Okemo Mountain Resort today announced that it has been a recent target of criminal efforts to gain access to credit data by infiltration of its computer network at Okemo Mountain Ski Area.  Okemo believes the intruder gained potential access to credit card data including cardholder names, account numbers and expiration dates.  An expert in data security and forensics hired by Okemo to assist in the investigation and response to the incident has informed Okemo that its computer system was improperly accessed by an outside party for a 16 day period between February 7, 2008 and February 22, 2008.  Affected consumers potentially include those who used their credit cards at Okemo during such dates as well as those who did so from January through March of 2006.

The exact number of cardholders affected is unknown at this time.  The forensic review determined that the intruder may have accessed credit card data from up to 28,168 credit card transactions processed at Okemo during the 16 day period in February.  The actual number of credit cards holders involved in the transactions is likely to be smaller because multiple transactions may have been processed on a single card.  In addition, there may have been access to 18,401 individual credit cards used at Okemo from January through March 2006, many of which are believed to have expired.  The forensic expert determined that there was no evidence of any security breach to the computer systems at Mount Sunapee or Crested Butte.   

Upon discovery of this intrusion, Okemo promptly initiated security measures to block the infiltration and protect any personal information transmitted through its system from any further unauthorized access.  Okemo has provided notice to Visa, MasterCard and American Express and is cooperating fully with the credit card companies to notify potentially affected cardholders.  Okemo does not have sufficient information to directly contact cardholders. Okemo has been informed that the banks, which issued the credit cards, will be provided with information necessary to notify their cardholders.  Okemo has also notified law enforcement and is providing notice to State Attorneys General and appropriate regulatory agencies.  Okemo will continue to carefully monitor the security of its systems moving forward. 

Okemo has been advised by Federal law enforcement officials that the matter is currently under investigation. Okemo recommends that all cardholders carefully review their credit card statements and credit reports and remain alert for any unauthorized or suspicious activity.  Further, Okemo recommends that cardholders consider monitoring free credit reports that are available through the three major credit agencies, Equifax - www.equifax.com, Experian - www.experian.com, or TransUnion www.transunion.com.

Okemo will provide updates on this incident on its website: www.okemo.com.  For further information or assistance, cardholders are encouraged to call the following Toll Free Number,        1-866-756-5366          .  Okemo can also be contacted at Okemo Mountain Resort, 77 Okemo Ridge Road, Ludlow, VT 05149.

Fletcher Library Offers Cuban Novel

The Friends of the Library continues to host book discussions in April.  The book choice for April is Dreaming in Cuban by Christina Garcia.  From Library Journal, Garcia’s first novel is about Cuba, her native country, and three generations of del Pino women who are seeking spiritual homes for their passionate, often troubled souls.  Celia del Pino and her descendants also share clairvoyant and visionary powers that somehow remain undiminished, despite the Cuban revolution and its profound effect upon their lives.  This dichotomy suffuses their lives with a potent mixture of superstition, politics and surrealistic charm that gives the novel an otherworldly atmosphere.  Garcia tells their story with an economy of words and a rich, tropical imagery, setting a brisk but comfortable pace.  Highly recommended.

Copies of the book are available to borrow at the Library.  The group will meet April 24^th 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.

Winter Program

The Third Thursday Program for April is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the Ludlow Garden Club.  The program is Perennial Gardening-Food for the Soul led by Virginia Small, Master Gardener. Small has been gardener for more than 30 years and is the past Chair of the Rutland County Chapter of the Vermont Master Gardeners and speaks on many aspects of gardening for organizations such as OSHER and the Audubon Society.  Small has also been a guest on talk radio programs. There will be a discussion on starting a garden in less than optimum conditions; giving new life to an old garden; adding fragrance to a garden; and garden blooms for eight months of the year.  Small will also relate her personal experience regarding how gardening, while physically challenged, vastly improved the quality of her life.  The group will met April 17 at 2:00 pm in the community room.  All of our programs are free and open to the public.

