2011 | Ghost of Midnight

Community foundations to meet with journalism and tech experts

Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

Front Porch Forum will be featured at the Knight Foundation Media Learning Seminar 2012 (Feb. 19-21, Miami, FL).

… community and place-based foundations leaders meet with journalism and technology experts… will provide new insights into the changing media landscape and emerging technologies while offering concrete examples of how foundations are helping to fill their community’s information voids…

Screeching like a trapped seagull in #BTV #VT

Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

I think this is a FIRST for Front Porch Forum. Posted by an FPF member in Burlington’s Old North End today…

This morning, at about 1.30 a.m., my husband and I were ripped from coma-like sleep by a loud distress sound. It sounded like it came from about 250 feet away, somehwere on the eastern part of Walnut, up from Dot’s Market. The sound didn’t vary much in pitch. For about 15 minutes, we lay in bed speculating about its its source.

“I think its a possum or something. Perhaps an animal in a have-a-heart trap?,” speculated my husband.

“No, I think it is a seagull. I bet its trapped in a dumpster or garbage,” I offered.

In his boxers, my husband left the house to help the poor animal. He was back shortly after, with the sound was still carrying through the whole neighborhood.

“Not a seagull, Val. A mammal. A **very happy** neighbor.” To maintain the G-rated spirit of Front Porch Forum, I will proceed by referring to the sound sources as the”trapped seagull” and the “seagull rescuer,” who was clearly already on the scene before my husband and I thought to help.

Trapped seagull: I am happy for your late hour pleasure. I know this won’t be an issue in 4 weeks when we have to sleep with our windows closed, but it would be neighborly if you didn’t broadcast your coital bliss over such a wide distance.

Seagull Rescuer: Trapped seagull is not being honest with you. If a seagull were trapped for that long and were forced to give out a distress call at the volume for such a long time, she would, in real life, perish of exhaustion. Only in the movies do seagulls maintain that level of pleasure at that volume for 45 minutes.

Then again, maybe the rest of us are doing it wrong and seagull and rescuer are on to something. Perhaps we can knock on their door and ask them next time we are treated to their pleasure sounds?

Keeping it civil… or not

Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

Local online spaces can build up or tear down the sense of community in a place. Front Porch Forum is full of examples of the former. The New York Times reported yesterday about an example of the latter…

… But of late, more people in this hardscrabble town of 5,000 have shifted from sharing the latest news and rumors over eggs and coffee to the Mountain Grove Forum on a social media Web site called Topix, where they write and read startlingly negative posts, all cloaked in anonymity, about one another.

And in Dee’s Place, people are not happy. A waitress, Pheobe Best, said that the site had provoked fights and caused divorces. The diner’s owner, Jim Deverell, called Topix a “cesspool of character assassination”…

Ouch. More motivation to keep FPF moving in a positive direction.

Block by Block: Community News Summit

Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

I’m looking forward to speaking at the Block by Block Community News Summit in Chicago (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1). Sounds like a fantastic gathering of online community news publishers. I’m eager to share what we’ve been learning about community engagement through our work with Front Porch Forum, but I suspect that I’ll learn more from other participants than vice versa. Thanks to the sponsors for bringing this group together.

Guess which #VT neighborhood…

Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

A gem of a posting on Front Porch Forum today…

My Dad was an avid gardener.Vegetables and flowers. I developed an appreciation for gardening from him. Of five kids, I have one other sibling who enjoys it and its a brother. When we moved to [our home], I turned the front lawn into a flower garden. In the beginning it was mostly annuals that reseeded. Over time I added perennials and more gardens. (I’m the one who offers Hen and Chicks- which are still available….hint hint) I also like to put things in the flowers like toys and lawn ornaments, adding stuff over the summer so there is more to look for.

Coming home Friday I spotted two young girls wearing fleece hats with pompoms on each side walking with Mom and a little sister in a backpack. After pulling into my driveway, I decided to wait for them to walk close enough to say hello and let them know I liked their hats. Mom said “We love your garden. There are so many neat things to look for.” I thank her and then offered her some of the sunflowers, knowing that the colder temps would soon kill them off. She was tickled and as she and her three daughters headed down the street, I realized how special this neighborhood is.

North Street in Winooski! Love it.

UPDATE: As if on cue… a neighbor responded to the posting above on her FPF neighborhood forum…

I too love your garden. I remember that your garden was how we met. As I was walking by one day many years ago, while you were weeding, you stood up, said “Hello, and welcome to the neighborhood” and then proceeded to offer me some of your beautiful flowers. If I remember correctly, it was about the same time of year. As I pass your house on my daily walks, I have fond memories of your generosity and mostly your infectious loving spirit. You make our neighborhood a wonderful place to be. I know I don’t say it enough but thanks for being my neighbor.

Vive la FPF diff©rence!

Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

This tweet from John Craig (TwoWheeledBeard #VT) caught my eye today…

Enjoying the subtle (and not so subtle) differences of #Cambridge and #ONE @frontporchforum

It’s true! People in Burlington’s Old North End and those in the Town of Cambridge both make extensive use of Front Porch Forum… and in different ways. And that’s true of dozens of different Vermont towns and neighborhoods. I’ll leave it to others to compare and contrast.

Lost Half a House, Gained a Community

Posted on Sunday, September 4, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

The devastation from Hurricane Irene in many Vermont towns is hard to fully comprehend. The photos coming out of central and southern regions of the state paint a startling picture (e.g., here’s one set).

And the response from Vermonters is just as extraordinary. Witness these sample Front Porch Forum postings…

We’ve lost half a house but we’ve gained a community. I’ve never experienced being carried through a devastating event by large numbers of friends, neighbors, and complete strangers before. Thank you Moretown and out-of-town volunteers for your heart-breaking generosity.

And from Cambridge FPF…

In 36 hours you donated about 3 tons of food and supplies as well as $3,000 in support of Hurricane Irene flooding victims. The goods were sorted and repacked by an enthusiastic group and loaded into a dump truck and covered trailer. At 6:00 AM Saturday Jack and Adam will head out for a distribution center in Bennington, probably detouring through New York State to avoid road closings.

And we’re seeing hundreds more Irene-related postings on FPF in dozens of towns… from those seeking help, as well as those ready to give. Vermont is an incredible place.

Vermont Flood-Relief Guides

Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

#VT – Seek assistance, offer help, get the facts. Try these websites for Hurricane Irene recovery resources:

VTDigger.com: http://bit.ly/opyKoS

#VTResponse: http://bit.ly/n130pD

Seven Days: http://bit.ly/noTigC

Google-VTrans Road Conditions Map: http://bit.ly/qEKdgl

Vermonters Rally in the Wake of Irene’s Devastation

Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 by Michael • 1 comment

#VT – Vermonters are coming together to help each other after the disaster of Hurricane Irene. What a privilege to help facilitate communication, organizing, support, etc. through Front Porch Forum. I can’t begin to describe all the ways that people are using FPF to seek and provide assistance. The number of Vermonters we’re reaching each day with FPF has doubled since Irene struck. I only wish FPF was available in more towns (we cover one-third of the state so far).

Best to leave it to FPF members… here’s a tiny sample of the Vermont spirit we’re seeing again and again…

I recently posted on Front Porch Forum a call to arms for clean up help at our new home in Richmond after Hurricane Irene. Within 2 hours a fleet of kind, loving and generous people were at the house. Yesterday there were more. Words cannot express our deep feeling of gratitude. Although it has been difficult to be so intimately involved in such tragedy it has shone light on the things that matter most in the world. Community.

For those of you who were planning to come tomorrow morning, it would be lovely to see you and get a hug, but I think most of the volunteer-dirty-work has magically been taken care of.

– Eva Kauppila

In Moretown…

Our home is open for laundry, showers, water etc. We are also willing to run any errands into Waitsfield, Williston, anywhere! Also wondering if anyone needs pet supplies; food, liter, etc! PLEASE CALL US.

– The Buskera

And in Middlesex…

I just wanted to express my appreciation to all of you great neighbors and local officials for posting important information on flooding (road conditions), heartfelt questions about flooding (how can we help?) and valuable answers about flooding (links and phone numbers).

I also want to thank Front Porch Forum for their extra effort in making the postings available right away. I know they are putting in a lot of extra work to get information out on behalf of many towns around the state hit hard by the flood.

I keep thinking of my favorite quote from President Calvin Coolidge — part of an impromptu speech he gave as he viewed Vermont’s recovery effort after the Great Flood of 1927. I am sure a lot of you have thought of it too:

“I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys, her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all because of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers who have almost beggared themselves to serve others. If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the union and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont.”

– Susan Clark

Call 511 for #VT Road Closures (do NOT call 211 for this info)

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 by Michael • No comments yet

From Vermont Emergency Management today…

Floodwaters have receded, but most rivers and streams remain above normal levels, and some are still dangerous in many areas. Vermont officials recommend staying away from rivers that are still high and flowing rapidly. You should stay out of all floodwaters because of pollutants or debris.

Motorists are still encouraged to stay off roadways as many are unsafe and what roads are open are needed by emergency responders, road crews, and utility crews.

Road closures are still too numerous to list. Please call 511 or visit www.511vt.com for updated road closures. The public is asked to NOT call 211 for road closures ““ those calls are hampering 211’s ability to help those who need shelter or other resources.

State Police also ask that you only call 911 if you have an emergency.

Before returning to your flooded home, you must have a licensed electrician inspect your electrical system. Wet wiring can cause electrocution.

Yearly Archives: 2011

Vive la FPF diff©rence!

Vermonters Rally in the Wake of Irene’s Devastation

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