Rutland Daily Herald from Rutland, Vermont • 27

Sunday, April 4, 2004 The Sunday Times Argus The Sunday Rutland Herald Local State Vermont Digest Fancy Maple is a budding beauty among Ayrshires said. She loves to be shown. Smith, 69, is a former dairy farmer who runs a business making and selling dairy cleaning sup- Elies in North Clarendon. He eeps about 16 cows for show furposes at different farms. Like ancy Maple, who lives at William Hanfield Brandview farm on Wheeler Road in Brandon, these cows are still expected to earn their keep.

Fancy Maple gave birth to a calf a week ago and no longer has her sleek heifers figure. To the untrained observer, the white and brown cow blends in well with the rest of the herd, except she is a little taller. And though Smith is obviously proud of his cow it pains him to have her photographed unless she is spotless and her udder is full he doesnt treat her as princess. Fancy Maple will live pretty much the same ufe as any other dairy cow, Smith said, and always has, except when he cleans her up for shows. There is little financial reward in showing cows, even when they win, according to Smith.

A top-place finish at one of the countrys premier cow shows might only net $100. But showing cows is a way for him to stay connected to family farming, Smith said, and (See Beauty, Page D8) By SETH HARKNESS Staff Writer BRANDON Among the hardworking Holsteins in a Brandon dairy bam is an Ayrshire beauty queen, but she isnt one to rest on her looks. North Country BBK Fancy Maple, a 2-year-old Ayrshire, was voted last years All American Spring Yearling by a panel of judges. In other words, she was considered the best cow of her age and breed in the country. For those know how to appreciate a cows figure, or conformation, Fancy Maple is a standout, according to her owner, Richard Smith of West Rudand.

Even so, the standard of bovine beauty seems to contain a strong element of practicality. Her physical shape is such that she appears to be made to milk very well for a very long time and look the part, he said. Shes flashy, shes got a tremendous amount of style. Shes one of those that kind of jumps out at you. On top of that, Smith said Fancy Maple, whose full name is a conglomeration of the names of her parents and Smiths business, has a docile temperament.

She knows when shes being shown, or at least appears to, he Photo by Albert J. Marro Dick Chapman, left, and Mike Hanfield stand with the prize-winning Ayrshire named Fancy Maple at the Brand View Farms in Brandon owned by William and Robin Hanfield. Bunny side up Federal search nets three drug arrests Tlte Associated Press BURLINGTON A search by the Drug Enforcement Agency has resulted in three arrests, including the capture of one of New York Citys most wanted fugitives. Robert Sasso, 22, and Shannon Smith, 24, of Flushing, N.Y., appeared in U.S. Dislrict Court on charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, the U.S.

Attorneys Office said Friday. Smith was on New Yorks top 10 most wanted list on attempted murder charges. Smith and Sasso were arrested for possessing more than two ounces of cocaine after officials searched an apartment at 12 Baker St in Essex. They were found in two bedrooms in the apartment and gave officials false identifications. During the search, police found about 70 grams of suspected crack cocaine, a set of digital scales and a pistol.

A Burlington man also was arrested after DEA agents and police searched two Burlington locations. Oliver Washington, 24, was charged with possession of about 18 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and appeared in U.S. District Court on Thursday. A search at 50 Park St yielded about 18 grams of suspected crack cocaine, $1,100 in U.S. currency, a scale and a pistol.

Police also searched an apartment at 247 Church where they seized about $12,000 in cash. The apartments occupant said Washington often stayed at the apartment and had brought the money to the apartment during the previous week. Washington, Sasso and Smith each face five to 40 years in poison and fines of up to $2 million. 300 volunteers search for missing teen Tle Associated Press MONTGOMERY Groups of volunteers searched Franklin County Saturday for evidence about missing Sheldon teenager Brianna Maitland. Search teams planned to fan out on foot at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.

on Saturday and Sunday, according to Brad Dennis, director of the Klaas Kids Search Center, which is coordinating the search and training of search volunteers. Maitland, 17, has been missing since the night of March 19, after she finished her work as a dishwasher at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery. Her abandoned car was found at a site a mile west of town on Vermont 118 the following day. The Klaas Kids Search Center is a national organization founded by the father of Polly Klaas, who was kidnapped from her mothers California home and slain in 1993. Dennis expected about 350 volunteers to take part on Saturday.

On Sunday, 80 members of the Vermont National Guard were expected to help with the search, he said. For further information, call 326-4018. SL Johnsbury hospital seeks to treat kidney dialysis patients TIM Associated Press St. JOHNSBURY The Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital is seeking to open a kidney dialysis center. Paul Bengtson, chief executive officer at NVRH, confirmed Friday he will submit a letter to the state oudining the hospitals has been held.