TW3 Features Normandy Beach Visit

On its Thursday, April 3 program, "That Was The Week That Was (TW3)", a weekly live news program broadcasted over LPC-TV (Channel 8 cable), will feature a visit to the D-Day Normandy beaches and cemeteries by two Ludlow men this past year. 

David Almond (shown above next to one of the many batteries built into shoreline bunkers designed to protect "Fortress Europa") and Darrah Moore visited the landing beaches where the 1944 invasion of Europe that led to the downfall of the Nazi war machine.  During their TW3 presentation, they will discuss their impressions of the beaches, cemeteries, and monuments to "Operation Overlord".

The program may be viewed live on Thursday, April 3 at 5 PM on channel 8.  Thereafter it will be rebroadcast periodically through the week.  Pictured below are the two as they stand before one of the remnants of the mammouth artificial harbor that was built to support this epic-making enterprise that led to the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Ludlow Community Garden Sprouts Anew

The Ludlow Area Community Garden will hold its first meeting of the season at 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at the United Church of Ludlow (corner of Elm and Pleasant Streets).  The purposes of the meeting are to answer questions of continuing and potential gardeners, obtain plot assignments and review how the garden works. 

Since 2000, the 11,000+ square foot Ludlow Area Community Garden has been located at the Fletcher Farm on Route 103, essentially at the border between Ludlow and Proctorsville. The garden is fenced, easily accessible by car, and benefits from a gravity-feed water system.  Master Gardeners are available to help both novice and experienced gardeners.   

The all-organic garden has more than 50 plots.  Most of these are used by individuals but some are used by the garden as a whole, such as the herb garden.  A few others are shared by several people and are used to grow a single crop, such as strawberries, generally with less labor per person.  One of the plots is used solely for the relaxation of the gardeners.  Several plots are used by not-for-profit organizations. 

In both 2007 and 2006, the garden was the recipient of  grants  from the Vermont Community Garden Network, an organization that encourages community gardens throughout Vermont.   For many years, the University of Vermont has provided a nutrition specialist to demonstrate the safe preservation of food.

The United Church and other local organizations have supported the garden over the years.  As a result of this assistance, the costs to gardeners have been kept to a minimum, generally $15.00 per plot.  Funds from gardeners are used to pay for such things as manure, water system parts and the like.

So bring your friends and find out what the Ludlow Area Community Garden can do for you.

Maggie Gets Some Air

Photo courtesy Martin Griff

Maggie Seiple of Ludlow, Vt., is one of 53 riders competing in the Women's halpipe Qualifications at the Burton U. S. Open at Stratton Mountain Resort in southern Vermont.  According to her Dad, Allen Seiple, "Not bad for a girl with a cast on that broken right wrist."

Guns in National Parks: Letter

To the Editor:

Currently federal regulations require that all weapons in motor vehicles in National Parks be unloaded; Secretary of Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, is proposing to change that to permit loaded guns in US National Parks!! Even the Association of National Park Rangers strongly objects to this proposal, as we all should! 

Secretary Kempthorne talks about permitting loaded guns in national parks because it's "respecting an individual's Second Amendment right to bear arms."  Kempthorne's proposal is "timely" because it comes just as the US Supreme Court is reviewing whether or not the Second Amendment gives individuals a constitutional right to bear arms.

Keep in mind that the US National Parks Service administers nearly 400 "units" including the Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz, and Presidio in San Francisco, Yosemite, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall in Washington.

Congress specifically directed the National Park Service "to regulate use in the national park system for the fundamental purpose of preserving park natural and cultural resources."  Our National Parks should be managed in our national interest, preserving the integrity of these treasured resources.

On March 18 National Public Radio reported that 51 US Senators feel that if the state in which a National Park is located permits the possession of loaded guns, then the national park(s) within those states should follow suit. The majority of the senators who support this legislation are Republican, though a handful of Democrats have joined the push.

