February 23, 2017 The Essex Reporter by Essex Reporter

Reporter THE ESSEX

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •1

February 23, 2017

Vol. 37, No. 8

Prsrt Std ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 266 Burlington, VT 05401 Postal Patron-Residential

Just keep swimming Weischedel returns to the pool

By COLIN FLANDERS or the second time in their lives, Annie Cooper is teaching Keenan Weischedel how to swim. Their first encounter seems to have paid off; Weischedel went on to swim competitively for the Town of Essex Swim Team for 13 years before working with Cooper to become one of Maple Street Pool’s top instructors. He specialized in helping some of the more challenging swimmers, Cooper said, those requiring a bit more attention than most. It’s fitting, really, as Weischedel was a bit of a “challenge” himself — a busy 5-year-old full of his own ideas, leading to their share of arguments. Weischedel, now 22, is a bit more candid. “I was a pain in her ass,” he said, sparking laughter from his mother and Cooper at the Essex Spa and Resort last week. Weischedel blossomed before Cooper’s eyes, however, recognizing he needed to push himself to help those around him. “Every time there’s a curveball, he catches it and moves forward,” Cooper said. That resolve was pushed to its brink

Photo by COLIN FLANDERS Annie Cooper helps Keenan Weischedel lower into the pool at the Essex Spa and Resort on February 15. Cooper has been working with Weischedel, who's recovering from a skiing accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

It's your

funeral Ready Funeral Service embraces pre-arrangements

By ABBY LEDOUX

was the youngest person in the room to plan my funeral. To be fair, there were only three other people. Fat snowflakes and thick gashes of ice made the Essex roads less than desirable to traverse last Thursday evening. So there I sat in the warm glow of Ready Funeral Service, a casket stand and crucifix before me, plush couches and chairs in muted

tones all waiting for tired mourners, empty urns displayed behind a glass case down the hall. Beside me, Art and Darlene Thomas had made the trek from Burlington, taking refuge in the Pinecrest Dr. facility that is the final stop for many Essex residents. We sat in heavy silence before I introduced myself, and I could only imagine the middle-aged couple wondering what business I – a girl of 24, no obvious illness or elderly companion – had here.

Paw prints outpaced footsteps in the snowy approach to the Vermont Dog Club earlier this month. Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” was softly playing as Scout, a 9-month old chocolate Lab, raced with resident pooch Cassie in hot pursuit. Whitney Doremus, an Essex Jct. native who’s been teaching canines and their humans for over 20 years now, said since opening last November, the club has grown to about 65 members. “Our dogs are our members,” she clarified. Thus, for a monthly membership fee of $75, they receive perks like unlimited human compan-

ions and free reign of the facility, which includes an indoor retrieve room, a fenced-in outdoor area and a slew of training toys. Some dog owners even use the facility as their personal gym, Doremus said: 15 minutes on the doggie treadmill, some balance ball routines and a quick fetch session help work off those holiday pounds. Afterward, pups can kick back in an entertainment nook with a television, couch and books. Though canines have been a lifelong passion for Doremus, she started on the business side during a gig at PetSmart. After learning her register skills weren’t up to par, the store suggested she teach classes. See DOGS, page 2

See SWIMMING, page 2

But funeral director Rich O’Donnell was pleased to see me. He’ll be the first to tell you: It’s never too early to start planning your final show. “We never know when this life is over for us,” O’Donnell said, kicking off the evening. “Hopefully none of us in this room too soon, but we never know.” O’Donnell spent the next hour guiding his small but captive audience, outlining basic service options and detailing the types of decisions families are asked to make for us post-mortem. That’s a weighty task for survivors of loved ones who didn’t make their final wishes known – a burden O’Donnell and funeral planners everywhere hope to alleviate through pre-arrangement. See PLANNING, page 4

Photo by ABBY LEDOUX Right: Funeral director Rich O'Donnell is pictured last week at Ready Funeral Service's Mountain View Chapel in Essex Jct. where he led a funeral planning workshop.

Dog club hits stride By COLIN FLANDERS

after an outing at Mad River Valley last November, two days before Thanksgiving. Ejecting from both skis after a bad landing, Weischedel landed on his head. The crash left him paralyzed from the chest down. At first, he was fine. He remembers joking with friends during the two hours before he was transported off the mountain. “I knew I couldn’t feel anything. I just didn't think it was permanent,” he said. Reality set in on the helicopter ride to Dartmouth Medical Center. He asked the paramedics if he’d ever walk again. They pushed it aside. “I started to go into shock,” he said. “That was the part where I start to not remember what happened. I got to the hospital; it was really blurry. My pulse was super low.” He’d wake up in the ICU with a tube in his throat, his blood pressure so low he nearly passed out after sitting up in bed the first time. Weischedel soon learned he broke his neck and shattered his C7 vertebrae. He’s considered an incomplete quadriplegic, as some feeling remains in his arms. “My hands feel weird,” he said. “Below my chest feels a lot different … when

EHS grad named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list By TOM MARBLE

B Photo by COLIN FLANDERS Essex Jct. resident Jamie Thabault and her dog Scout try out the Vermont Dog Club for the first time February 10.

y the time he was named to the Forbes: 30 under 30 list in midJanuary, the accolade was a faint blip on Dan Szafir’s radar. After the 2006 Essex High School graduate was nominated under the science designation, Szafir got an email from Forbes asking for some background information. He completed the form and heard nothing more about the recognition the publication gave this year

Daniel Szafir to 600 innovators under 30 years old across a broad spectrum of fields – until See FORBES, page 3

2• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

local

Photo by COLIN FLANDERS An elated Annie Cooper reacts to Keenan Weischedel's progress after he swims freestyle the length of the pool.

SWIMMING from page 1

I press it, it’s not like it used to be. “Some stuff could come back, some stuff might not,” he added.

Independence

A week later, Weischedel was transported to a rehab hospital, where he’d spend the next two months. Though taxing, the three hours of physical and occupational therapy sessions every weekday were some his most enjoyable moments. “You’ve just got to figure out what to do with your body,” he said, like how to transfer from wheelchair to bed, or how to maintain balance.

Now he can now feed and clothe himself, and although he uses a motorized wheelchair, he aims to get a manual one — all efforts to gain back his independence. That road is paved by a strong support system, led by his mother, Betsy. “It's been hard,” she said. “But we have to look forward. We can't look back.” “We’ve done a damn good job,” Weischedel responded. “How close we’ve gotten, it’s just like there’s nothing between us now.” Visitors stopped by every day he was in the hospital, often watching as worked through his therapy regimens. The hospital only allowed two visitors at a time, so family and friends gathered in the waiting room with pizza and drinks.

DOGS from page 1

Two decades later, she has her own club. Her offerings span from puppy preschool to more advanced work: “Just everything that covers what it means to live with a pet dog,” she said. Classes are $150 and include a two-month membership. Doremus said the classes are for everyone, believing a lot of miscommunication between dogs and their humans can be remedied with some teaching. “Once you learn about how a dog thinks, it really changes your relationship with your dog. So we talk a lot about how dogs perceive the world and how they're understanding you,” she said. She’s even had some owners take the same classes repeatedly just to stay up on their training. Plus, humans make friends at the club, too, she said.

One of those visitors was Cooper, who drove down to Dartmouth four days after Weischedel’s accident. Despite the upbeat scene, she couldn’t help but feel the gravity of the situation. “Annie, could you just stop crying?” he’d say. Months later, as they prepared for their first swimming session, he’d surprise her once again. “How was everything?” she’d ask. “Mostly fun,” he said.

“Are you kIddIng me?”