For $1.25, you get a biscuit, a sausage link, half a piece of nut bread, a small portion of scrambled eggs, and juice. A Polaroid pnoto with the Easter Bunny costs the same. On their way out the door, Minton gave each child a cup of jelly beans. She had counted 10 beans per cup and tried to mix up the colors, because last year she said boys and girls created a commotion searching for the fullest cup with the best colors. Even so, some children still tried to work an angle.

One little boy told me he had a cold and he needed beans for his cough, she jeHy tion in Poultney, was never meant to be a moneymaker, said club member Roberta Proffitt. It started as a service project, thats why prices are so low, she said. At that time you didnt have malls or larger stores, there werent as many places available for parents to take their children to see Santa or the Easter Bunny." The star attraction of Saturdays breakfast sat in a rocking chair at the far side of the room wearing a white, terrycloth suit with a floppyeared hat and heavy mascara. Two carrots lay on the floor beside 14-year-old Emily Hiser, who was making her second appearance as the Easter Bunny. During slow stretches Hiser rocked and stared into space.

Other times little girls would cuddle up beside her to have their photos taken. She looks forward to it every year," said Marcia Poultney club serves up eggs for a crowd By SETH HARKNESS Staff Writer POULTNEY Millie Minton, a retired librarian, worked the door at the Poultney Womans Club Bunny Breakfast on Saturday with a cash box, a scratch pad and small cups of jelly beans. The scratch pad was for jotting down the number of tickets sold, both for breakfast and to have a photo taken with the Easter Bunny. Some years the club serves up to 300 people in the basement of the United Methodist Church. Even with that sort of showing, however, nobody expected the cash box to burst.

The Erice of the clubs Easter reakfast has not changed in 17 years, as long as the event said. Photo by Tim Calabro Easter Bunny, Emily Hiser, 14, sits with five-month-old Amber Smith at an early Easter breakfast sponsored by the Poultney Womens Club Saturday. The Womans Club started the Bunny Breakfast along with a similar event at Christmastime, where children have their photos taken with Santa Claus. Much of the food and all the labor are donated. The event, which has become an Easter tradi- her to play the part, although a pretty face and being the right size may have had (See Poultney, Page D8) Gadway of Poultney as her 7-year-old daughter, Shannon, clutched her photo.

Hiser said she wasnt sure why club members had asked Burlington administrator takes on new pension law All My Sons a masterpiece with a wallop By JIM LOWE Staff Writer WHITE RIVERJUNC TION There is a lot of theater around, but few masterpieces and even fewer exceptional performances of masterpieces. Northern Stage has Thfatgr rgylpw opened a pro i of duction Webster, director of retirement services in the state Treasurers Office. The whole purpose of the plan is to provide income to individuals when they no longer are employed, she said. Theres also a danger that the trend could jeopardize the financial health of the teacher pension fund because consultants are not required to pay into the system. If more educators retire, draw pen sion benefits and then return to fulltime education jobs without paying into the system, it could strain the funds resources, Webster said.

Amsden and others counter that theyve earned their pensions and should not be penalized for offering their experience to school districts. With the backing of the Burlington School Board, he has proposed new language for next years contract. Its designed to allow him to collect his full pension about $37,000 and a $125,000 pay package from (See Pension, Page D8) The Associated Press BURLINGTON Burlington Schools Superintendent Lyman Amsden is hoping to work around a new pension rule that could dramatically reduce his income. Amsden is proposing to split his job under two tides to avoid pending rules that would make it difficult for him to continue collecting both a pension and a full-time education salary. The rules to be implemented Cl were supposed to close a hole that has allowed about 10 veteran educators, including Amsden, to retire, collect a pension and go back to work full time in Vermont education without adhering to income caps by calling themselves consult ants.

The new rule requires consultants to qualify as independent contrac tors under Internal Revenue Service rules. The rules are designed to make certain that people are retired when they say they are retired, said Cynthia Arthur Millers powerful drama All My Sons that is at once devastating and revelatory. All My Sons, made famous by the film starring Edward G. Robinson, is the story of a secret that all but destroys a family in the after-math of World War II. Joe Keller owns a factory that built airplane parts during the war and now creates washing machine parts.

He lives with his wife Kate and son Chris, who works with him in the business. (Se Masterpiece, Page D8) js ton said the letter will be drafted and sent within the next 10 days. The decision comes after a meeting Wednesday when the hospitals board of trustees and the board reviewed all of the issues and options regarding a (See Digest, Page D8) Courtesy photo Lisa Harrow and Joseph Costa star in the Northern Stage production of All My Sons," which runs through April 18..