If you are skeptical about Secretary Kempthorne's proposal, contact your Senators and Secretary of Interior, Dirk Kempthhorne.  Tell them that you want our National Parks to be peaceful, safe, and free of loaded weapons with their natural and sustainable character remaining intact.  Please support the dedicated Association of National Park Rangers who are against loaded weapons in our National Parks. 

Sincerely,

Denis Rydjeski
[The writer is the Political Chair of the Vermont Chapter of the SIERRA CLUB]
(802) 885-4826
email: DRR@Dartmouth.edu 

BRGNS Holds Stuff-a-Truck April 12-13

Black River Good Neighbor Services is holding a STUFF-A-TRUCK Weekend

Dates & Time: Saturday April 12 from Noon until 4 PM

Sunday April 13 from Noon until 5 PM

Place:  BRGNS Thrift Shop

Please keep us in mind when you are cleaning out your food pantry of non perishable unopened, in date food, cleaning supplies and your clothing closets. If you’re not into Spring Cleaning maybe you’re just looking for an opportunity to help others.  Audrey Bridge, Director of the Store said “With so many seasonal renters closing down their accommodations we’re hoping they’ll join our full time residents and participate in the Stuff a Truck program”.

Black River Good Neighbor Services offers temporary food, clothing, heat, utility and rent assistance to those in need. Bridge went on to say “the community contributions of food, clothing and money are what we exist on.  Requests for assistance this year will hit an all time high.  Please help us help those in need.” 

All contributions will be gratefully accepted on the above dates at the thrift store.  The truck is good size, so your generosity is needed to stuff it full!

Black River Good Neighbor Services, located at 105 Main Street, Ludlow, has served the communities of Ludlow, Proctorsville, Cavendish, Mt. Holly and Plymouth for over 20 years.  BRGNS is a 501-C3 registered charity.  Contributions are tax deductible.  For additional information please call Audrey Bridge at the Thrift Store 802-228-3663.

Fugitive Wanted in Region

A person fitting this description was seen in Ludlow the day before burglaries happened. During meetings at certain offices the subject ask to use the restroom where he unlocked the window and prepared for easy entrance at a later time. Laptop computers and blank checks were some of the things stolen. One of the checks were cashed in Rutland with an amount exceeding $400.00. He is driving around in a silver or light blue compact car. Because he was told about rentals in Mount Holly it is possible that he may be staying here. Anyone seeing him is asked to call your local law enforcement. As stated below he may be considered dangerous.

Red Cross Blood Drive March 24

The Red Cross will conduct a blood drive on Monday, March 24 at the Ludlow Baptist Church, from 12:30 to 5:30 pm.

BRAM Announces New Wing Construction

With the award of a contract to Wright Construction of Mt Holly, the Black River Academy Museum (BRAM) Executive Board announced that construction on the three-story, ADA-compliant, elevator tower would begin in late March or early April.

According to Anita Alic, chairperson of the BRAM capitol fund raising committee, “We’re very excited that this concept that BRAM has envisioned for so long will at last be translated into reality.  Providing an ADA-compliant means of accessing all the floors of the museum will enable everyone to take advantage of the many historic treasures, exhibits, and classes offered by BRAM.”

Alic noted that BRAM had raised over 75% of its fund-raising for the structure and was actively working on completing its funding needs.  She noted, “We really appreciate the warm support we’ve received from the community and public at large.  We also hope that we will raise the remaining portion of our funding by this summer.  I really want to thank everyone who has contributed to this project.”

Phase 1 of the project will consist of erecting the three story elevator tower, attached to the rear of the building so as not to distract from the historic profile of the original structure.  This phase will also include the construction of fire stairs in the new tower.

Alic indicated that both the board and its architect had taken "great care to ensure that the new elevator tower did not adversely impact the general profile of the historic BRAM structure".  BRAM is listed by the U.S. Department of the Interior on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The second phase of the project will see the installation of the elevator itself.

Contributions to this project may be sent to BRAM at P.O. Box 73; Ludlow, VT 05149.  Additional information is available at the BRAM web site, www.bramvt.org, or by calling .