Last week, Weischedel lowered in the pool with the help of a mechanical chair. Cooper stood below, attaching a yellow foam buoy to his legs and a life preserver over his neck brace. It was only Weischedel’s fifth time back in the water. Vid-

But classes also greatly benefit the members. Doremus pointed to studies that show dogs who play with their peers often live longer. “Just imagine being very secluded from humans — if you only knew five or six, that's it. That's not enough,” she said. “So the more a dog can be around a lot of other dogs, the more social and confident they become. That's a wonderful thing. Aggression is due to fear, and fear is due to lack of socialization, and not just to dogs, but to the whole world.” Of course, Vermont Dog Club isn’t the only place to meet other canines locally. Doremus said she’s a big proponent of outdoor time and said places like the Essex dog park are great for this. There’s one downside to dog parks, however: “You just never know who’s there,” she said. Some owners don’t understand dog body language because they’ve never

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eos of previous sessions boast thousands of views and dozens of comments on Cooper’s Facebook page. Cooper, who runs a private swimming lesson business, said she’s refused to accept any payment for her services. “It’s life-altering for me, in a healthy way, to be with someone who's this excited to do things,” she said. “The value of what I’m getting from Keenan is too extraordinary to put dollars to.” The duo starts slow: Weischedel gingerly swam breaststroke down the pool, turning with Cooper’s help before returning to the chair for a breather. The longer Weischedel was in the water, the more comfortable he appears. Eventually, the blue preserver was set aside so he can dip headfirst in search of four pool rings. Cooper’s voice echoed through the cavernous pool house as she instructed her submerged student. “Hips! Hips! Hips!” she yelled. “Rock and roll with that rotation!” she said later. The average observer may not recognize the language. Sometimes there are barely any words at all, years of experience allowing for tacit guidance. Weischedel then tried his hand at freestyle, finding his rhythm after a few seconds. He propelled down the 50-meter pool, his shoulders making up for the momentum lost by his inability to kick. Cooper followed closely behind, ready to help at a moment’s notice; after all, she’s learned a thing or two about Weischedel. “There's times when he's in the pool and he's got the goggles on and he'll get a gleam in his eye,” Cooper said. “Sometimes he tells us what he's going to do next, and sometimes he does not.”

learned before. But the club has staff that facilitates safe interaction, and Doremus is working to cultivate different playgroups to match similar dogs, because just like humans, dogs don’t love every peer they meet, she said. “If a dog is very fearful, we can hook them up with another dog that might help bring them out of their shell,” she said. She even tries to link dog owners who hit it off so they can set up further playdates. “We're calling it right now Matchdot-dog,” Doremus said, smiling. As she spoke, Essex Jct. resident Jamie Thabault watched her dog, Scout, take in the club for the first time. They’d stopped in for the club’s Friday Tryday, where non-members can swing by for a $10 fee — a $5 savings from the regular drop-in rate. Thabault said she and Scout are avid hikers and are often out and about. “But a lot of times it’s just us,” she said. “So having a place that there's a high possibility there will be another dog

A few months ago, each stroke would have seemed more improbable than the next. Yet Weischedel found his groove, swimming the pool’s length like he’d done so many times before. “Are you kidding me right now?” Cooper yelled, bouncing along the pool floor like a giddy child. Moments later, she broke into tears, a testament to Weischedel’s courage, his journey and all that’s in between. She danced around her resting student, his wet hair dripping as he sucked in air. Less than three months after a life changing injury, some might expect a 50-meter freestyle to be enough work for one day. But Weischedel is eying bigger goals. Later that day, he planned to meet with Kelly Brush, a former college alpine skier who suffered a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down. He’s working on setting up a personal gym, and, with summer quickly approaching, he hopes to find a way back on a mountain bike. Weischedel also started a team to fundraise for the High Fives Foundation, which provides adaptive sports equipment to people just like him. The foundation teamed up with The Essex to provide him a membership at the spa and resort. His team, “Keener’s Hawtdawgers,” is participating in the FAT Ski-A-Thon at Sugarbush on March 5. They’ve raised over $2,000 so far. And though Weischedel won’t be able to ski in the event, he plans to one day return to the slopes. “I'll get back to it,” he said before adding a positive spin. “I'll be shorter, too, so I don't need as much snow to have a good day.”

to play with is good for her.” Scout is also still in training, so access to classes right down the road is helpful, she said. Doremus hopes the club can be a onestop-shop for Essex owners like Thabault looking to learn with their dogs. That will require getting the word out. Doremus has already rolled out a number of events, like the Puppy Bowl preceding the Super Bowl earlier this month and the occasional movie night, to help engage the dog community. She even hopes to host some classes around Essex this summer, she said. After looking ahead, Doremus took a moment to reflect on just what it is about dogs that makes her work so meaningful. “It's their honesty,” she said. “It's who they are. They live in the moment, all the time. “Look at them,” she continued and Scout and Cassie tumbled around, tails wagging. “They bring a smile to everyone's face. We love having them as family members. Everybody does.”

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •3

Essex Rotary completes 5th annual speech contest

local Village: Water/sewer

bills are due

Courtesy photo (L to R): Rotarian Amy Jackman is pictured with EHS students Eva Joly, Caroline Smith, Alice Dorfman and Maya Asher during the fifth annual speech contest, sponsored by the Essex rotary club. Joly claimed the winning spot and moves on to the next round.

FORBES from page 1

his wife stumbled across the 2017 list online. “I didn’t think about it for a while, and then she saw that it was on the Forbes website and showed it to me,” Szafir said, recalling the day Danielle Albers Szafir, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, brought the award to his attention. “I was super excited,” said Szafir, who also works at CU as an assistant professor in the ATLAS Institute computer science department. “It’s fantastic, and it’s a big honor.” Landing on the list is less likely than being accepted to Harvard or Stanford, according to Forbes’ website, with fewer than 4 percent of nominees making the cut. Both his former Ph.D. adviser at the University of Wisconsin and his NASA mentor for a summer internship nominated him for the honor. After moving to Erie, Colo. in the fall of 2015, Szafir has largely focused on pursuing a tenure track at CU. In the classroom and in the research lab, the recognition symbolizes another step toward achieving that goal. “The biggest thing to get tenure is to show impact of your work,” he said. But for Szafir, the honor has also taken on another meaning. It is a way for people outside of academia to find out about innovation that often occurs outside of the public view. “It really helps show there is appreciation for the type of work I’m doing even beyond the niche research community I’m a part of,” he said. For most of his academic and professional career, Szafir has worked in that same niche, concentrating the majority of his research and development on human-computer interaction and human-robot interaction. As early as his EHS days, Szafir’s interest in the field was evident. He joined a group of six or so peers, brought together by his physics teacher, to compete in a rocketbuilding competition. Eventually, the team grew to a dozen students and entered a ro-

botics contest hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, creating a two-part robot that could retrieve tennis balls. From there, Szafir made his way to Boston College, where he graduated in 2010 with two bachelor degrees in computer science and history. While he noted EHS teachers sparked his interest in humanities, Szafir also took on his thesis research during his senior year at BC. Working under the guidance of a computer science professor, Szafir explored brain control interface as a way to control robots. “Essentially, you put electrodes on the scalp, and you measure different voltages caused by different brain signals,” he said. “And then try to use that to control a small, little robot.” Szafir designed a robot that he could move forward, right, left and stop using his thoughts. At the time, he said, the technology was just emerging, and since his thesis work, the field has continued to grow. Interface users can now control automated wheelchairs with the technology, Szafir said. After four years in Boston, Szafir attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he earned his master’s degree in 2012 followed by a Ph.D. in computer science three years later, peppering in summer internships along the way. Throughout his college career, Szafir took on two internships at the former IBM in Essex in 2007 and 2009, and one in New Hampshire with a Navy contractor called Tybrin in 2008. During his summers at IBM, Szafir fondly remembers reconnecting with old classmates from his robotics team in high school who were interning at the same time. There, he dabbled in software design, learning the differences between classroom and industrial development. “It really exposed me more to how you do software development as a team and how you ensure a much greater degree of robustness and clarity as you’re writing your code,” Szafir said. During his graduate work, Szafir advanced his computer interface research, expanding into “passive VCI,” a form of interface that Szafir

