Various Updates/Questions Answered

I'll start off with an update on Route 2 construction - especially important for people here at Joe's Pond who need to travel either west or east on Route 2. So far, going east doesn't involve delays, but going Barre and Montpelier direction, you are likely to be delayed a few minutes. 

Construction Update
Marshfield-Danville NH PS19(1)
[U.S. Route 2 Resurfacing Project]

TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: Monday June 19, through Friday, June 23, between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., motorists can expect lane closures with alternating one-way traffic on U.S. Route 2 (U.S. 2) between Plainfield and Marshfield. Flaggers and Uniform Traffic Officers will be present to assist motorists through the work zone. Motorists are advised to follow the posted speed limit and travel with caution as areas of the roadway are scarified and have a gravel surface with no markings indicating the centerline and edge line.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Crews will begin placing gravel to correct the roadway geometry, beginning at the Plainfield/Marshfield town line near Maplefields. Crews will continue reclaiming the roadway between Plainfield and Marshfield.

LOCATION: Beginning near the Plainfield/Marshfield town line, on U.S. 2, near the intersection of U.S. 2 and Hillside Drive, and extending easterly along U.S. Route 2 to a point just west of the VT Route 15 and U.S. 2 intersection in West Danville.

PROJECTED COMPLETION: Summer 2025

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We have two loon chicks in the middle pond, but as of yesterday's report, the pair using the nesting platform in the upper pond are still taking turns on the nest, keeping the eggs warm. It won't be long, and I'll let you know as soon as I get another report from Gretchen.

We had a very nice ham dinner last night. Everything was delicious, and it was a perfect menu for a rather chilly, dreary evening. The crowd was in high spirits, as usual, and I think everyone had a great time. I came away with two unanswered questions. First, Charlie Livendale asked me if I knew why the JPA members voted to have "no alcoholic beverages for Italian Night Dinner" in 1987. He found that information in the briefed notes in the JPA directory that just came out.

I went back in the archives and found that previous to 1986 the association had sold alcoholic drinks and setups at dinners. I hadn't remembered this. According to the minutes of the Annual Meeting in 1986, selling drinks and/or setups was a main source of income at JPA functions that time. However, Attorney Bob Kurrle, who had a cottage on Meadow Lane, cautioned members that "successful lawsuits were being brought in similar situations as a result of accidents following such dinners." The minutes note that "after a long discussion," a vote was taken and members voted to cease selling alcoholic beverages.  I didn't go further to discover if the BYOB aspect happened immediately or if that took a while to get started, but in the Fall Meeting minutes, Secretary Ray Johnson reported: "The Italian Night dinner under the command of Joey Calcagni was a huge success as usual, even without the sale of beer and booze." I suspect the the transition was seamless, and tables were well supplied with customized beverages brought from home for that dinner, just as they are today!

The second question was brought to me by present JPA Secretary, Jamie Stewart, who gave me this picture postcard. We were trying to place it somewhere near Joe's Pond, but in thinking about it and looking at it more closely, I'm now thinking it was probably on Dole Hill - where I remember  there used to be a row of cottages and a dining room, back in the day. I did a brief search, and found that a woman by the name of Mignon A. Weber, who was born in France in 1897, died in Florida in 1948, and is buried in Danville Green Cemetery. If my memory is correct, a woman used to own the cabins on Dole Hill, although I didn't recall her name. I'm pretty sure some Danville people will remember her. If anyone recognizes this card, let me know if I'm correct on this being the place on Dole Hill. I cannot think of any other spot in Danville that this picture could have been taken.

I love having mysteries like this to solve!

One last note -- you should reserve your tickets for the Italian Dinner on July 8th as soon as possible, as they always go fast and seating is limited. To reserve tickets, call Jeremy & Lori Grenier at 802-505-0032, or send Jeremy an email at jeremy@calmontbeverage.com.

That's it for today!