Saturday, April 11, 2015
News to Know Feb 25, 2015
*
This communication is put together and distributed on a
volunteer basis by resident Corinne Stridsberg simply in an effort to share
information and build community, it is not from the town of Berlin
Please share this with your Berlin
*
On the Berlin , Vermont
***
***********************
NOTES:
YOUR VOICE IS YOUR VOTE!
Please be sure to vote on Town
Meeting Day, Tuesday, March 3rd 10am - 7pm and if you can, attend Town Meeting
at 10am and / or the information session Monday, March 3rd at 6pm - all of this
takes place at the Berlin Elementary School.
If you have questions regarding Town Meeting please call the Town
Clerk's office 229-9298. Stop by that
office for a copy of the Town Report. Both
sections of the Town Report can be found at the bottom of the Selectboard page
on the Town website: http://www.berlinvt.org/boards-agendas-minutes/selectboard/
Interesting segment on Education Funding and Taxes. Link below. Try to find the time to watch
this 30 minute program before you vote next week.
At the time that
I'm sending this out, there are only 3 tickets still available for the Paint
Between the Vines at Fresh Tracks (information below)
Below you will
find:
WINE WITH FRIENDS: BOARD
GAME NIGHT AT FRESH TRACKS
SNOWMAN CONTEST
DANCE AND DINE
SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST
PAINT BETWEEN THE VINES
U-32 GRAD CREW CHIEF OF A
DAYTONA PROTOTYPE RACING TEAM
A NIGHT ON THE TOWN - DINNER / DANCE AT U-32
SPRING FEVER DINNER /
DANCE AT BES
PIE FOR BREAKFAST
THE ARTS OF SPEAKING,
LISTENING, AND THINKING
ANNUAL CONSERVATION TREE AND TROUT SALE
CONSERVATION CAMP APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE
MARK CHAPLIN & KATHY TOPPING
VOTE FOR VERMONT
REDEVELOPMENT OF HOOKER PLAZA ON
CHANGES IN WORKS FOR
KOHL'S PROJECT
FROM BERLIN
***********************
WINE WITH FRIENDS: BOARD GAME NIGHT AT FRESH TRACKS
An evening of family fun
by the fireplace from 5pm - 8pm . Bring your own board game or
play some of the classics they have like Scrabble, Taboo, and Scattergories and
there are playing cards too. Fresh
Tracks Vineyard and Winery. 223-1151
events@freshtracksfarm.com www.freshtracksfarm.com
***
***
***
Spring is indeed coming this weekend... inside
at the Vermont Flower Show at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. For
those who didn't slip away during school vacation it might be just the place to
spend some time. In addition to the exhibits there are workshops, seminars,
cooking demos, and a family activity room which on Sunday includes a No Strings
Marionette puppet show: http://greenworksvermont.org/vermont-flower-show/
and on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VermontFlowerShow/photos_stream
***
***
SNOWMAN CONTEST
The World is sponsoring a SNOWMAN CONTEST! Open to all WORLD readers. Create your own snowman in your own yard,
using real snow. Submit photos by April
9 at 5pm
Winners will be announced in the April 15th issue. Email your name, address and jpg's to:
sales@vt-world.com Subject: Snowman or mail your photo with their entry blank
from the paper to: The WORLD Snowman Contest, 403 US Route Berlin , VT 05641
***
***
DANCE AND DINE SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST
Dance & Dine at the Capital City Grange 6621 VT Rte 12 in Berlin 3:30-5pm , Thai Curry Dinner 5-6pm , Contra Dance 6-8:30pm . $10 to dance / $10 to dine / $5 for kids Check their
facebook page for more details.
***
***
PAINT BETWEEN THE
VINES
On Friday, March 6th, we'll be throwing a Painting Party in
the tasting room at Fresh Tracks! Join local painter Joyce Kahn and the Fresh
Tracks Family for an evening of Art and Wine from 6:30 - 8:30 pm . For only $35, you'll get one of the 25
available seats, a complimentary glass of wine, and your finished painting.
