Deer hunting is a big deal to many young Vermonters. It means getting up early, getting ready and hopefully getting a big buck. A lot of high school students, both male and female, take on the challenge of hunting deer in November. “I love venison jerky and I look forward to hunting every year and going to deer camp”, says Ken Ryan. Some people spend countless hours in the woods on weekends tracking and looking for that big buck.
Some hunters go to great lengths to hide their smell and camouflage their looks. To lure in a big deer, buck lures and camouflaged clothing are necessities used by many serious deer hunters. One can expect to spend close to a hundred dollars each year on hunting supplies including clothes, ammunition and a variety of other provisions. Vermont’s economy benefits a great deal from the money spent on hunting.
For two weeks every year in November, camouflaged hikers can be seen on the back roads and the scent of grilled venison lingers in the air as people drive by. “I like being outside and walking through the woods, but not with my brother; only with people that are quiet”, says Jake Johnson. A lot of people start hunting at a very young age and continue to hunt throughout their lives. Most people like hunting for the chance to be outside, but there are many other reasons to enjoy hunting in Vermont. The biggest challenge is having patience while out in the woods, but in the end, it’s all worth it.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Pete Caroll - Myles McGowan
Through the past nine years Pete Carroll has been the head coach for the USC football team. He has led them to 97 wins and only 19 losses. And 7-2 in bowl games, with two National Championships. Unfortunately he has now resigned from head coach and will be coaching for the Seattle Seahawks.
Prior to becoming the USC head coach, Pete Carroll was a coach in the NFL for both the Jets and the New England Patriots. His NFL career is much worse then his NCAA record; with only 33 wins with 31 losses. By looking at these records it is clear which coaching job is meant for him. College football is changing, and with allegations about paying players to come to USC about it is a bit understandable for him to be leaving, but he is leaving a prestige team.
This year USC ended a 6 season record of Pac-10 championships. Even with new players coming into the program Pete Carroll has done very well. For him to pass this all up for another NFL career is terrible. USC’s football program shouldn’t change too much because Lane Kiffin, a former assistant coach to Pete Carroll, has now gotten the head coach job. With a former coach at USC and knowing Pete Carroll’s teaching tactics perhaps USC will do fine in the seasons to come.
I hope that Pete Carroll will do well in the NFL, but I doubt that. Out of the last 4 college coaches that went pro, none of them entered the preseason. This shows how different college football is to the NFL. Pete Carroll may think he made a better decision, but we will find out soon.
Prior to becoming the USC head coach, Pete Carroll was a coach in the NFL for both the Jets and the New England Patriots. His NFL career is much worse then his NCAA record; with only 33 wins with 31 losses. By looking at these records it is clear which coaching job is meant for him. College football is changing, and with allegations about paying players to come to USC about it is a bit understandable for him to be leaving, but he is leaving a prestige team.
This year USC ended a 6 season record of Pac-10 championships. Even with new players coming into the program Pete Carroll has done very well. For him to pass this all up for another NFL career is terrible. USC’s football program shouldn’t change too much because Lane Kiffin, a former assistant coach to Pete Carroll, has now gotten the head coach job. With a former coach at USC and knowing Pete Carroll’s teaching tactics perhaps USC will do fine in the seasons to come.
I hope that Pete Carroll will do well in the NFL, but I doubt that. Out of the last 4 college coaches that went pro, none of them entered the preseason. This shows how different college football is to the NFL. Pete Carroll may think he made a better decision, but we will find out soon.
Teen Drivers - Alex Lucia
People have always known that teenagers are not exactly the most responsible of drivers. Parents and authority figures see us as reckless, irresponsible liabilities behind the wheel, and so far, we haven’t done a very good job at disproving these statements. Now this is usually where I would tell the reader how these rumors are all false, but this is where I tell you that it’s all true.