found could be useful in an educational setting. In that vein, Szafir explored the possibility of designing robotic tutors capable of detecting when students lose interest in a lesson. “The robot can do some sort of intervention to try and reengage the students,” Szafir said. “And that’s usually just presenting the lecture in another fashion.” Two years into his graduate studies, Szafir also interned with NASA from 2013 to 2015 where he worked under the head of the Intelligence Robotic Group, an experience he said shaped the trajectory of his career and research. He started working on aerial, free-flying robots, a type NASA wants to operate in micro-gravity to fly around International Space Station, allowing ground control to monitor operations there. Along those same lines, he said NASA wants to automate some procedures crew members now perform manually, saving time. Despite the demanding nature of his work – Szafir said he often works 70-hour weeks since starting at CU – he has still found time throughout his career to for fun projects. After taking a virtual reality class in graduate school, Szafir became interested in the field and decided to teach his own course. Ski Mountain, a virtual reality skiing interface, was the product of collaboration between Szafir and his students that continued even after the class ended. When the project was complete, the class held a public demo, which was attended by an elderly man who loved skiing but was sidelined by several knee surgeries. “He had this huge grin on his face the whole time because he never thought he’d be able to ski again,” Szafir said. As he continues to establish himself at CU, Szafir equates many of his responsibilities with small start-up businesses, often headed by owners who have to take on a multitude of duties. “You want to keep your research going, but you also need to build up your lab and hire students,” Szafir said. “You’re wearing a lot of different hats.”

Water and sewer bills were mailed to Village of Essex Jct. property owners on January 27 and are due February 27. The current bill is for fixed charges for the quarter September 1 to December 31 and does not include water usage. Meters will be read and six months of water usage plus quarterly fixed charges will be included in the next billing on April 28. Payments can be mailed or brought to the Village office at 2 Lincoln Street, Essex Jct., Vt. 05452. A dropbox is

available for after hours check payments. Payments received or postmarked after February 27 will be charged a 5 percent penalty. For questions concerning your bill, or if you did not receive a bill, please call the village treasurer’s office at 878-6951. Water/sewer bills can be paid online or in office with credit or debit card for a fixed convenience fee of $2.95. A link to online payments can be found on the village website at www.essexjunction.org.

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4• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

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CAN YOU DIG IT?

Photos by COLIN FLANDERS

Sixth- and seventh-graders from Albert D. Lawton celebrated the snowy scenes of winter last week, hitting the school yard to build quinzhees — shelters made by creating a big pile of snow before hollowing out the inside. Dozens of quinzhees popped up over the two-hour event before teams placed a flag atop their creations.

PLANNING from page 1

“Tonight is an informational night, but it’s also to give people a sense of peace,” O’Donnell explained. “A lot of times when families come in and nothing has been arranged or talked about, it adds a lot of stress.” We flipped through the individual estate record, a 15-page booklet that’s essentially a primer on what to do in the immediacy of a death and a place to record your own plans and personal information. Prepared by Selected Independent Funeral Homes – an international, invitation-only organization of 1,500 funeral homes, including Ready – the packet probes patrons about health and marital status, assets and liabilities and details to aid survivors in writing an obituary. There’s also space to record final wishes, down to the hairstyle. The goal is prompting questions beyond “burial or cremation?” Where should memorial contributions go? What do you want to wear? How should your grave inscription read? While perhaps morbid

to some sensibilities, such questions will one day be of use to grieving, overwhelmed survivors and to funeral directors like O’Donnell who take pains in assuring every last detail of a memorial reflects decedents’ wishes and celebrates their lives. Founded in 1880, Ready has carried that mission for more than 130 years. Bill Ready purchased the Essex Jct. location, coined Mountain View Chapel, from fellow funeral director A.W. Rich in the late ’90s. Today, Michele, a third-generation Ready, and her husband, John Ambrosino, own the family business, which has two locations, a crematory and six full-time and eight or nine part-time employees – including some of the youngest funeral directors in the state, O’Donnell said. He has only been there less than a year. A friend of the owners, he worked for a Connecticut funeral home before jumping at Ready’s offer of a job – and a home in the decidedly quiet two-bedroom apartment above Mountain View Chapel. O’Donnell estimated Ready handled about 350

arrangements last year, about average for one of the largest funeral homes in Vermont. Business is growing, he said, a fact he attributes to Ready’s reputation for respecting tradition while embracing innovation. Many of the industry’s “trends” are rooted in customization, whether for casket cornerstones or prayer cards. Unsurprisingly, technology also plays an increasing role, with looping DVDs of a loved one’s life replacing the poster board photo collages of yore. O’Donnell has seen other touches, like urns engraved with the pattern of a favorite blanket. At another funeral, artwork of the deceased was displayed to make mourners feel more at home. Ready also takes a thumbprint of the deceased, which loved ones can later turn into jewelry. “You’ve heard the saying, ‘this is not your grandfather’s Cadillac’ – well, this is not your grandfather’s funeral,” O’Donnell said. A prime example: O’Donnell and his colleagues were tasked with hosting a full-scale, traditional funeral – hearse

and all – at the Champlain Valley Exposition. “We kind of have to choreograph that kind of stuff to make it happen, but we did,” he said. “If we have a situation where we’ve really got to come up with something, we do it. We get it done. And it happens in a really powerful way.” O’Donnell sees today’s funeral director as a conduit between a grieving family and the outside world, chock full of obligations and often difficult choices. “People are going through the death of a loved one – that’s enough,” he said. The decisions are plentiful: Casket or urn? Wooden, metal, marble, granite? Entombment, burial, scattering of ashes? Memorials, flowers, music? Church or funeral home? Clergy, celebrant, eulogist, pallbearers? That’s a lot, even on a good day. The funeral director helps coordinate everything from getting a death certificate to notifying Social Security to placing an obituary. O’Donnell said many have at least some idea of their loved ones’ wishes, but an unexpected death

makes it more difficult. How helpful would it be, then, to already have a roadmap? Pre-arrangement affords that, O’Donnell said, whether it be a fully pre-paid service, a list of final wishes or even just a conversation on the topic. When it comes to planning ahead, he added, “even the bare bones basic is better than nothing.” That appealed to the Thomases, who joked they were on their date night at Ready’s last week. The two clearly had done some planning, as they already own a cemetery plot and named the priest they want to lead their future service. “If we leave our kids to plan this, we may be under a rock of some sort,” Art said. “And I want to be honest with you – that’s the beautiful part of it: By doing this, your wishes are guaranteed,” O’Donnell replied. “Your children – you don’t know what they want.” At that, the parents scoffed. “Oh, no,” Darlene murmured. Art worried their children would, at best, struggle with the financial logistics of a funeral and,

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at worst, fold under the pressure. “The living – funerals are really for them, too,” O’Donnell explained. “They’ve got to go through this.” Though O’Donnell said a growing chunk of Ready’s clientele has some level of pre-arrangement, the majority doesn’t. He hopes these workshops change that; past sessions at area churches have yielded high turnout. “It’s the conversation you never want to have, but it’s the conversation you need to have,” he said. “I wish people talked about it more.” Included in that talk about death is, inevitably, talk about life, and that can be a rewarding moment to share. “Who makes you the person you are? ... Even the struggles, the burdens that people have in their lives – sharing that with your family gives them a greater picture of your life and your life story, and it’s their job to tell that story,” O’Donnell said. “And when those families can tell us that story, then we can really service that family better.” O’Donnell talked to me about witnessing grief in its rawest form, like when a parent is forced to bury a child. He spoke of young people dying unexpectedly, of a community facing death up close for the first time. “You don’t expect people in their 20s to die,” he said. “And let’s be honest – when we’re that age, we really think we’re invincible.” Yet there I sat, smack dab in the middle of my 20s and the middle of a near-empty funeral home on a Thursday night, thinking about my life – and the end of it. To O’Donnell, that wasn’t so weird. “When you get married, you have months; but when you die, you have days – literally days. You’ve got to get this planned, and that’s a lot of stress,” he told me. “It’s never too early to have a conversation and say, ‘you know, if God forbid something should happen, this is kind of what I’m thinking.”

