Welcome to The Plymouth Press Online

9/8/25

Another lovely sunny morning in the 40s at my house. I admit to being somewhat horrified at the sudden change of color, foretelling the approach of winter. I am not ready! We certainly did not receive the much-needed rain that was supposed to come our way. This draught is upsetting and also a fire hazard. There is absolutely no water flowing under my driveway and I know folks who have run out of water.

Little bear, my nickname for him, is ambling up and down my driveway daily. I am still discouraging his forays into my yard. I imagine next year he will not be so little or cute! I refilled my hummingbird feeder on Sunday, but alas, I think they may have departed. I will leave it up a bit longer in case others traveling south need a hit on their way through.

The Select Board meeting should be quite interesting. Check out the agenda on the website.

After such busy Labor Day weekend, this one was a bit more laidback. The Community Picnic at Bethany Mennonite Church took place outdoors since the rain stopped and the sun appeared. A couple of campers from Coolidge State Park joined us. I hope that people are aware that Camp Plymouth State Park on Echo Lake will remain open through 9/28 with the concession for snacks and boat rentals available.

Thanks to Betty Stear and Kathy Kaminski for their hard work reorganizing Tyson Library. It is now a comfortable place to read and peruse the book selection. The season is nearly over, but some volunteers have opened a day here or there.

There are still many activities taking place at Fletcher Memorial Library, where Plymouth residents are most welcome. The next Book Club will be Monday, 9/15 at 6 PM. You are encouraged to come discuss any book that you have enjoyed and would recommend to others. For those ages 5 and younger, come to story time on Weds from 10:30 to 11:15 (9/10-11/19)

Plymouth Bridge Work
Vermont Route 100A

Construction Update:
As of Friday, September 6th, guardrails, bridge rails, waterproofing membrane, and final pavement have been installed. Cold River Bridges is continuing to place shoulder material and perform cleanup work into early next week. Asphalt plug joints are scheduled for Monday, September 8th, followed by final line striping later that week. These steps will largely complete the project, with any remaining minor work scheduled for later in September and October.

Traffic Impacts:
Daily lane closures will continue at Bridge #9 on VT 100A next week for plug joint installation and line striping. Traffic will be controlled by a temporary signal, and two-way traffic will be restored outside working hours. Drivers should proceed with caution, as workers may be near the roadway.
DATE: September 5, 2025
Bridge 9 Fact Sheet

Did someone forward you this email? Join this list by emailing Leah Beckett at the email address listed below. Please reference the Plymouth Bridge Services Project.
Contact Information
Leah Beckett
Public Information Consultant
802-489-6593 | leah.f.beckett@imegcorp.com
Facebook Twitter Instagram

Vermont Agency of Transportation | 219 N. Main Street | Barre, VT 05641 US
Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

9/1/25

What a delightful weekend with many visitors to our area. Since today is still part of the Holiday weekend, it seems that many people are enjoying one more lovely day here. Still quite dry, so I spoke with Jim Allen, our fire warden, who indicated that he is not issuing burn permits at the moment.

An update on my snake visitor. I had left the basement door ajar for many hours following our encounter, hoping he would find his way out. Alas, the next time I did laundry, he was curled up in front of the door. Since he was so slender, I was able to open the door over him and flip the mat to cast him out. He actually tried to come back inside! I did notice an orange ring near his head. Apparently he is a harmless ring-necked snake.

We had a stimulating conversation about Leaving Coy’s Hill at our Book Group meeting on Wednesday evening – five of us in my dining room and one participant on the zoom. We had barely started when someone noticed the bear sauntering down my driveway, so we all went to the window to observe him. My driveway happens to be a bear corridor, so it is not unusual. I don’t feel the need to chase him unless he wanders into my yard.

We discussed several books and chose the following for the next three months selections:

September 24 – The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict
October 22 – Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
December 3 – The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore

In my opinion, the Shakespeare Alive performance was the best yet and I have been attending for many years! At one time I would take the picture of the actors outside Union Christian church with my iPad to send to the VT Standard. This year Rick Russel photographed inside and out, so I will be anxious to see his pictures.

I attended the Sunday Folk and Blues concert and was amazed at the number of people and furry companions in attendance. Many seemed to be from afar. Woody Guthrie’s grandson, Krishna sang This Land is Your Land and we all sang along.

I did want to mention that Bethany Mennonite Church will be having the Annual Community Picnic on Sunday, 9/7. Feel free to join us for the morning service at 10:45 that will include a labyrinth walk and communion. If you prefer, just come at 11:30 for lunch, games and fellowship.