December 17, 2009: It was an especially frigid winter afternoon just outside the small quiet town of Bristol, on the straight away just after the road to south starksboro. The sound of the engine in my friend’s pickup truck is the only sound to be heard, no cares, no worries, besides the Subaru raging towards us at approximately 60 miles-per-hour. (I failed to mention we were on the opposite side of the road going about 70 and a car was in the right lane directly next to us showing no signs of reducing speed.) The placid quietness of the interior of the truck was broken by the words “Oh geez!” as my friend abruptly jerked the wheel to the right, coming just feet from a fatal head-on collision, and merely inches from clipping the car to the right of us. Now there’s a new problem to confront- the fact that were going 70, fish tailing at a 45 degree angle with a car directly behind us on icy road conditions. For about the next 50 feet, my friend tried to even us out, and not skid off the road and finally we were facing straight. There was silence for a few seconds, followed by uncontrollable laughter.
This story is one hundred percent true, and is a perfect example of how teen carelessness puts lives in danger. Statistics show that teens are most likely to get in accidents; this is because they are inexperienced, reckless, and tend not to drive alone which causes distractions. I am not trying to say that teens shouldn’t be allowed to drive, but that one should take extra caution around them. Besides, everybody needs to gain experience somehow.
All in all, drivers ages sixteen to nineteen are more likely to cause or be involved in car accidents due to their lack of experience and the fact that they get distracted easily. So if you are around any younger drivers, be careful, you might find yourself heading towards a fishtailing pickup truck going 70 with a bunch of kids in it.
December 17, 2009: It was an especially frigid winter afternoon just outside the small quiet town of Bristol, on the straight away just after the road to south starksboro. The sound of the engine in my friend’s pickup truck is the only sound to be heard, no cares, no worries, besides the Subaru raging towards us at approximately 60 miles-per-hour. (I failed to mention we were on the opposite side of the road going about 70 and a car was in the right lane directly next to us showing no signs of reducing speed.) The placid quietness of the interior of the truck was broken by the words “Oh geez!” as my friend abruptly jerked the wheel to the right, coming just feet from a fatal head-on collision, and merely inches from clipping the car to the right of us. Now there’s a new problem to confront- the fact that were going 70, fish tailing at a 45 degree angle with a car directly behind us on icy road conditions. For about the next 50 feet, my friend tried to even us out, and not skid off the road and finally we were facing straight. There was silence for a few seconds, followed by uncontrollable laughter.
This story is one hundred percent true, and is a perfect example of how teen carelessness puts lives in danger. Statistics show that teens are most likely to get in accidents; this is because they are inexperienced, reckless, and tend not to drive alone which causes distractions. I am not trying to say that teens shouldn’t be allowed to drive, but that one should take extra caution around them. Besides, everybody needs to gain experience somehow.
All in all, drivers ages sixteen to nineteen are more likely to cause or be involved in car accidents due to their lack of experience and the fact that they get distracted easily. So if you are around any younger drivers, be careful, you might find yourself heading towards a fishtailing pickup truck going 70 with a bunch of kids in it.
Drag Me to Hell - Alex Lucia
Opinion
From the director of “Spider Man” and the classic horror/comedy “Evil Dead” trilogy, comes this awesome, goofy and ultimately entertaining horror movie. Filled with everything one could ask for in a horror film from demons and hellfire to a cursing possessed goat, “Drag Me to Hell” keeps your eyes glued to the T.V. screen and has what I consider to be one of the best movie endings ever.
The premise to the movie is very original. The main character, Christine Brown (Allison Lohman), is forced to make a tough decision at her job as a banker, which takes an elderly woman’s home from her. Christine then becomes cursed, and has three nights to banish the Lomnia, a shadow goat demon (I know, right?) before she is dragged to the depths of hell to spend an eternity of anguish and torment. The only people she can turn to for help are her boyfriend (Justin Long) and a fortune teller (played by a relatively unknown actor).