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •5

CORRECTION In last week’s issue of The Reporter, an article about the selectboard candidates’ forum misstated budget increase numbers cited by candidate Mona Sheppard. The average increase from 2005-14 was 3.4 percent, not 3.14 percent, while the average increase over the past four years was 6.4 percent, not 6.14 percent. We regret the error.

opinion & COMMUNITY See more letters on page 10.

MESSAGES FROM MONTPELIER R E P. b O b b A N C R O F T

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S E N. T I M A S H E (d/P) SEN. PHIL bARuTH (d) By REP. LINDA MYERS As I write this column, the Vermont Legislature has completed almost half of the 2017 session. Over 400 bills have been introduced, most of them in the House. Most of the activity in the House has been in the 14 standing committees as sponsors of the introduced bills offer introduction testimony to the various committees as to the reasoning for the bill. This is an opportunity for committee members to get a more in-depth vision of each bill and to formulate what action will be taken. As I noted in my previous column, I am serving on the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. We deal with insurance issues, business issues, workforce issues and labor issues. Having served on a committee for 15 years that saw very few bills during each session, I am amazed my committee has been sent 21 bills so far this session, bills upon which we will take testimony to decide whether to move them to the floor of the House for a vote.

R E P. b E T S Y D u N N

(d)Chittenden 8-1 bets ydunn@co mcas t. net 878-6628

R E P. D Y L A N G I A M b AT I S TA

(d)Chittenden 8-2 dyl an@vtdyl an. co m 734-8841

SEN. DEbbIE INGRAM (d) S E N . G I N N Y LY O N S ( d )

SEN. CHRIS PEARSON (P) SEN. MICHAEL SIROTkIN (d)

One bill of note, H.143, dealt with transportation network companies, basically Uber, and established insurance requirements for Uber drivers working in Vermont. With Uber moving into Burlington and Killington, making sure drivers have sufficient insurance when offering service is of importance to Vermonters. The bill passed the House unanimously and now moves to the Senate. In the area of labor and workforce, while I have known the state has problems in this area, I am astounded by the magnitude of our workforce issues. For the past few years, the state has touted the fact that we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, yet we have businesses that go begging for employees. For some reason our schools and workforce development programs are not stepping up to fill those jobs. I am astonished at the number of businesses that have come to my committee to tell us they are in dire need of employees. But workers, even those seeking basic em-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Support for incumbents Levy and Watts Having been the selectboard recording secretary for the past 10 years and having typed the merger meeting minutes in 2006, my husband and I have learned something about the history of our efforts to merge and separate. We know many of you are very frustrated and we know many of you are still trying to figure out whether you live in the town or the village! We also listened to the recent discussions about the proposed recreation district. Throughout all of those discussions and past discussions, we can confidently recommend Max Levy and Andy Watts to continue as representatives on the town selectboard. Both gentlemen look at issues through the eyes of citizens living outside the village and inside the village, which is what they are supposed to do. What strikes us as a most important character trait is how they both approach solving problems in a positive way without singling anyone out. It is important, as we hopefully move forward with continued consolidation efforts, that what we say or do should bring our communities together, not push them further apart. Change is uncomfortable and getting to the point of agreement is difficult, but it can happen. Andy and Max, we see you Let truth be your guide at the polls Two weeks ago, The Essex Reporter printed two letters to the editor, coincidentally written by people named Tom. They both enthusiastically endorsed a vote to retain Mr. Levy on the selectboard. If only the person they described were real! The truth is that Mr. Levy was not single-handedly responsible for any consolidations that have taken place. He played a small part in a complex process that involved many elected officials and staff members over a number of years. The truth is that instead of being a benevolent peacemaker, he has shown a tendency to silence opposition. Sheppard for selectboard for much needed change It’s time for a change on the Essex Selectboard, and fortunately we voters have a sound choice to realize that change: RaMona Sheppard. A major task facing the selectboard is one of consolidation. The complexity of this task has only been heightened with the recent debacle that

In reviewing the minutes of the 2016 Town Meeting, it was interesting reading the explanation of the $775,000 savings by merging various services between town and village and the explanation of the $225,000 addition to the town manager’s budget. The explanation by selectman Max Levy and town manager Pat Scheidel brought to mind various terms such as smoke and mirrors, flimflam, sleight of hand and fast shuffle. The hocus pocus that goes on in the

Daryl and Sara Stultz Essex Watts for selectboard

town administration reminds me of the “Beverly Hillbillies” when a con man named Honest John gets gullible Jed Clampet to buy some ocean front property in Arizona. I hope the residents of the town outside the village are not as gullible. The taxpayers of the town outside the village are getting the shaft. Merging/consolidation of the town and village doesn’t make any sense … except to those who are pushing the issue.

I am writing to enthusiastically support the reelection of Andy Watts to the Town of Essex Selectboard. I have known Andy for almost 20 years. During that time, as an engineer with IBM and currently GlobalFoundries, Andy has shown himself to be a team player and leader. He has the ability to work with a group to see the big picture, evaluate resources available, acknowledge limitations and formulate a realistic and workable plan all while staying within a budget. His commitment to service is evidenced by his three years of diligent work with the selectboard, his ongoing work with the Essex, Jericho, Underhill food shelf; and previously with the Essex Energy Committee and many years of leadership in Boy Scouts of America. Andy has unfailingly shown himself to be a thoughtful and unbiased listener, to answer questions objectively, to work effectively as a team member and to tackle problems head on. He brings no personal agenda to the table and his commitment to the citizens of the town of Essex is without question. Please join me on Tuesday, March 7 and vote to reelect Andy Watts to Town of Essex Selectboard.

William F. Bailey Jr. Essex Jct.

Betsi White Essex Town

Dawn McGinnis Essex Jct.

current board “leadership” proffered: the failed special tax district for creating a single recreation department. In light of this fiasco, as well as other stumbles, the need for change is clear. Mona brings the kind of financial expertise that we desperately need: seven years as a municipal finance director where her focus is on budgets and financial management. It’s this kind of expe-

Smoke and mirrors

listening, we see you deliberating, we see you asking questions respectfully, we see you giving your time and effort on our behalf and we see you truly caring about our community. We encourage residents to also bring ideas to the table as team players and not adversaries. It is only if we all do this, that we can reach understanding, consensus, efficiency and equality. And what a wonderful gift we’d be leaving to our future generations. If you live in the village, you are a part of the town because you pay taxes to the town and therefore, have the right to vote on its budget and who represents you. Let’s move forward so that we can eventually have one representative board, one planning commission, one charter and one community that works to meet the needs of both entities. Please get out and vote on the floor at Town Meeting on the evening of March 6 for the budget and then on March 7 by Australian ballot for our representatives. And please join us in voting for incumbents Max Levy and Andrew Watts for selectboard.

Check the minutes: He has used words like “mean” and vindictive” to describe opposing views. I believe that we need leaders who give credit where it is due and respectfully listen to all sides of a discussion. It is time for members of the selectboard to work as a team rather than showboat their accomplishments as individuals. We need all board members to treat each other, the audience and all the citizens with respect. Please let your definitions of truth and fair play be your guide when you go to the polls on March 7.

rience that we need when consolidating the remaining departments in a fiscally responsible way, without wasting money, the very thing they purport to save! Let’s move forward with experience and professionalism. Join me in voting for Mona Sheppard on March 7. Rich Maggiani Essex

R E P. LO R I H O u G H T O N

R E P. L I N D A M Y E R S

(R)Chittenden 8-1 li n dakmyers@com cast.n et 878 - 3514 The legislative email convention is first initial, la st name@leg.state.vt.us. E.g., lmyers@leg.state.vt.us

(d)Chittenden 8-2 h ou ghton .lori @gm ai l.com 373-0599

ployment, are not prepared to step into the workforce. Many of those looking for work cannot handle basic employment tasks such as knowing how to dress to apply for a job, deal with customers or even make change. These are basic job skills for which students should be prepared. I am not talking about technical skills; I am talking about basic life skills. What does give me hope for the future of our young people is testimony we have received from the technical education centers around our state such as the Center for Technology Essex. The young people who graduate from our tech centers often have skills that enable them to move into the workforce, into apprenticeships and onto college with solid backgrounds that will take them confidently to their future. I am always happy to answer any questions about what is happening in Montpelier or with issues you may have. I look forward to hearing from you. I appreciate the faith you have given me to represent you in Montpelier, and I will work diligently to maintain your trust.