Joyce will choose a default painting to teach, and each participant will follow her instructions so they can take home their own finished rendition! All the easels, aprons, paints, and brushes are generously being provided by The Drawing Board inMontpelier
Send us an email at events@freshtracksfarm.com or call 802-223-1151 if you have any questions or concerns! And be sure to RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1446488032308254/?ref=5
Joyce will choose a default painting to teach, and each participant will follow her instructions so they can take home their own finished rendition! All the easels, aprons, paints, and brushes are generously being provided by The Drawing Board in
Send us an email at events@freshtracksfarm.com or call 802-223-1151 if you have any questions or concerns! And be sure to RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1446488032308254/?ref=5
***
***
U-32 GRAD CREW CHIEF OF A DAYTONA PROTOTYPE RACING TEAM
Pub. 2/25/15 The World http://www.scribd.com/doc/256790816/World02-25-15
A U-32 graduate from Berlin , Vermont NTI ). In 2009,
he graduated from NTI on the Director's Honors List. He'd satisfactorily completed the NASCAR Tech
Program, the Ford FACT (Ford Accelerated Credential Training) Program,
and the Pit Crew Training.
Later that year, he was
hired by Brumos Racing, a Daytona Prototype (PD) team, where he started out
being in charge of tires. Gordon
progressed to mechanical duties and soon began going over the wall as front
tire changer and front-end mechanic.
Action Express took over
the Brumos DP Team in 2011, running two Corvette PT cars, the No. 5 and the No.
9. Gordon worked on the No. 5.
The 2014 year opened with
a huge double podium result in the Rolex 24 at Daytona with the No. 5 taking
victory and the sister No. 9 finishing close behind in third.
At the conclusion of the
2014 TUDOR United SportsCar season, the No. 5 Action Express Team had claimed
every championship possible: the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the
Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup and two Driver's Titles with Joao
Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi. In
November, the No 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette DP joined the Action Express
Racing stables for the 2015 season, running alongside the No. 5.
Team Manager Gary Nelson
announced the promotion of veteran mechanic Gordon to Crew Chief of the No. 31
Whelen Engineering Corvette.
Nelson went on to say
that, "Chad Chad
As it turned out, both
cars experienced some mechanical issues, but overcame them at the 2015 Rolex
24. No. 5 finished second, and the No.
31 finished fourth - a fine start to the 2015 season for Action Express and for
Gordon.
***
***
A NIGHT
ON THE TOWN - DINNER / DANCE AT U-32
On Saturday night, March 14, go to U-32 for an
evening of great food and dancing music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Some are
referring to this as a prom for adults!! Social time starts at 6:30 , dinner at 7:00 , and DJ dancing
music until it’s time to go home. Child care will be available by
donation. Special non-alcoholic
beverages and hors d’oeuvres in the Atrium at 6:30 . Dinner
will be roasted chicken with marinara sauce, asiago-infused risotto and wild
rice, veggies, homemade rolls and tossed salad. Veggie option available.
Deserts will be from our U-32 theater community family. Tickets in advance are $20 per person
or $29 for a couple – see a U-32 theater student or contact Sue Verchereau at
sverchereau@u32.org. Tickets at the door are $25 per person or $34 per
couple. All proceeds go towards the
students’ upcoming August trip to perform at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh , Scotland
***
***
SPRING FEVER DINNER / DANCE AT BES
Friday, March 20th at 6pm is when you should head for Berlin Elementary School Boston
***
***
***
Be Part of the Vermont
We are looking for a few
good families who can willingly share their homes with players in exchange for
the opportunity to make new friends and be part of a great new tradition of
summer collegiate baseball in central Vermont
Host family responsibilities:
A room and bedding for ten
to eleven weeks (beginning of June to beginning of August)
Meals as needed (players
will be away for 21 games)
Provide a safe and
welcoming environment for the player
Player responsibilities:
Providing his own transportation
Using his own telephone
Being considerate and
mindful of the host family household
If you are interested or
have questions, please give Maria a call at 249-8411 or email HostFamilies@theVermontMountaineers.com
***
***
***
PIE FOR BREAKFAST
It doesn't get much better
than pie for breakfast...dessert pies, meat pies, spaghetti pies, quiche, gluten
free pies, simply a wondrous variety of pies, table after table ... not having
to wait until the day after Thanksgiving and not having to do the baking makes
it even better. Where can you find
this? Rumney Memorial School 9am-11am (or when the pies run out). Cost is $7/person
(under 3 is free), plus a non-perishable food for the Middlesex Food Shelf. Bring your own plate, fork and mug and receive
$1.00 off your admission! Proceeds help to fund Rumney School PTO enrichment
activities and Middlesex Bandstand Concert Series. There will be 50/50 cash raffles throughout
the morning.