My favorite parts of this movie had to be the bits of action. Just the fact of how ridiculous it was alone made it funny. The incredible makeup work and horror images only heightened the experience. For example, during Christine’s second encounter with the elderly woman, they break out into a fight in Christine’s car. The old woman catches a few staples to the face (including one to the eye) and when the car crashes and she looses her dentures, she proceeds to try to gum Christine to death. My only critique for the movie is that it could have been a lot scarier, but the crazy action scenes kept me smiling anyway, so it’s all good.
In summation, if you’re looking to watch the freakiest and scariest movie you’ve ever seen, this might not be your movie. However, if you’re looking for a freaky, intriguing movie with a few laughs and more than a few cringes, “Drag Me to Hell” should more than meet your standards. It’s an all around good time in front of the tube that is sure to leave you satisfied
From the director of “Spider Man” and the classic horror/comedy “Evil Dead” trilogy, comes this awesome, goofy and ultimately entertaining horror movie. Filled with everything one could ask for in a horror film from demons and hellfire to a cursing possessed goat, “Drag Me to Hell” keeps your eyes glued to the T.V. screen and has what I consider to be one of the best movie endings ever.
The premise to the movie is very original. The main character, Christine Brown (Allison Lohman), is forced to make a tough decision at her job as a banker, which takes an elderly woman’s home from her. Christine then becomes cursed, and has three nights to banish the Lomnia, a shadow goat demon (I know, right?) before she is dragged to the depths of hell to spend an eternity of anguish and torment. The only people she can turn to for help are her boyfriend (Justin Long) and a fortune teller (played by a relatively unknown actor).
My favorite parts of this movie had to be the bits of action. Just the fact of how ridiculous it was alone made it funny. The incredible makeup work and horror images only heightened the experience. For example, during Christine’s second encounter with the elderly woman, they break out into a fight in Christine’s car. The old woman catches a few staples to the face (including one to the eye) and when the car crashes and she looses her dentures, she proceeds to try to gum Christine to death. My only critique for the movie is that it could have been a lot scarier, but the crazy action scenes kept me smiling anyway, so it’s all good.
In summation, if you’re looking to watch the freakiest and scariest movie you’ve ever seen, this might not be your movie. However, if you’re looking for a freaky, intriguing movie with a few laughs and more than a few cringes, “Drag Me to Hell” should more than meet your standards. It’s an all around good time in front of the tube that is sure to leave you satisfied
New Moon - K. Oullette
(Opinion)
Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner start some steamy romance in Chris Weitz’s fantasty film when Robert Pattinson has to leave her behind in Forks.
Blood sucking vampires and werewolves seem to be the world’s new superheroes. Thousands of people lined up all over the U.S. to watch the second part of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. It opened in 3,514 theatres on November 20th, 2009 and broke through the box office roof. It cost $50 million to produce the movie, and opening night alone made $26.6 million of it back.
Chris Weitz also directed The Golden Compass, and in the past has directed movies with his brother, Paul Weitz, including: American Pie, Down to Earth, and About a Boy. I think Weitz did a very good job with taking the setting of the book and transforming it into a movie. The scenery was similar to what Meyer tried to convey in the book, and the setting plays an important part of the story.
I think the characters were represented and played very well in the new movie. As most of the female Twilight fans recognized, Jacob definitely buffed up quite a bit from the first movie, and in some of their opinions he might be hotter than Edward himself. Personally, I think the hair cut helped him fit the part, as well as him hitting up the gym. Edward, of course, who has been the dreamy one from the beginning, sadly left Bella behind in Forks, so we didn’t get to see much of him. This made some Twilight fans a little upset, but I think the third Twilight movie, Eclipse, will make up for this, considering what happens in the book.
As most people know, Twilight is a four book series written by Stephenie Meyers. There was a lot going on in the second book, New Moon, and some people were disappointed after watching the movie interpretation, because they skipped a lot of the important parts. A lot of Twilight fans notice the little details and can easily compare the book and movie, and the consensus was that the movie isn’t as good as the book because little details or important lines have not been addressed. I would have to agree that the movie could have had included more that was in the book, but I also understand that they didn’t want the movie to be incredibly long. Most of the people who haven’t read the books have said they thought the movie was really good, but of course they don’t have anything in which to compare.
