Sand Hill bridge set for spring 2014

Replacing the Sand Hill bridge (East Middlebury) is now scheduled for spring 2014.  This has implications for Ripton, as route 125 runs through the bridge.

For example, here's the latest on how the bridge construction will be handled:

Drivers can expect Route 125 to be closed for 40 days, noted VTrans Project Manager Jennifer Fitch, though the contractor will have a financial incentive to finish more quickly. Travelers will have to resort to some detours. Out-of-town traffic, including trucks, will need to take Route 7 south into Brandon to pick up Route 73 to get over to Route 100, adding about 18 miles to the driver’s trip.

For area residents and emergency vehicles, the detour will mean using Upper Plains Road and Beaver Pond Road in Salisbury to get from Route 7 to Ripton.

“We will only sign regional detours,” Fitch said. “The town can choose to sign the local detour.”

What do you think?

REAP in the news

The Addison Independent updates readers on our Ripton Energy Assistance Program (REAP).
One key news item:

Once cut and split, the wood at this point is taken by truck to a field owned by one of the steering committee members. Around a dozen cords are kept there at any one time. But that will change soon, thanks to $1,000 in local donations and a $2,500 grant received from the Middlebury-based Vermont Community Foundation. Those combined funds — with another few thousand dollars left to raise — will be used to construct a wood shed that will soon be built on municipal land behind the Ripton firehouse. The new structure will be stick-built using volunteer labor and will be approximately 16 feet by 24 feet, according to King.

Ripton community yard sale coming up

The 3rd annual Ripton community yard sale will occur on Saturday, July 14th.
It runs from 8 am to noon at the town church.  There will be music playing and food for sale.
Ripton folks can reserve space by contacting Roger Barking by phone (388-7442) or email (rogerbarkin@gmail.com).  Reservations cost $5.

Drug arrest in Ripton

Middlebury police arrested a New York man for drug possession in Ripton.

New discussions at the Ripton church

The Ripton Community Church is modifying its Sunday services. Starting this past Sunday, June 17th, discussion format changed. From here on, there will a different discussion topic each month
Services are held the third Sunday of the month, March through December.

(thanks to Charles Billings)

This Sunday, Birds of Ripton

"Birds of Ripton" is the subject of this Sunday's Ripton Community Church presentation.

Warren King will present “Birds of Ripton” on Sunday, June 10th at 4:00 pm at Ripton Community Church. He will use 83 PowerPoint slides to illustrate more than 60 bird species, from robins to red-tailed hawks, that make Ripton’s forest their home. The presentation will be a virtual tour of Ripton’s roads and trails, following the same route used for the annual birdathon walks.

More on the presenter:

Warren is a conservation biologist with a background in ornithology. He worked as an ornithologist for the Smithsonian Institution, which published his book “The ICBP Bird Red Data Book: The Endangered Birds of the World” in 1980. He was an environmental educator for the Keewaydin Environmental Education Center in Salisbury, Vermont, for 13 years. He serves on the board of Audubon Vermont and the board of the Otter Creek Audubon Society. He also serves on the board of the Vermont chapter of The Nature Conservancy and was chair from 1998 to 2000. He received the 2002 Vermont State Award of the New England Wildflower Society. He and his wife Barry live in Ripton, where he is chair of the Ripton Planning Commission and the Ripton Conservation Commission. His interests include botanizing, bird watching, animal tracking and canoeing. He has received awards and recognition from Audubon and the Nature Conservancy.

That's this Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 4:00 pm.
The event is sponsored by Friends of The Ripton Community Church

Ripton school considers solar power

Ripton's elementary school is thinking about using solar power in the fear future, according to the Addison Independent.  Four county schools (Cornwall, Salisbury, and Weybridge, in addition to Ripton) are exploring a partnership with All Earth Renewables and Green Lantern Development.  AER and GLD could provide legal frameworks, technical knowledge, and investment.