***
***
***
THE ARTS OF SPEAKING, LISTENING, AND THINKING
Toastmasters, "Speak
Easies" at National Life the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, noon - 1pm . Learn the arts of speaking,
listening, & thinking. No fee for
guests. For more info 229-7455
tdensmore@sentinelinvestments.com
http://1770.toastmastersclubs.org
Toastmasters, "Savvy
Speakers" at Blue Cross Blue Shield the 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 5:30pm For more
info 476-0908
http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/00001955-savvy-speakers
Visiting for the first time?
Visiting a Toastmasters club is an exciting first step in reaching your
goals. There’s no need to feel pressure to participate at your first club
meeting – you can simply observe if you wish. And since every club is unique,
it’s OK to visit several clubs before you decide to join the right club for
you. Have a great first meeting!
***
***
***
ANNUAL CONSERVATION TREE AND TROUT SALE
To participate in the
Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (Winooski NRCD) 32nd Annual
Conservation Tree Sale it's best to pre-order with payment by March 23rd. All orders must be picked up on the day of
the sale, Saturday, April 25th between 9am and noon . There will be limited quantities and species
available that were not pre ordered for purchase on this date. Location: 617 Comstock Road, Suite 1 , Berlin
http://winooskinrcd.org/tree-and-trout-sale-2015
If you're a landowner
interested in purchasing brook and rainbow trout, note that pre-orders are
accepted until Friday, April 10th.
Orders of 6-8" trout must be picked up on April 29th in Waterbury
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Winooski-NRCD/150801898282501
***
***
CONSERVATION CAMP APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE
If you are 12 to 14 years old and want to learn about Vermont
The one-week camp program is held at two locations -- Lake Bomoseen Buck Lake
Conservation Camps open June 21 and continue until August 21.
Tuition is $250 for the week, including food, lodging and equipment. Please
check the Fish & Wildlife website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) for general
information as well as information about partial and full scholarship
availability.
Information about the program and an online application can be
found under "Education and Training" on the left side of the home
page. A printable application also is available.
For more information about Green Mountain Conservation Camps
contact: fwgmcc@state.vt.us or call 802-828-1460.
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/library/forms_and_applications/Green_Mountain_Conservation_Camps/GMCC_Application.pdf
***
***
Ages 3.5 to 6 years old.
12 week session begins on Tuesday, March 10th. Program runs on Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursdays from 9am - noon .
Enrollment for our Spring
session is now open and spaces are filling fast! Visit www.northbranchnaturecenter.org for
more information and to download a registration form or call (802) 229-6206.
***
***
MARK CHAPLIN &
KATHY TOPPING
Forty-two years ago, two individuals began student teaching
at a small junior - senior high school called Union 32 in central Vermont
http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/bus_stop/bus_stop_feb.18.15.pdf
http://www.u32.org/grades9-12/images/pdf/bus_stop/bus_stop_feb.18.15.pdf
***
***
***
VOTE
FOR VERMONT
The guests on Vote for Vermont 5:30pm (half hour show) be sure to check out the recording on ORCA.