The crowd for the third movie is going to be more insane than the first and second, because people liked the plot of the third book more than the second, since Edward left Bella in the second book. Everyone is excited for the third movie, Eclipse, to come out on June 30th, 2010.
Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner start some steamy romance in Chris Weitz’s fantasty film when Robert Pattinson has to leave her behind in Forks.
Blood sucking vampires and werewolves seem to be the world’s new superheroes. Thousands of people lined up all over the U.S. to watch the second part of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. It opened in 3,514 theatres on November 20th, 2009 and broke through the box office roof. It cost $50 million to produce the movie, and opening night alone made $26.6 million of it back.
Chris Weitz also directed The Golden Compass, and in the past has directed movies with his brother, Paul Weitz, including: American Pie, Down to Earth, and About a Boy. I think Weitz did a very good job with taking the setting of the book and transforming it into a movie. The scenery was similar to what Meyer tried to convey in the book, and the setting plays an important part of the story.
I think the characters were represented and played very well in the new movie. As most of the female Twilight fans recognized, Jacob definitely buffed up quite a bit from the first movie, and in some of their opinions he might be hotter than Edward himself. Personally, I think the hair cut helped him fit the part, as well as him hitting up the gym. Edward, of course, who has been the dreamy one from the beginning, sadly left Bella behind in Forks, so we didn’t get to see much of him. This made some Twilight fans a little upset, but I think the third Twilight movie, Eclipse, will make up for this, considering what happens in the book.
As most people know, Twilight is a four book series written by Stephenie Meyers. There was a lot going on in the second book, New Moon, and some people were disappointed after watching the movie interpretation, because they skipped a lot of the important parts. A lot of Twilight fans notice the little details and can easily compare the book and movie, and the consensus was that the movie isn’t as good as the book because little details or important lines have not been addressed. I would have to agree that the movie could have had included more that was in the book, but I also understand that they didn’t want the movie to be incredibly long. Most of the people who haven’t read the books have said they thought the movie was really good, but of course they don’t have anything in which to compare.
The crowd for the third movie is going to be more insane than the first and second, because people liked the plot of the third book more than the second, since Edward left Bella in the second book. Everyone is excited for the third movie, Eclipse, to come out on June 30th, 2010.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Go Green or Go Home by Cassie Marion
Being the worlds best is what it’s all about. The Winter Olympics are always getting bigger, better, more entertaining, more dramatic, more cultural, and continue to push the human body to its limit, all for the precious gold metal. The 2014 Winter games are set to be hosted by Sochi, located in Russia’s Krasnodar Region between the Black Sea and snow-capped Caucasus Mountains.
Sochi residents as well as government and environmental groups protested against the construction, set to begin in July 2009, in an attempt to preserve Sochi’s Caucasus Nature Reserve. In response to construction, the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC) said, “This is a very significant development because it removes the danger of building an ecologically dangerous unit on the Black Sea coast, which threatened the ecosystems of Black sea, ecological prosperity and the recreational resources of Sochi,”. Due to the concern of residents, UNEP has involved themselves to make the Winter Olympics of 2014 as green, clean and Sochi friendly as possible.
The main goal for these Olympic games is to be as “green” as possible. The city of Sochi is planning to invest $1.7 billion towards renewable energy and energy conservation (Stallone, June 15, 2009). “We developed the Sochi 2014 environmental strategy and this will ensure that the ecological situation in the Krasnodar Region is enhanced for generations to come,” said the President and CEO of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko (Stallone, June 15, 2009). Doing everything they can to keep their city clean, Sochi already has plans to make room for many new facilities including one plan to move the bobsled and luge tracks to help preserve the Caucasus nature reserve from the fans, athletes, coaches and tourists who will soon be on their way to Sochi for the 2014 Olympics. The agreement to be as green as possible was marked with the planting of trees, showing the support for Russia’s United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) billion trees campaign. Helping to improve the environment, the Sochi Olympics are expected to be greener than ever before.