8/25/25

Unfortunately the rain on Sunday evening and Monday morning did not amount to much, so it looks like I will need to water. Wonderful wildlife continues to travel through my yard. A large collection of turkey feathers littered my backyard recently. I have only seen my little bear on Dublin Rd, twice on Saturday. He lingers for a few minutes, looking rather thin and lonely before scampering into the woods.

I often have newts and spotted lizards in the entrance to my basement, plus frogs & toads that don’t freak me out. This morning I was letting in the gal who came to service my furnace and as I opened the door from the outside, a snake fell on my head! It was small, pencil thin, about a foot long. Certainly not a huge fellow, but we startled each other & it wriggled into my laundry room.

Now to the many events taking place in Plymouth Labor Day Weekend. There will be fun activities at the Historic Site, including: 8/30 at noon Shakespeare Alive! at the Union Christian Church; and 8/30 and 8/31 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m, the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival.

School is back in session this week. Congratulations to Schuyler Hagge who recently won the girls category A bike race at the VT cycling competition at Ascutney Outdoors. I hope to hear more about our students and their activities to share with you.

I enjoyed meeting Richard and Catherine Esty at the Fletcher Memorial Library Book Sale. His poem about the event is noted here.

Used Books Sale

At the Library named Fletcher Free

who might be distant ancestors of me

Saturday morning in mid-August

patient friendly volunteers fussed

not so we’d cower but helpfully hover

so it was easy to view spine and cover

offered chairs in the purple maple’s shade

to rest between browsing forays we made

Procured at a small town library sale

two bags of books heavy—for we are frail

A pleasant pause from our regular trek

time to relax and our findings inspect

Library book sales are often a bargain

so next summer we’ll plan the trip again

All this transpired in little Ludlow town where

high school grad Coolidge wore cap and gown

Not that I feel at all connected to my

paternal grandparents’ high school too

Black River Academy— its full name

all graduates live on in silent fame

After all that for myself one small book

of poetry at which I will soon look

8/17/25

As I am writing on Sunday night, light showers are watering my thirsty plants. It will help, but things are so dry that a steady, sustained rain is needed. At the moment I am attempting to encourage a pesky fly to flee out my open window, while trying to keep other bugs from entering my office. I am not hearing that incessant buzzing, but I do see that a mosquito has made an appearance….

Our two amazing summer camps, Bethany Birches and Farm and Wilderness have finished for the season and youngsters are gearing up for the start of school. Or perhaps it is the parents who are looking forward to it! None-the-less, there is still time to enjoy swimming, boating and picnicking at Camp Plymouth State Park.

The Friends of Fletcher Memorial Library had a very successful book sale. Thanks for the many wonderful donations of good reading material and the hard work of the many volunteers! Check out the FLM website to learn more about Blackstone Unlimited for free access to audiobooks. You may find this program even more accessible than Libby!

I understand that congratulations are in order for Josh Linton’s official appointment and commission as Justice of the Peace for the town of Plymouth effective on 7/21 through 1/31/27.

I have previously mentioned some of the events taking place at the Coolidge Homestead over the Labor Day weekend. I did not, however, talk about the annual Shakespeare Alive! A Bard-Based Variety Show taking place at the Union Christian Church on 8/30 at noon. Some of us attend every year to enjoy this free Stand Up Shakespeare performance (donations appreciated). This talented group presents delightful Elizabethan verse, music, parody, and witty prose! 

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:

Cold River Bridges completed the final structural concrete placement on Monday, August 11th, using rapid-setting concrete to join the bridge deck slabs. On Tuesday and Wednesday, crews built up the roadway approaches to the proper grades, and Wilk Paving placed the base course of pavement on Thursday, August 14th. The bridge reopened to traffic this afternoon, with a temporary barrier installed and all remaining construction materials and equipment removed from the roadway. Initially, traffic will travel on the bare concrete deck and approach slabs, with top courses of pavement to be placed in the coming weeks.

Additional construction activities are expected in the weeks after the bridge opens, including placing concrete curbs at the bridge corners; installing permanent bridge rail and guardrail; spray-applying a bridge membrane; placing intermediate and top pavement courses; installing asphaltic plug joints at bridge joints; finalizing centerline, edgeline, and traffic signage; and seeding disturbed soils within the project limits. All post-opening work will be completed using single-lane closures, with traffic controlled by a temporary traffic signal.

