Big Eagle and Large Trash

Lots of excitement in town. Paul Dick reports a bald Eagle doing some aggressive loon-watching at Orange Pond:

"Last week I had the privilege to observe an adult Bald Eagle scoping out the loons on Orange Pond. I had taken my dog for a walk and was hanging out at the public landing talking to Hanna Arnold as our dogs played. Suddenly we heard the loons cry and saw a rather large black bird with a totally white tail fly into the trees on the far side of the pond. The loons managed to stay clear of the eagles talons. Ten minutes later the eagle gave up his pursuit of them and flew off but not before giving us a fabulous view of itself. That was my first sighting of an eagle at the pond and hopefully it won't be my last. They are magnificent birds and I'm glad to seem them in the area!!"

Sharon Duffy sent along a request for volunteers by the building community of the new Community Health Center. The building site on the corner of Route 4 and Roberts Road needs willling hands to cut, haul and chip the trees marked for removal. Work starts this Saturday, August 27, and will continue for four to six hours. Bring chainsaws and brush cutters if you have them, though they mostly need strong backs. Email Phil Salvail or call him at 304-5511.

Don't forget Large Trash Day this Friday, August 26. See the previous post for details.

Finally, Sandi sent the most recent approved minutes of the Select Board. You can read them here.

Large Trash Pickup

Sandi reminds us of the date, Friday, August 26. Excluded items: hazardous waste, paints, chemicals, and fluorescent bulbs.

Fee items include:

• Tires: $15 each
• Items containing freon (such as refrigerators and freezers): $35 each
• Television or computer monitors: $25 each

 

Because the town is not paying for these items, residents will need to either leave a payment out with the item or prepay by calling Denise Durkee at Casella: 802-295-2660.

Like other events and meetings, the Large Trash Pickup is on the town calendar. More and more Orangeites seem to be using it. Let me (Jay) or Sophie Seace in the Town House know if you want something added to it. 

The Valley News Compares Orange with Other Upper Valley Towns

The 2016 Valley News Almanac features information about the 46 Upper Valley towns, along with art by Shawn Braley. The page for Orange comprises a picture of the Cardigan firetower along with information that comes in part from this website, as well as the Census Bureau and other sources.

Our population is 308, median age 49. According to the 2010 Census, 42% of our households have children under 18. Fifteen percent of us are self-employed, and almost half of us (47%) were born out of state. 

We also appear to be slightly older and wealthier than our neighbors.

Median age: Orange 49, Canaan 46, Grafton 45

Percentage of adults with bachelor's degree: Orange 30%, Canaan 23%, Grafton 24%

Median household income: Orange $63,750, Canaan $58,333, Grafton $45,958

Percentage born out of state: Orange 47%, Canaan 43%

Median value of owner-occupied homes (five-year estimate): Orange $196,000, Canaan $179,000, Grafton $163,800

Rimrock, Minutes

Dorothy Heinrichs had a nice snooze on Rimrock, below the Cardigan South Peak, yesterday evening. Send us your own pictures of Orange scenes and people, and we'll post them in the photo albums.

Meanwhile, here are minutes from the July 12 Select Board meeting.

Northern Pass Workshop

Tomorrow (Tuesday), the lawyer representing the public on the Site Evaluation Committee's Northern Pass decision is holding a workshop in Ashland. The purpose is to identify areas of "beauty, use, history, and tradition" within ten miles of the proposed Northern Pass transmission corridor. 

Here's a pdf with more information.