Not only is the competition going to be intense in the games, but in construction for green, environmentally safe facilities as well.
Sochi residents as well as government and environmental groups protested against the construction, set to begin in July 2009, in an attempt to preserve Sochi’s Caucasus Nature Reserve. In response to construction, the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC) said, “This is a very significant development because it removes the danger of building an ecologically dangerous unit on the Black Sea coast, which threatened the ecosystems of Black sea, ecological prosperity and the recreational resources of Sochi,”. Due to the concern of residents, UNEP has involved themselves to make the Winter Olympics of 2014 as green, clean and Sochi friendly as possible.
The main goal for these Olympic games is to be as “green” as possible. The city of Sochi is planning to invest $1.7 billion towards renewable energy and energy conservation (Stallone, June 15, 2009). “We developed the Sochi 2014 environmental strategy and this will ensure that the ecological situation in the Krasnodar Region is enhanced for generations to come,” said the President and CEO of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko (Stallone, June 15, 2009). Doing everything they can to keep their city clean, Sochi already has plans to make room for many new facilities including one plan to move the bobsled and luge tracks to help preserve the Caucasus nature reserve from the fans, athletes, coaches and tourists who will soon be on their way to Sochi for the 2014 Olympics. The agreement to be as green as possible was marked with the planting of trees, showing the support for Russia’s United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) billion trees campaign. Helping to improve the environment, the Sochi Olympics are expected to be greener than ever before.
Not only is the competition going to be intense in the games, but in construction for green, environmentally safe facilities as well.
Lunch Program: What Will Happen Next Year? by MacKenzie Lebeau
(Opinion)
As of right now, the lunch program is under fire and jobs could be lost. As lunch prices have been rising over the past few years, so has the concern for a healthier local lunch. In my opinion, school lunch is not supporting our local community, nor is it providing health benefits to the individuals eating it. The School Board is reviewing changes to take place next school year. As of right now, all lunch staff jobs will be cut on June 30, 2010 (B. Hall 2/2/10). Different ideas are being considered right now: either outsourcing to another bid or reorganizing the program we have now. Something drastically needs to be done to provide a healthier lunch. Either way, changes will be made for the 2010-2011 school year.
One consideration is to hand the lunch program over to The Abbey Group, a catering company in New England. I don’t agree with that plan because we live in Vermont, where we have farmers all around us. Why can’t we provide a healthy local lunch at school? During a meeting I had with one of the lunch ladies, I proposed the idea of switching to Monument Farms milk and converting to dispenser systems instead of cartons to save money and reduce trash waste. Mrs. Curtis replied, “They had looked into dispensers from Hood and it was a proposed idea.” Most Addison County farmer’s milk goes to Cabot or Monument farms which are both local. So why are we buying milk from Hood and not supporting our local farmers in Addison County?
I think the best bet would be to continue growing the Mount Abraham Union High School (MAUHS) garden as well as buying shares of local farmer’s crops from surrounding vegetable and fruit farms. If we turned the lunch program local, it would help out the local economy as well as cut down on expenses. I personally feel the only logical thing to do is keep as much money local as we can to support the community and in return the community will keep supporting the school. MAUHS has an obesity rate starting at 25% (2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) for this year’s seniors and juniors, and with every class proceeding, the obesity rate rises more than the grade before. Something needs to be done; we need to restructure the lunch program to provide a healthier lunch, supporting the fact that healthy does taste good. If we could show kids at a younger age how to eat healthier we could instill life long eating habits into America’s youth. I feel there are so many positive changes that could take place in the next school year that we should do all we can. Brain research has shown that the better foods children eat, the better they perform on tests and in focused situations like school. Foods high in antioxidants help people perform better (Global Health Center). With NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) scores showing that Mount Abraham is in the bottom ten schools in Vermont, we should do everything we can to boost brain function. With healthier eating habits, teenager’s self image problems, brain function, and lifestyles can all be improved for the better.