TRAFFIC IMPACTS:

Vermont Route 100A is now open through the bridge site in Plymouth and is available for through-traffic between Plymouth Union and Bridgewater Corners. Regional signage will be updated to reflect the reopening. Construction activities will continue for the next several weeks using daily lane closures, with drivers stopped and released by temporary traffic signals. Drivers should use caution through the site, as workers will be in close proximity to the traveled lane and road surfaces will be uneven until final paving is completed.

DATE: August 14, 2025

BOIL WATER NOTICE

WSID WS Name VT0008048

CAMP PLYMOUTH STATE PARK

Reason:

Non-MCL boil water due to power outage and subsequent loss of pressure, starting on 08/13/25. Power is on and normal operations have resumed, two TC/EC samples will be submitted today 08/14/25, expected to lift the BWN by 08/15/25 – SEB 08.14.25

8/11/25

Well, it looks like a hot humid week coming up. I was in ME the latter part of last week and the same weather was happening there. I want to thank my friends who watered my gardens, collected my mail, and filled my hummingbird feeder during my absence. I did notice a bear in my driveway captured by my Blink camera while I was gone. Then this morning he was on my deck while I was doing my floor exercises in front of the sliding glass door. He (assumption) appears to be a year old fellow, on the slim side. Guess my neighbors and I do not have many ready snacks for him! He is very cute, but I did chase him away…

I understand that both the Farm and Wilderness Fair and the Tyson Ladies Aid Bazaar were well-attended and successful. The next Fletcher Memorial Library event to put on your calendar is the book discussion of Orbital by Samantha Harvey on Mon 8/11 at 6 PM. Also, there is a wonderful and varied selection of books at the Friends of the Library book sale at FML this weekend. Hours are: Fri, 6/15 4-7 pm for the pre-sale (A “first pick” entrance fee of $5 applies.) and Sat, 8/16 10 am – 3 pm.

Coming up is the 20th Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival that will take place at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site on Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, 8/30 and Sunday, 8/31 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. It is always delightful to sit on the lawn and hear amazing music. Non-perishable food is also collected for the VT Food Bank.

4/25

Much needed rain this past week perked up the gardens and the lower humidity perked up most of us! Although the stream beneath my driveway is still dry, it was helpful to receive steady rain for a day to help quench the thirst of the land and to provide a time to stay indoors and attend to inside tasks….

Check the town website for details on the Select Boarding meeting at 6 PM this evening.

The Plymouth Book group had a delightful discussion of the Briar Club on Wednesday evening. The next read is Leaving Coy’s Hill by Katherine Sherbrooke and the discussion will be Wednesday, 8/27. This will also be the time to decide upon selections for the next several months.

I was privileged to attend the 7/31 Naturalization Ceremony at the Calvin Coolidge Historic site. The crowd gathered there was excited and welcoming as 24 individuals from 14 countries joyfully repeated the oath of allegiance. Cheers rose up from the crowd and the smiles on the faces of these new citizens were wonderful to see. Several of the Coolidge Senator Students read from the 1925 American Legion convention speech that Coolidge gave in Omaha, Nebraska, highlighting his beliefs about our country.

It is with great sadness that I mention the passing of Tom Gianola, the owner of the Echo Lake Inn. Heartfelt condolences to his family and friends, plus the staff who is continuing offer the kind of fine service that has always been a hallmark of the Inn.

Are you ready for the annual Tyson Ladies Aid Bazaar? It will take place on Saturday, 8/9 from 10 AM until 2 PM. Note the new location across from the Green Mtn Sugar House on Rte 100 N. Come enjoy the chicken BBQ, basket raffle, plus the bake and book tables.

Fletcher Memorial Library will be having a book discussion of Orbital by Samantha Harvey on Mon 8/11 at 6 PM. This is an interesting look into the daily lives of astronauts and cosmonauts from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan as they whirl about on the Space Station.

Consider attending the Farm & Wilderness Fair on Sat, 8/9 from 11 AM – 8 PM. Enjoy food from local vendors with gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options. Shop camper-made crafts, and try out human-powered rides and free swim in the lake. Then gather around the bonfire for a celebratory contra dance! Parking is at the Killington Skyship, and Farm & Wilderness will run shuttles regularly throughout the day from the site of the fair on their property to the lot. 

If you have not donated to the 8/15 & 16 book sale taking place at FML yet, time is running out. Please go through your bookcases to see what books (in good condition) might brighten other readers day. Donations may be brought to FML during regular hours, Mon: 10 AM to 7 PM, Tues-Fri: 10 PM to-5 PM and Sat: 10 AM to -1PM.