Here is information on three recent programs:
Education Funding and Taxes
Listen as Tom Pelham and Pat talk about what
you should know about Education Funding and Taxes before Town Meeting -
questions you should ask and facts you should know. Tom talks about how
confusing everything is surrounding education funding and highlighted the fact
that when we vote on our school budgets we have no idea what the tax rate will
be. We really need a system that is transparent and gives us the information we
need to make an informed decision. We need to hold our legislators accountable
to deliver such a system to us. Thanks Tom for helping us be better prepared
for Town Meeting. http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01221&video=227981
*
Should Vermont
This is a program you need to see - for your sake and the sake
of our children. Look beyond the Sound Bites..... Listen to Debby Haskins,
Executive Director for SAM -VT
(Smart Approach to Marijuana Vermont Colorado
*
Brandthropology
Here is the link to the show Pat did with Matt
Dodds from Brandthropology. As promised it was a very interesting and thought
provoking show. If you don't know what an economic environmentalist is ...
click on this link and find out! http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01221&video=226132%20%20
Matt Dodds
Brandthropology, Inc http://www.brandthropology.com/
*
Find Vote for Vermont
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VoteforVermont/757906954299629
***
***
***
REDEVELOPMENT OF HOOKER
PLAZA ON
Pub. 2/25/15 Times Argus
by David Delcore
Last year Patrick Malone shelved plans to start from scratch when it comes to the
Since changing course, Malone has completed phase one: upgrading two shedlike buildings on the northwest corner of the property, which was anchored for many years by Hooker’s (now Newhouse) Furniture. Newhouse Furniture closed its store at the
The other tenant of the main building, Barre Electric & Lighting Supply, recently moved from the storefront it had occupied for years to one of the two newly renovated spaces on the opposite end of the 2.9-acre parcel.
In a project that involved installing new roofs, windows, siding and insulation in two buildings, Malone was able to work around one existing tenant — Rubber Bubbles’ 1,430-square-foot party store — while filling the larger space, which Barre Electric moved into this month.
With both building upgrades complete and Barre Electric settling into its new 7,932-square-foot storefront, Malone has turned his attention back to the now-empty main structure.
This week Malone filed a local permit application outlining what he has in mind for the balance of the property. And the 1950s-era structure in the middle of it isn’t part of those plans.
Malone has renewed his request to demolish the 24,100-square-foot building to make room for a slightly smaller structure.
As in the proposal Malone withdrew last summer, the new building would be built roughly 20 feet farther back from the
Though Malone’s initial application involved tearing down the two buildings he just renovated and constructing two others, the reorientation of the main building will make it easier for Montpelier-bound motorists to see the building that now houses Barre Electric.
Though the property is in the flood hazard area, only a small corner of it — near the buildings that were renovated — is in the federally regulated floodway. Malone’s new plans don’t involve any work in that area.
The plans do involve filling a portion of the property that the application describes as a “local low point” for stormwater runoff. Trucking in fill would allow construction of the proposed 22,881-square-foot building 1 foot above the base flood elevation in that area.
The new parking lot would have a single entrance off the
To ease traffic flow, Malone has proposed the addition of a left-turn lane that would enable Barre-bound motorists to pull into his plaza without obstructing through traffic.
Malone has not identified any tenants for the proposed single-story building, but indicated it would accommodate either retail or office uses.
A hearing on the application has not been scheduled, but town officials said the Development Review Board likely would consider it in April.
@Tagline:david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
***
Pub. 2/20/15 Times Argus
by David Delcore
The board voted unanimously Wednesday night to sever ties with Vermont Health Connect in favor of obtaining insurance for the town’s 18-member workforce from a union-run trust based in
The switch from VHC to Northern New England Benefit Trust is expected to occur in April — barely four months after the town finally enrolled in the state-run exchange late last year. The board waited until the last possible moment to pick one of the plans offered through VHC — taking advantage of what turned into a yearlong extension that was offered to small employers in the wake of the technologically troubled rollout of
Now board members have agreed to abandon the exchange in favor of an insurance package they say is a better deal for the town and its employees, and which they were told doesn’t run afoul of the Affordable Care Act.
“It’s legal,” Town Administrator Dana Hadley said of enrolling both union and nonunion employees in the health care plan offered through the nonprofit trust that was established by the Teamsters Union in 1966.
Hadley said the town’s attorney, Rob Halpert, concluded the town could enroll in the union-run plan even though only some of its employees are technically eligible for that coverage.
Union members in the town’s police department are organized under the auspices of the Teamsters Union and eligible for health care coverage offered through the Northern New England Benefit Trust. However, Hadley said the union has “generously agreed” to allow the town’s nonunion employees to enroll as well.