As of right now, the lunch program is under fire and jobs could be lost. As lunch prices have been rising over the past few years, so has the concern for a healthier local lunch. In my opinion, school lunch is not supporting our local community, nor is it providing health benefits to the individuals eating it. The School Board is reviewing changes to take place next school year. As of right now, all lunch staff jobs will be cut on June 30, 2010 (B. Hall 2/2/10). Different ideas are being considered right now: either outsourcing to another bid or reorganizing the program we have now. Something drastically needs to be done to provide a healthier lunch. Either way, changes will be made for the 2010-2011 school year.
One consideration is to hand the lunch program over to The Abbey Group, a catering company in New England. I don’t agree with that plan because we live in Vermont, where we have farmers all around us. Why can’t we provide a healthy local lunch at school? During a meeting I had with one of the lunch ladies, I proposed the idea of switching to Monument Farms milk and converting to dispenser systems instead of cartons to save money and reduce trash waste. Mrs. Curtis replied, “They had looked into dispensers from Hood and it was a proposed idea.” Most Addison County farmer’s milk goes to Cabot or Monument farms which are both local. So why are we buying milk from Hood and not supporting our local farmers in Addison County?
I think the best bet would be to continue growing the Mount Abraham Union High School (MAUHS) garden as well as buying shares of local farmer’s crops from surrounding vegetable and fruit farms. If we turned the lunch program local, it would help out the local economy as well as cut down on expenses. I personally feel the only logical thing to do is keep as much money local as we can to support the community and in return the community will keep supporting the school. MAUHS has an obesity rate starting at 25% (2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) for this year’s seniors and juniors, and with every class proceeding, the obesity rate rises more than the grade before. Something needs to be done; we need to restructure the lunch program to provide a healthier lunch, supporting the fact that healthy does taste good. If we could show kids at a younger age how to eat healthier we could instill life long eating habits into America’s youth. I feel there are so many positive changes that could take place in the next school year that we should do all we can. Brain research has shown that the better foods children eat, the better they perform on tests and in focused situations like school. Foods high in antioxidants help people perform better (Global Health Center). With NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) scores showing that Mount Abraham is in the bottom ten schools in Vermont, we should do everything we can to boost brain function. With healthier eating habits, teenager’s self image problems, brain function, and lifestyles can all be improved for the better.
Solar Power at Mt. Abe? by Courtney Devoid
Essex is doing it, why not us? We already have the wood chip facility taking care of our heating needs. Naturally, the next step is to install solar panels to take care of our electricity needs. Solar panels, installed on the roof of Mount Abraham Union High School (MAUHS), would collect energy and store it in the electricity grid for our school to use. Just like with the MAUHS wood chip facility, there are many options to make this idea possible.
MAUHS installed the wood chip facility three years ago as a way to transition our heating needs to a more sustainable form of technology. Solar power could be the next step for our school to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Currently, the world is hooked on fossil fuels that take millions of years to produce (American Association of Petroleum Geologists.) The supplies of non-renewable resources are quickly dwindling, so before the prices skyrocket again, it would be wise to make the switch at our school to solar powered energy. One reason to switch to solar power is because it is a renewable resource. A renewable resource is a form of energy that can be harvested faster than the rate of human consumption. Solar energy has the potential to provide 1,000 times more energy than the world demands. (American Energy Independence.)
The nuclear reactor that provides half of Vermont electricity, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, will soon be shut down (Safe Power Vermont, VPIRG.) This means that the source of electricity for most of the state is soon going to be gone. Electricity will have to come from farther away and will be more expensive, costing tax payers in our district more money. Although harmful to the environment, nuclear power is cheap and the power produced at Vermont Yankee is local so it costs less. To get power from sources outside of the state, which is our only option right now, will cost more money because it is farther away. Since our school budget is partially supported by tax payers, increased electricity prices will cost them more money.