Watts is a thoughtful civil servant Last year, I had the pleasure of serving the community as a member of the Recreation Governance Study Committee. During my time on the committee, I was afforded the opportunity to interact on a frequent basis with Andy Watts, sometimes as an alternate on the committee and other times in the context of a selectboard meeting as a selectman. If every selectman were as thoughtful as Andy, making sure every angle is considered in an unbiased manner, then we would all be very lucky and well represented. Andy truly considers every angle of a decision, often playing devil’s advocate ensuring he is well informed.

Andy is respectful, holding himself to the highest ethical standard. He does not shy away or withdraw when faced with issues that community members are passionate about. Instead, Andy truly listens and engages in respectful conversation to better understand the passion behind the conversation. I am grateful that Andy Watts is willing to serve our community on the Essex Selectboard for another term. I hope you will join me in voting for Andy either now, at the town offices during their open hours through March 6 or at the polls on March 7. Betzi Bilodeau Essex

Voting for Max Levy I am writing in support of Max Levy’s bid for reelection to the Essex Selectboard. Others have outlined Max’s extensive experience and service to the community, and I have admired and applauded his hard work and dedication over the years. His credentials are impressive, but it is his character and demeanor that make him exactly the type of individual I want representing me. He is thoughtful, composed and well considered and has done an excellent job. Max has served us well in the past and with your support will continue to do so in the future. I urge you to vote for Max Levy to continue his position as a member of the Essex Selectboard on March 7. Christine Packard Essex Jct.

Reporter THE ESSEX

ExEcutivE Editor Courtney A. Lamdin

AssociAtE Editor Abby Ledoux

sports Editor Colin Flanders

rEportErs

co-publishErs

Emerson & Suzanne Lynn

gEnErAl mAnAgEr Suzanne Lynn

AdvErtising mAnAgEr Wendy Ewing

Colin Flanders Michaela Halnon Kaylee Sullivan Tom Marble

AdvErtising sAlEs

42 Severance Green, Unit #108, Colchester, VT 05446

Email: news@essexreporter.com Website: www.essexreporter.com

Phone: 878-5282 Fax: 651-9635

Barbara Brisson

Published Thursdays

Deadlines: News & Advertising – Friday at 5 p.m. Circulation: 8,800

6• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

EssEx ArEA

Religious Directory

calendar FeB. 25

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH - 61 Main St., Essex Jct., 878-8341. James Gangwer, pastor. Sunday School: 10 a.m., Worship Service: 11 a.m., Sunday evening worship: 7 p.m., Wednesday evening youth groups, Adult Bible study and prayer: 7 p.m.; FundamentalIndependent. CITYREACH CHURCH - 159 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Behind Subway, on the back side of the building. Pastor Brent Collins. Sunday worship service: 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. A casual, family-focused and friendly Christian Church with practical teaching, great music, a safe kids program (Nursery-5th grade) and an exciting and empowering church experience, www.essexjunction.cityreachnetwork. org; bcollins@cityreachnetwork.org; facebook: CityReach Church - Essex Junction. CHRIST MEMORIAL CHURCH - Route 2A, Williston, just north of Industrial Ave. 878-7107. Wes Pastor, senior minister, proclaiming Christ and Him crucified, Sundays: 9:30 a.m., www.cmcvermont.org. DAYBREAk COMMUnITY CHURCH - 67 Creek Farm Plaza, Colchester. 338-9118. Brent Devenney, lead pastor. Sunday service: 10:30 a.m., AWANA: Thursdays twice a month, www.daybreakvermont.org; brentdaybreak@gmail.com ESSEX ALLIAnCE CHURCH - 37 Old Stage Road, Essex Jct. 878-8213. Sunday services: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m., www.essexalliance.org. ESSEX CEnTER UnITED METHODIST CHURCH - 119 Center Rd (Route 15), Essex. 878-8304. Rev. Mitchell Hay, pastor. Service 10:00 a.m. with Sunday School and childcare provided. We offer a variety of small groups for prayer, Bible study, hands-on ministry, and studying contemporary faith issues. Please join us for worship that combines the best of traditional and contemporary music and spirituality. We are a safe and welcoming space for all people to celebrate, worship, ask questions and plant spiritual roots. FIRST COngREgATIOnAL CHURCH OF ESSEX JUnCTIOn - 1 Church Street, Essex Jct. 878-5745. Rev. Mark Mendes, senior pastor. Sunday Worship Services: 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. Communion: first Sunday of every month. Sunday School: 5th/6th Grade - 1st Sunday of the month, Jr. & Sr. high youth groups - every Sunday. Heavenly Food Pantry: second Monday of the month, 5:30-7:30 p.m., fourth Thursday of the month, 2-6 p.m. except for Nov. & Dec. when it is the third Thursday. Essex Eats Out community dinner: 1st Friday of the month, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Music includes Sanctuary Choir, Praise Band, Junior Choir, Cherub Choir, Handbell Choir, Men’s Acapella & Ladies’ Acapella groups. UCC, an Open and Affirming Congregation, embracing diversity and affirming the dignity and worth of every person, because we are all created by a loving God. www.fccej. org; welcome@fccej.org gRACE UnITED METHODIST CHURCH - 130 Maple Street, Essex Jct., 1 mile south of the Five Corners on Maple Street / Route 117. 878-8071. Worship Sundays: 9:30 a.m., with concurrent church school pre-K to grade 6. Handicapped-accessible facility. Adult choir, praise band, women’s fellowship, missionally active. Korean U.M.C. worship Sundays: 12 p.m., come explore what God might be offering you! HOLY FAMILY - ST. LAwREnCE PARISH - St. Lawrence: 158 West St., Essex Jct. 878.5331. Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m.; Sunday Morning: 8:00 a.m. Holy Family: 36 Lincoln St., Essex Jct., Sundays: 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. For more information visit www.hfslvt.org. MT. MAnSFIELD UnITARIAn UnIVERSALIST FELLOwSHIP - 195 Vermont Route 15, Jericho, the red barn across from Packard Road. 899-2558. Services are held 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from September through June. Visit www.mmuuf. org. ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH - 4 St. James Place, Essex Jct., off Rt. 2A at the Fairgrounds Gate F. 8784014. Rev. Kim Hardy. Holy Eucharist: 8:15 & 10:30 a.m. Adult study: 9:15 a.m. Visit www.stjamesvt.org; stjamesvtoffice@yahoo.com. ST. PIUS X CHURCH - 20 Jericho Road, Essex. 878-5997. Rev. Charles Ranges, pastor. Masses: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. & Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Confessions: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. or please call 878-5331 for an appointment.

photo courtesy of the national archives

"American Woolen Mills," a 1910 photograph by Lewis Hines, above, depicts child workers of Winooski in the early 20th century. Learn about Winooski's history and heritage – including how and why it was founded and who the first settlers were – at the Vermont Genealogy Library on Saturday, Feb. 25.