“It’s a significant savings and much better benefits,” Hadley said. The trust relies on Cigna to provide its medical insurance.
Based on enrollment and the plan selection of the 13 employees who currently obtain health insurance through the town, the savings could be close to $30,000.
According to Hadley, savings can be traced to the town’s current practice of picking up 50 percent of the annual deductible per employee, in addition to paying the entire monthly premium.
Though the premiums, which currently range from $465 for an individual plan to $1,308 for a family plan, will increase in April, Hadley said the town’s exposure for 50 percent of the deductible will go away because the new plan doesn’t require one.
That is a potentially significant savings, according to Hadley, who said the current deductibles are $1,900 for an individual plan and $3,800 for a multiperson plan, and the town conservatively budgets the full 50 percent exposure.
The savings are somewhat speculative and could be dramatically reduced — if not eliminated — if the current workforce’s insurance needs change. But Hadley said the benefits of the new plan are measurably better than the town is receiving through Vermont Health Connect.
The out-of-pocket maximum, which is currently $5,100 for an individual and $10,200 for a multiperson plan, would be cut by more than half to $2,000 and $4,000, respectively, and the employees would gain a dental benefit, which they don’t currently have.
“Our interest is to give our employees the best coverage we can at a cost our citizens can sustain,” Hadley said.
According to Steven Jeffrey, executive director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, at least two other
david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
***
CHANGES IN WORKS FOR KOHL'S PROJECT
Pub. 2/17/15 Times Argus
by David Delcore
BERLIN — In their quest to obtain a state
land use permit to build a freestanding 55,000-square-foot Kohl’s department
store on the Berlin Mall campus, owners of the complex are asking for some
changes to the permit the town’s Development Review Board recently issued.
Specifically, Berlin Mall LLC will be asking for a little less parking, a bus stop and associated shelter, and a modified sidewalk during tonight’s hearing before the local board.
The proposed changes have already been pitched to the District 5 Environmental Commission, which held its first — and possibly only — hearing on the Kohl’s proposal this month.
The three-member commission flagged what it viewed as a bigger-than-necessary parking lot during a prehearing conference late last year. The members also hinted they would be receptive to a design that was more pedestrian-friendly and accessible to public transportation.
The modifications the local board is being asked to approve in the form of a permit amendment would address those concerns. They would also reduce the project’s need to encroach on the buffer area of a wetland that is part of the mall property and increase the amount of green space in the proposal.
In all, the revisions would result in a reduction of roughly 7,000 square feet of impervious surface, including about 2,000 square feet of pavement previously planned for the wetland buffer area.
Though Kohl’s requires only 222 parking spaces for its purposes, and town regulations suggest 264 spaces are needed, the version the board approved called for 294 parking spaces. Berlin Mall LLC’s revised request is for a 247-space parking lot that would be in addition to the 903 parking spaces that already exist for the mall.
A new section of sidewalk linking a perimeter sidewalk that abuts the proposed store, which was part of the original plan, with a pedestrian path that runs from the mall toFisher Road
If the district commission had issues with those adjustments, it didn’t raise them in a recess order that outlined what it views as issues that need to be addressed before it can begin its deliberations.
Among other things, the commission is looking for additional information on plans for snow storage and removal, maintenance and inspection procedures for stormwater infrastructure, and a plan to deal with invasive plant species that have already overrun the wetland area.
The commission also wants more information on what amounts to a revived attempt to replace the unlit pylon signs at the mall entrances off Route 62 andFisher Road
Representatives for Berlin Mall LLC proposed similar but somewhat larger versions of the signs during the permit process for the Wal-Mart expansion. That request was denied.
The mall’s owner is hoping to break ground on the yearlong Kohl’s project this spring. The commission was told the soonest the store would be open would be the spring of 2016.
The commission hasn’t yet closed the hearing, something it could do after receiving the supplemental information it has requested by March 13. Once that information is in hand, the commission will decide whether an additional hearing is necessary before it begins its deliberations.