One easy solution would be to transition MAUHS to solar power. To do this, we would have to initially invest in the purchase of the panels. This could be pricy as one panel could cost more than $12,000, however, the pay off is quick (Galbraith, Katie. Nytimes.com.) Essex Middle and High School is currently making this transition with federal grant money. The money was received from a federal stimulus grant as a way to put money into the economy by focusing on sustainable technology.
Right now, our economy is going through hard times, so fuels are inexpensive. As quickly as fuel prices dropped, they will rise again, and fast (Brian O'Keefe, CNN Money.) We need to make this transition as soon as possible. There are many options to make this happen at MAUHS. One option would be to apply for a grant to supplement the cost of the solar panels. Another option would be to spend the money on the solar panels and pay back the loan from the electricity savings. Or, a Co-op model could be used. Cooperatives are groups of people that get together to support a certain cause. Basically, residents of Addison County who do not have good solar access would purchase solar panels to go on the roof of MAUHS. The electricity generated from the panel would go into the grid and be used for the resident who purchased the panel. Excess electricity would be used for our school.
Clearly, there are many options to transition our school to be more environmentally friendly. We should seriously consider the option of solar power because of all the benefits it has. “Solar power makes a lot of sense,” said MAUHS physics teacher, Tom Tailer. “Mt. Abe has a good flat area with lots of solar access. It is one of the critical components to developing a sustainable energy economy.”
MAUHS installed the wood chip facility three years ago as a way to transition our heating needs to a more sustainable form of technology. Solar power could be the next step for our school to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Currently, the world is hooked on fossil fuels that take millions of years to produce (American Association of Petroleum Geologists.) The supplies of non-renewable resources are quickly dwindling, so before the prices skyrocket again, it would be wise to make the switch at our school to solar powered energy. One reason to switch to solar power is because it is a renewable resource. A renewable resource is a form of energy that can be harvested faster than the rate of human consumption. Solar energy has the potential to provide 1,000 times more energy than the world demands. (American Energy Independence.)
The nuclear reactor that provides half of Vermont electricity, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, will soon be shut down (Safe Power Vermont, VPIRG.) This means that the source of electricity for most of the state is soon going to be gone. Electricity will have to come from farther away and will be more expensive, costing tax payers in our district more money. Although harmful to the environment, nuclear power is cheap and the power produced at Vermont Yankee is local so it costs less. To get power from sources outside of the state, which is our only option right now, will cost more money because it is farther away. Since our school budget is partially supported by tax payers, increased electricity prices will cost them more money.
One easy solution would be to transition MAUHS to solar power. To do this, we would have to initially invest in the purchase of the panels. This could be pricy as one panel could cost more than $12,000, however, the pay off is quick (Galbraith, Katie. Nytimes.com.) Essex Middle and High School is currently making this transition with federal grant money. The money was received from a federal stimulus grant as a way to put money into the economy by focusing on sustainable technology.
Right now, our economy is going through hard times, so fuels are inexpensive. As quickly as fuel prices dropped, they will rise again, and fast (Brian O'Keefe, CNN Money.) We need to make this transition as soon as possible. There are many options to make this happen at MAUHS. One option would be to apply for a grant to supplement the cost of the solar panels. Another option would be to spend the money on the solar panels and pay back the loan from the electricity savings. Or, a Co-op model could be used. Cooperatives are groups of people that get together to support a certain cause. Basically, residents of Addison County who do not have good solar access would purchase solar panels to go on the roof of MAUHS. The electricity generated from the panel would go into the grid and be used for the resident who purchased the panel. Excess electricity would be used for our school.