23 ThurSdaY Free Tax help

9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library. Free tax help for taxpayers with an annual gross income less than $60,000, with special attention given to those 60 or over. Volunteer AARP foundation certified tax preparers Tak and Dorothy Ng will help qualified patrons who make a one-hour appointment. Taxpayers should arrive 10 minutes before their appointment and bring all information and documents they have received that apply to their 2016 income taxes.

read To archie

3:15 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Archie loves to listen to kids read and is certified by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Archie’s owner is Christine Packard, chair of Brownell Library Trustees. For all ages.

auThor Talk: “chemo pilgrim”

6:30 p.m., Phoenix Books Burlington, 191 Bank St., Burlington. Join Cricket Cooper to celebrate the launch of her new book, “Chemo Pilgrim: An 18-Week Journey of Healing and Holiness.” Cooper has been an ordained Episcopal priest since 1989. Shocked by her cancer diagnosis three days before her 51st birthday, she planned a series of pilgrimages to holy sites of various traditions. $3. For more information, visit www. phoenixbooks.biz or call 448-3350.

evening Book group

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Join us as we discussion “Dead Wake” by Eric Larson. ESSEx CommuniTy PLAyErS

“STage kiSS”

7:30 p.m., Essex memorial Hall, 5 Towers Rd., Essex Jct. Essex Community Players is proud to present this quirky comedy/drama from one of modern theater’s most engaging new playwrights. Directors roya and Becky millard of montpelier bring us the unique blend of lyricism, sparkling humor and fierce intelligence that is Sarah ruhl’s “Stage Kiss.” Purchase tickets at www.essexplayers. com or at the memorial Hall box office. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for ages 55+. For more information, call 878-9109.

Brownell Library. maggie Loftus, veteran knitter, will be settled in front of the fireplace in the main reading room. She invites adult knitters and crocheters to join her with their projects and engage in conversation. Bring patterns to share if you’d like. For more information, email 6maggie2@ myfairpoint.net.

24 FridaY

vermonT radio and TechnologY Show

SongS and STorieS wiTh maTThew

ESSEx CommuniTy PLAyErS

“STage kiSS”

7:30 p.m., Essex memorial Hall, 5 Towers rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.)

25 SaTurdaY

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. rock out and read on Friday mornings with books, songs and instruments. For all ages.

8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Holiday inn Convention Center, 1068 Williston Rd., South Burlington. A gathering of hundreds of technology enthusiasts from all over Vermont, new york, New Hampshire and Quebec with interests in technology, building electronics, computer usage and more. Forums and talks will be happening throughout the morning. Confused or befuddled by your computer or phone? Stop by and ask questions!

wii Bowling aT BaYSide

weekend STorYTime

10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. matthew Witten performs songs about our world and tells adventurous tales. Funded by the Brownell Library Foundation. For all ages.

muSical STorYTime

Noon, Bayside Activity Center, 2 West Lakeshore Dr., Colchester. Join us for Wii bowling.

dungeonS and dragonS

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Embark upon imaginary adventures. A Dungeon master serves as the game’s referee and storyteller. For grades 6 and up.

maggie’S FiBer FridaY For adulTS 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.,

era, and hear stories from Winooski’s French Canadian and irish past. $5. For more information visit, www.vtgenlib. org or call 310-9285.

whole Book approach

11 a.m., Phoenix Books, 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Calling all kids! Join us for our weekly "Whole Book Approach" story time. The approach explores the ways words, pictures and book design work together to tell a complete story. The adult leads the children through the book rather than reading the book at/to them. We’ll hold story time just about every week. Want to double check on a particular date? Call us at 872-7111.

oScar parTY

7 p.m., Deborah Rawson memorial Library, 8 River Rd., Jericho. We’re going Hollywood, and we want you to join us! Trivia, ballots and prizes! Dress up as a movie character or movie star. Light refreshments will be served. Join us on the red carpet for an evening of Hollywood right here in Vermont. ESSEx CommuniTy PLAyErS

“STage kiSS”

7:30 p.m., Essex memorial Hall, 5 Towers rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.)

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs every Saturday morning.

26 SundaY

VT. GEnEALoGy LiBrAry

“STage kiSS”

winooSki’S hiSTorY and heriTage

10:30 - noon, 377 Hegeman Ave., Colchester. Discover how Winooski was founded, who first settled here and why its citizens moved to establish a separate municipality. Peruse photos from the

ESSEx CommuniTy PLAyErS

2 p.m., Essex memorial Hall, 5 Towers rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.) For today’s show, Essex residents pay only $14.

rick and The all STar ramBlerS 2 p.m., Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington. rick norcross, a long-

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •7

calendar local meeTingS THurS., Feb. 23

4 - 7 p.m., ewSd negotiations, CCSU central office, 51 Park St., Essex Jct. 6:30 p.m., Town planning commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

mon., Feb. 27

TueS., Feb. 28

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Village trustees, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

THurS., mar. 2 6 p.m., Town zoning board, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Village block party committee, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

27 monday

VermonT genealogy library

SToryTime

3 - 9:30 p.m., 377 Hegeman Ave., Fort Ethan Allen, Colchester. The Vt. Genealogy Library has the resources to help you find those elusive ancestors. For more information, visit www. vtgenlib.org.

TecH Help wiTH cliF

wii Fun

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Enjoy books, songs and crafts each week. For all ages.

Noon & 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Offering one on one technology help. Bring in your new gadget or gizmo and Clif will sit with you to help you learn its ways. Reservation required. Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

VacaTion moVie

2 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Free popcorn and drink provided!

lego club

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Build awesome creations using our collection of Legos.

28 TueSday burlingTon garden club

12:30 p.m., Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington. John and Nancy Hayden will present “Edible Landscaping for People and Pollinators.” Learn about edible plants and pollinators and their needs. Free. For more information, call 497-3273.

adulT book diScuSSion

1 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Join our afternoon book group! We read a wide range of books and have a discussion led by a library staff member. This month, we’ll be reading “Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline. Copies of the book are available for checkout.

Teen eScape room

2 & 4 p.m., Burnham Memorial Library. Escape rooms are all the rage, and we just had to get in on the fun. Get

conVerSaTionS THaT cHange How we liVe and die

7 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Dartmouth Professor Irene Kacandes draws our attention to passages from great literature and nonfiction that can help launch conversations about living and dying.

eSSex arT league monTHly meeTing “locked in” a creepy, specialized room and experience the suspense (OK, maybe) of figuring out puzzles and escaping a robot apocalypse. Sign up online at http:// colchestervt.gov/158/ Burnham-MemorialLibrary. For teens in grades 6 and up.

9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library (See Thursday, Feb. 23.)

1ST WEDNESDAy LECTURE

2 THurSday

time leader of Vermont’s premier western swing band, will perform a solo concert to benefit the Homestead. Tickets on a first come, first served basis. $20. For more information, email devino13@comcast.net or call 863-5403.

Free Tax Help

event.

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Come play Wii Sports Resort, MarioKart and others! All ages are welcome.

kniTTing group

6:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Bring in your current knitting project or start a new one in the company of fellow knitters.

1 wedneSday TecH Help wiTH cliF

Noon & 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Offering one-on-one technology help! Bring in your new gadget or gizmo and Clif will sit with you to help you learn its ways. Reservation required; please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

eSSex roTary club meeTing

12:10 p.m., The Essex, 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct. The Rotary Club of Essex offers a superb lunch, featuring speakers on topics of interest to the community at large. Visitors welcome.

game day

2:30 - 3:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Come play board games at the library. For all ages.

JoHn engelS memorial poeTry reading 4:30 p.m., St. Edmund’s Hall, Farrell Room, St. Michael’s College, 1 Winooski Park, Colchester. The annual John Engels Memorial Poetry Reading will feature a number of Engels’ colleagues and friends as they read his work. The work of this internationally known poet is kept alive each year with this

9 - 11 a.m., Essex Junction Congregational Church, 39 Main St., Essex Jct. Linda Moran will discuss toxicity in some art supplies. Then, Alison Saunders will share examples of her ceramics and the process she used to hand build ceramic vessels from clay slabs. Her unique works of art reflect her deep respect for nature.