While the state land use permit is crucial, the project is still waiting on three other permits. That doesn’t include the requested permit amendment that will be the subject of tonight’s DRB hearing.
The mall owners are still waiting for operational approval of a stormwater system that got a lot simpler and less expensive as the result of the newly proposed reduction in impervious area. A complicated subsurface retention and treatment system has been replaced with a simple swale.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still needs to sign off on proposed effects on the wetland, and the project needs a state water supply and wastewater permit. All of those permits are being processed.
@Tagline:david.delcore @timesargus.com
Specifically, Berlin Mall LLC will be asking for a little less parking, a bus stop and associated shelter, and a modified sidewalk during tonight’s hearing before the local board.
The proposed changes have already been pitched to the District 5 Environmental Commission, which held its first — and possibly only — hearing on the Kohl’s proposal this month.
The three-member commission flagged what it viewed as a bigger-than-necessary parking lot during a prehearing conference late last year. The members also hinted they would be receptive to a design that was more pedestrian-friendly and accessible to public transportation.
The modifications the local board is being asked to approve in the form of a permit amendment would address those concerns. They would also reduce the project’s need to encroach on the buffer area of a wetland that is part of the mall property and increase the amount of green space in the proposal.
In all, the revisions would result in a reduction of roughly 7,000 square feet of impervious surface, including about 2,000 square feet of pavement previously planned for the wetland buffer area.
Though Kohl’s requires only 222 parking spaces for its purposes, and town regulations suggest 264 spaces are needed, the version the board approved called for 294 parking spaces. Berlin Mall LLC’s revised request is for a 247-space parking lot that would be in addition to the 903 parking spaces that already exist for the mall.
A new section of sidewalk linking a perimeter sidewalk that abuts the proposed store, which was part of the original plan, with a pedestrian path that runs from the mall to
If the district commission had issues with those adjustments, it didn’t raise them in a recess order that outlined what it views as issues that need to be addressed before it can begin its deliberations.
Among other things, the commission is looking for additional information on plans for snow storage and removal, maintenance and inspection procedures for stormwater infrastructure, and a plan to deal with invasive plant species that have already overrun the wetland area.
The commission also wants more information on what amounts to a revived attempt to replace the unlit pylon signs at the mall entrances off Route 62 and
Representatives for Berlin Mall LLC proposed similar but somewhat larger versions of the signs during the permit process for the Wal-Mart expansion. That request was denied.
The mall’s owner is hoping to break ground on the yearlong Kohl’s project this spring. The commission was told the soonest the store would be open would be the spring of 2016.
The commission hasn’t yet closed the hearing, something it could do after receiving the supplemental information it has requested by March 13. Once that information is in hand, the commission will decide whether an additional hearing is necessary before it begins its deliberations.
While the state land use permit is crucial, the project is still waiting on three other permits. That doesn’t include the requested permit amendment that will be the subject of tonight’s DRB hearing.
The mall owners are still waiting for operational approval of a stormwater system that got a lot simpler and less expensive as the result of the newly proposed reduction in impervious area. A complicated subsurface retention and treatment system has been replaced with a simple swale.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still needs to sign off on proposed effects on the wetland, and the project needs a state water supply and wastewater permit. All of those permits are being processed.
@Tagline:david.delcore @timesargus.com
***
***
***
FROM BERLIN
Below is a recent post .... there have been many more about a
variety of topics, looking for services, garage sales, meeting announcements,
events, etc. Membership is free - to join go to: http://frontporchforum.com
All About Fruits and Nuts: Edible
Landscape Management #553 2/22/15
Michelle Champoux • Crosstown Road
Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 pm
Kellogg Hubbard Library
Kellogg Hubbard Library
If you
are ever unhappy with your harvest or would like to plant for fruits and nuts,
this presentation was designed for you!
Nicko Rubin, owner of East Hill Tree Farm inPlainfield
Sponsored by theCentral
Vermont UVM Extension Master
Gardeners.
Nicko Rubin, owner of East Hill Tree Farm in
Sponsored by the
***
YOUR VOICE IS YOUR VOTE! PLEASE VOTE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD.
# posted by Corinne's blog of Berlin and area happenings @ 12:43 AM 