Clearly, there are many options to transition our school to be more environmentally friendly. We should seriously consider the option of solar power because of all the benefits it has. “Solar power makes a lot of sense,” said MAUHS physics teacher, Tom Tailer. “Mt. Abe has a good flat area with lots of solar access. It is one of the critical components to developing a sustainable energy economy.”
Thunder Road by Jesse Bashaw
Barre, Vermont has enjoyed its quiet time, but on May 2nd, at 1:00pm, the thunder comes back to the barre high-banks for its 51st season. The 2nd marks the season opener for Thunder Road. The asphalt quarter-mile oval will once again be alive as 150+ cars come to play.
Thunder Road has 4 divisions of cars: the 8 cylinder American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models, the 8 cylinder Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman’s, the 4 cylinder Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and the 4 cylinder Power Shift Junkyard Warriors. Thunder Road will have 18 events in the 2010 season. 10 races are on Thursdays and the other 8 are Sunday races.
Thunder Road is known for the exciting races and family friendly atmosphere. Thunder Road also hosts some ACT Tour events. The day starts early and the drivers and teams are at the track hours before the fans. Each division has a specified time to practice, and make adjustments to their cars. After the drivers are satisfied with their cars, qualifying begins. Qualifying for Thunder Road races is done with heat races. These are just smaller races with about a quarter of the cars. After all the heats, the field is qualified and the sun goes down, and the real fun begins. The feature races are fun under the lights.
Thunder Road also hosts some of the ACT Tour races. The ACT Tour consists of Late Model teams from all over New England and Canada. These are the same Late Model cars that race at Thunder Road every week, but not all of the Thunder Road Late Models run the ACT Tour. The Tour consists of the Top Late Model teams in all of New England, so the competition is taken a lot more seriously. The tour runs events all over New England. The ACT Tour has 82 cars on its Roster as of March 25th.
A big name in ACT is coming back. Tracie Bellerose is returning to Thunder Road to run the full schedule after becoming the Fist Female Driver to win a Thunder Road championship in 2000. She stopped driving after she had a horrifying wreck and got injured. Thunder Road never fails to supply fans with hours of great racing and this year won’t be any different. Many fans, drivers, and crews (including myself) can’t wait to get back to the “Nations Site of Excitement” for another fun year. I can already smell the burnt rubber and race fuel.
Thunder Road has 4 divisions of cars: the 8 cylinder American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models, the 8 cylinder Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman’s, the 4 cylinder Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and the 4 cylinder Power Shift Junkyard Warriors. Thunder Road will have 18 events in the 2010 season. 10 races are on Thursdays and the other 8 are Sunday races.
Thunder Road is known for the exciting races and family friendly atmosphere. Thunder Road also hosts some ACT Tour events. The day starts early and the drivers and teams are at the track hours before the fans. Each division has a specified time to practice, and make adjustments to their cars. After the drivers are satisfied with their cars, qualifying begins. Qualifying for Thunder Road races is done with heat races. These are just smaller races with about a quarter of the cars. After all the heats, the field is qualified and the sun goes down, and the real fun begins. The feature races are fun under the lights.
Thunder Road also hosts some of the ACT Tour races. The ACT Tour consists of Late Model teams from all over New England and Canada. These are the same Late Model cars that race at Thunder Road every week, but not all of the Thunder Road Late Models run the ACT Tour. The Tour consists of the Top Late Model teams in all of New England, so the competition is taken a lot more seriously. The tour runs events all over New England. The ACT Tour has 82 cars on its Roster as of March 25th.
A big name in ACT is coming back. Tracie Bellerose is returning to Thunder Road to run the full schedule after becoming the Fist Female Driver to win a Thunder Road championship in 2000. She stopped driving after she had a horrifying wreck and got injured. Thunder Road never fails to supply fans with hours of great racing and this year won’t be any different. Many fans, drivers, and crews (including myself) can’t wait to get back to the “Nations Site of Excitement” for another fun year. I can already smell the burnt rubber and race fuel.
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