Free communiTy Soup and bread Supper

fun day filled with music, performances, outdoor and indoor winter activities, great food and so much more. Interested in entering the chili cook off? Visit www.essex. org/parks_and_recreation for an entry form and more details. Prizes will be awarded to the top three voter favorites. Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate. Cosponsored by the Essex and Essex Jct. recreation departments. VT. GENEALOGy LIBRARy

inTro To dna TeSTing

10:30 a.m. - noon, 377 Hegeman Ave., Colchester. Whether you are new to the world of genetic genealogy or just want a refresher, this talk by Ed McGuire will be informative. He’ll discuss three types of tests and their limitations and review DNA testing companies and their products. $5. Visit www. vtgenlib.org for more information.

wHole book approacH

4:30 - 6:30 p.m., Covenant Community Church, 1 Whitcomb Ln., Essex. Stay at the church to enjoy a quick, easy and delicious meal with friends and family or pick up to take home. Choose from a variety of hearty soups and breads plus a sweet dessert. Donations are not expected but are welcome. Call Pastor Steve Anderson for more information at 879-4313.

ESSEx COMMUNITy PLAyERS

7:30 p.m., Essex Memorial Hall, 5 Towers Rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.)

3 Friday

5 Sunday

cHurcH book and bake Sale

ESSEx COMMUNITy PLAyERS

“STage kiSS”

9 a.m. - noon, Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple St., Essex Jct. For more information, call 8788071.

magic: THe gaTHering

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. Whether you know the game or are curious to find out more, come have tons of gaming fun. ESSEx COMMUNITy PLAyERS

“STage kiSS”

7:30 p.m., Essex Memorial Hall, 5 Towers Rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.)

4 SaTurday cHurcH book and bake Sale

9 a.m. - noon, Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple St., Essex Jct. For more information, call 8788071.

eSSex winTer carniVal & cHili cook oFF

10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Albert D. Lawton Middle School, 104 Maple St., Essex Jct. Join us for a

300± Repos, Trades, Donations & More! Sat., Feb. 25 @10AM (Register from 8AM)

298 J Brown Drive, Williston, VT

Lane One Special! 25-30 Trucks & SUVs in a Row!

’15 Nissan Versa Note ’13 Ford Focus ’13 United Trailer, 15x5 ’12 Ford Escape (repo) ’12 Ford Explorer ’11 Chevy Malibu ’11 Ford Fiesta

’11 Subaru Outback ’11 Toyota Camry ’10 Nissan Altima ’10 Volvo XC70 ’09 Dodge Journey ’09 GMC 1500 (repo) ’09 Subaru Legacy

’08 Chevy Cobalt ’08 Chevy HHR ’08 Dodge 1500 ’08 Ford Fusion ’08 Mercury Sable AND MORE

List Subject to Change

Thomas Hirchak Co. • THCAuction.com • 802-878-9200

“STage kiSS”

2 p.m., Essex Memorial Hall, 5 Towers Rd., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Feb. 23.) WESTFORD MUSIC SERIES

owen marSHall and baron collinS-Hill

4 - 5 p.m., UCW White Church, 1 White Church Ln., Westford. A collaboration with young Tradition Vermont brings two young rising stars within the Vermont music scene. Both musicians are known for their Irish American roots and authentic instrumentation. Free will donation. Refreshments provided. Call 879-4028 for more information.

FRIDAY

February 24th • 10am - 7pm SATURDAY

February 25th • 10am - 7pm SUNDAY

February 26th • 10am - 5pm Essex Junction, VT

18th Annual

VERMONT RV & CAMPING SHOW All Inside at the Robert E. Miller Expo Building Champlain Valley Exposition MOTOR HOMES TRAVEL TRAILERS PARK MODELS 5TH WHEELS TRUCK CAMPERS TOY HAULERS PRE-OWNED RVS & MORE!!

6 RV DEALERS! Penelope the Clown

ongoing eaSc acTiViTieS

Essex Area Senior Center, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. A full list of activities happening at the EASC can be found at www. essexvtseniors.org. All activities for ages 50+. Call 876-5087 for more information.

10am-5pm Saturday &Sunday!

GREAT SELECTION! HUGE SAVINGS! FREE PARKING • TWO BUILDINGS! Adult Admission: $7 Children 16 & Under FREE w/Adult Co-Sponsored by:

COUPON

Admission

ONLY $5.OO

with coupon Childern Under 16 FREE!

8• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

Classifieds & JOBSEEKERS Place

EMPLOYMENT

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www.ccs-vt.org Private Sale of Storage Unit Contents Skyler Edwards, last known addresses of 42 Grant Street, Apt#2 Burlington, VT 05401 has a past due balance of $365.00 owed to Champlain Valley Self Storage, LLC since December 31, 2016. To cover this debt, per our lease dated 3/17/15, the contents of unit #044 will be sold at private silent auction on March 10, 2017. Auction pre-registration required. Call 802-871-5787 for auction information.

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VILLAGE OF ESSEX JUNCTION PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 16, 2017 6:00 P.M. Final site plan review for construction of a 4-unit residential building at 1 Cherry Street Ext. in the TOD District, by Civil Engineering Associates and GardnerKilcoyne Architects, agents for Ken and Yvonne Mandeville and Nick Parent, owners. _________________________________

This DRAFT agenda may be amended. This meeting will be held in the conference room of the Essex Junction municipal building at 2 Lincoln St., Essex Junction, VT. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request to the Village, to assure that Village meetings are accessible to all individuals regardless of disability. Legal ad for 02/23/17, Essex Reporter. Any questions re: above please call Robin Pierce or Terry Hass – 878-6950

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February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •9

local

Vt. airmen to return home By MICHAELA HALNON

bout 300 airmen from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing will return home by the end of February after a three-month deployment, according to a VTANG press release. “While deployed, the Green Mountain Boys provided air-to-ground attacks to support operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria,” the release said. The Guard considered this mission, called Operation Inherent Resolve, “short-notice.” The nontechnical term generally means the assignment came less than 30-days before the send-off. Originally, officials

wouldn’t say where the group was headed, only that airmen would be in the United States Central Command area, which includes Northern Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. A press release in December later clarified the wing would be flying combat missions in Iraq and Syria. Officials would not specify the total number of local airmen deploying but confirmed at least one Essex resident would be sent on this mission. In 2014, 80 VTANG airmen called Essex or Essex Jct. home – one of the highest totals in any town in Vermont or New York. Check our upcoming issues for coverage of the VTANG homecoming.

n POLICE BRIEFS

Police looking for runaway juvenile By COLIN FLANDERS

Photo courtesy of EPD

Tatiana Vargas

believed she’s still in the Chittenden County area. Vargas was last seen wearing black boots, black leggings, a green hooded sweatshirt, a Bob Marley T-shirt and a red tank top. Police say she’s called her mother twice Friday to advise she’s OK. Anyone who locates Vargas is asked to contact police at 878-8331.

Essex police are looking for a runaway juvenile who was reported missing around 2:30 p.m. February 16, a news release said. Police say they were unable to locate 17-yearold Tatiana Vargas after she “ran away from a meeting” in Essex, the news release said. It’s

Essex Jct. woman arrested for heroin possession By COLIN FLANDERS An Essex Jct. woman was arrested in the town of Rockingham for possession of narcotics, Vermont State Police said in a

news release. Police say they stopped a vehicle on Interstate 91 around 6:15 p.m. on February 16. An investigation revealed the passenger, Tiffany Ouimet, was in

possession of heroin. The following day, police issued Ouimet a citation to appear in Windham County Superior Court – Criminal Division on March 28.

