On this day in history:  British explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya).

 

Actor Clark Gable, who epitomized the American ideal of masculinity for three decades and was known as the “King of Hollywood,” died of a heart attack, days after finishing work on The Misfits (1961).

 

 

 

DG Caroline focused her moment on the Vice President.  She began with succession. Article II, Section I of the  Constitution provided that if the President is unable to serve, then the Vice President ascends to the Presidency and that if both are unable to serve then the Congress declares which Officer shall then serve. While revisions to succession took place over the years, the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 established that the order consists of the Vice President followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Pro Tempore of the Senate and then by the members of the cabinet. Nine times in the history of our country a vice president has ascended to the office of president due to the death or resignation of the president. DG Caroline pointed out that the duties of the Vice President include presiding over the Senate, breaking tie votes in the Senate and formally presiding over the receiving and counting of electoral ballots cast in a presidential election.  The role of the Vice President has expanded as presidents have called on their vice presidents to take on special projects, acting as envoys and providing advice on a wide range of issues. Another great lesson from DG Caroline. Thanks so much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom introduced our guest speaker Danielle Owczarski, State Lands Ecologist, Barre Office. Before working at the Fish and Wildlife Department, she spent  four years with Forest, Parks and Recreation as a park attendant and thirteen years with the Department of Environmental Conservation as a Wetland Ecologist and Watershed Planner. Danielle earned her B.A. in biology at Vermont State University in Johnson and a M.S. in the Field Naturalist Program at the University of Vermont. As the department's state lands ecologist, Danielle is responsible for the inventory, assessment, and monitoring of natural communities and important ecological features. She also works on developing long-range management plans for state lands. When she isn’t identifying plants and exploring Vermont’s finest natural communities, she spends her time sewing, reading, running, mountain biking, and backcountry snowboarding. She is here today to speak on the work of the Barre City River Access Task Force.

 

 

 

Danielle presented the vision of the Task Force: “The people of Barre City are connected to their local river through access areas and river corridors that are friendly, safe and accessible to everyone.” And the mission is: “Promoting and increasing river access, through community engagement and understanding, creation of river access areas, education and outreach activities.” The work of the Task Force includes three rivers that flow through Barre City: Stevens Branch; Gunner Brook; and Jail Branch. Among the 2022 accomplishments of the Task Force were: developed a mission and vision; developed a strategic plan for 2022; participated in Green Up Day; monitored five quality sites; developed a river access map; captured drone photos of important areas of the river; and led a community walk at Rotary (fur, flowers and fish). Included in next year’s plans are: producing materials that answer questions posed by Barre City residents; implementing a local art project to increase awareness about clean water; staring work on scoping and planning for potential river access sites with the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission; and co-hosting a clean up the river in September. She listed the following volunteer opportunities: water quality monitoring; river clean-up on September 16, 2023; table events; and participation in community events. For those wishing to contact the Task Force you can email (barrerivers@gmail.com) or call/text at (802) 505-7345. Her presentation was laced with photos and delivered with enthusiasm. At the conclusion of her talk, Rotarians showed their appreciation with a hearty round of applause.