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10• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

ESSEX SENIOR CENTER

OPINION & COMMUNITY Levy works for all Three years ago when I st epped down from my position on the Essex Selectboard, I asked Essex residents to vote for Max Levy to replace me on the board. The generous members of this community did elect Max to the board, and he was consequently elected chair of the board for the ensuing three years. Max has served Essex on the selectboard for a total of nine years. He was my vice chair for four years and has done an excellent job as chair for the past three years, working diligently for the people of this community. Max has led the selectboard in

many efforts to help Essex continue as a great place to live and to raise a family. Max worked for over 20 years as an engineer at IBM and represented Essex in the Global Foundries/IBM transition. Max has had a long association with the American Red Cross, chairing the board for Vermont and the New Hampshire Upper Valley chapter. He recently started a new on-demand business and technology consulting service here in Essex, but wants to continue to give Essex the benefit of his expertise at problem solving and his intelligence in getting to the core of issues facing the town.

Kindergarten info meeting Essex Elementary School welcomes parents who have children that will be 5 years old on or before September 1 to a kindergarten information meeting. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. This meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. Parents attending the meeting will learn about the placement Critical vote on Town Meeting Day Please note the following are my opinions only and do not necessarily represent those of the other elected village trustees. As a reminder, if you live in the Village of Essex Jct., you are also town of Essex residents – yes, it’s weird and complicated but true. That means that village residents may also cast a vote in the Essex Town Meeting election for selectboard on March 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Essex High School. This will be one of the most important elections, not that they all are not important, since the suc-

Relatively few of us will ever run for office or serve in local government. Therefore, I want to express my gratitude for neighbors who stand for election, and then, if they win, prepare for and attend countless meetings, whether or not their behavior lives up to my expectations. Case in point: incumbent selectmen, who have disappointed me by not listening to or acting upon the will of the majority of their constituents. Much staff and volunteer time as well as tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars were wasted this past summer, for example, while they appeared to focus on “saving face” or getting re-elected. Instead, they might have been thinking critically and taking a public stand

5 OFF ¢

Rep. Linda Myers Essex Jct.

and registration process along with receiving student enrollment information. We kindly ask that children do not attend this parents’-only meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you may pick up enrollment information beginning on Friday, March 10. Kim Charbonneau Essex Elementary School registrar

cessful merger vote and subsequent re-vote overturning the merger in 2006. Town selectboard leadership may be impacted in ways that could hinder town and village consolidation. If you believe in thoughtful consolidation efforts between the village and town outside the village should continue, then we must vote for Andy Watts and Max Levy. Both Andy and Max are excellent thought leaders, collaborators and examples of local elected officials with whom I admire. Their record of asking tough questions, holding others accountable, and

Change the selectboard

One of Max’s most important attributes is his appreciation of, and concern for, all Essex residents, those who live in the village and those living outside the village. He is fair in his selectboard decisions, working constantly for all residents of the town of Essex. I am asking the voters of Essex consider Max’s experience, his knowledge of issues facing the town and his dedication to the community, and vote for Max Levy on March 7 so he can continue his outstanding service to the town of Essex.

commitment to all residents of the town (not just those outside of the village like other selectboard members) alone is enough to win my support. But with the potential power shift on the selectboard, should either of them lose, means we must exercise our civic duty and vote yes for both Andy Watts and Max Levy. Better yet, don’t wait until March 7; go to the town office at 81 Main St.to make sure you are registered to vote and to vote early.

against adding bureaucracy to local government. If just one of these members had joined peers who raised objections, what a powerful statement that would have made! Instead, they marginalized and ignored those who spoke for common sense and against groupthink. In the end, it was up to voters to show up at the polls in mid-December and end to this charade. I’ve concluded it’s time for more “spine” on the selectboard. Therefore, I’ll be voting forchange on March 7, even as I thank current members for their service. Please join me in supporting Mona Sheppard for selectboard. Iris Banks Essex Jct.

n my roles both as a caregiver and coordinator for the senior center, I am always interested in resources and information that can help those I serve. I recently came across an article on senior malnutrition that caught my eye and offered some helpful points to share. Malnutrition is more than just a lack of food. It’s the failure to get proper nutrition. In 2012, the American Academy of Family Physicians reported that there were 3.7 million senior citizens diagnosed with malnutrition. Two of its consequences are a weakened immune system that leads to slower healing and increased risk of infection, and muscle weakness, which increases the risk of falls and injuries. According to the Mayo Clinic, malnutrition among seniors is usually precipitated by a combination of issues including health and dental problems that can make eating difficult, or psychological stressors such as isolation or depression that contribute to loss of appetite and a lack of interest in eating. Social factors like inadequate transportation or limited income can also affect seniors’ access to food. Caregivers and those who work with seniors should be on the lookout for changes in eating habits, especially with folks having any of the issues previously listed. It’s also prudent to check with your pharmacist for drug-food interactions or side effects that could affect appetite or how the body absorbs key nutrients. One of the suggestions from the Mayo Clinic is to encourage seniors to eat with friends or at senior centers. We are very fortunate here in Essex to have community resources that offer ways to fight senior malnutrition. Our own senior center offers Wednesday luncheons for seniors from late August through the end of May each year. Typically on one or two Wednesdays each month, we are at Maple Street Park for our $2 ($3 for nonWhy Essex Needs Mona Sheppard It is refreshing to witness a candidate who is passionate about maintaining transparency in municipal decision making. Mona Sheppard is that candidate. Mona believes that all actions by the selectboard (except those which may legally take place in executive session) must be made in open meetings where public input is encouraged and facilitated by the board’s agenda and chair. It is heartening, too, to have a candidate for selectboard who has vast experience in municipal administration as a finance and human resources manager. This experience gives Mona a unique perspective on budget considerations here in Essex. While supportive of strong local services, Mona believes that all municipal departments must be evaluated with clearly established criteria for quality, and cost effectiveness. Mona demonstrates compassion for

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6:17 a.m., Traffic hazard on Pinecrest Dr. 9:20 a.m., Traffic hazard on Colchester Rd. 12:03 p.m., Animal problem on Essex Way 12:55 p.m., Animal problem on Cherokee Ave. 3:59 p.m., Theft on West St. 7:58 p.m., Suspicious on Jericho Rd.

TuESday, FEB. 14

9:24 a.m., Suspicious on Kellogg Rd. 9:29 a.m., Animal problem on Ira Allen Dr. 3:44 p.m., Suspicious on Chapin Rd. 5:51 p.m., Theft on Fuller Pl. 6:38 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St.

WEdNESday, FEB. 15

7:17 a.m., Utility problem on Towers 12:32 p.m., Animal problem on Hagan Dr. 1:21 p.m., Theft on Lost Nation Rd. 1:53 p.m., Assault on Autumn Pond Way Quality coverage at competitive rates with superior service 2:09 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. Quality coverage competitive Quality Quality rates coverage coverage with superior at at competitive competitive service rates rates with with superior superior service service Quality coverage at competitive rates superior service ...we maintain theathighest standards ofwith quality for all our clients. 2:49 p.m., Suspicious on I289 ...we maintain thethe highest ...we standards ...we maintain maintain of quality thethe highest highest for for all standards our standards clients. of of quality quality forfor allall our our clients. clients. 5:27 p.m., Citizen assist on N. Williston Rd. ...we maintain highest standards of quality all our clients. 6:27 p.m., Family fight on Carmichael Rd. Auto • Home • Commercial and Innovative • Competitive Workers Comp. Auto • Home • Commercial Auto Auto •and Home •and Home Innovative • Commercial • Commercial • Competitive and and Innovative Innovative Workers • Comp. Competitive • Competitive Workers Workers Comp. Comp. Auto • Home • Commercial Innovative • Competitive Workers Comp. 7:08 p.m., Family fight on Main St. 8:46 p.m., Burglary alarm on River Rd. 9:16 p.m., Suspicious on Rustic Dr.

ThuRSday, FEB. 16

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members) soup and sandwich meals. Area churches provide a variety of sandwiches and desserts, and the center contracts with the CTE Culinary program for delicious, nutritious soups. The third Wednesday of every month we are invited to Essex Middle School to share a meal and special program with the most wonderful students! (Tickets are required for this meal and can be purchased at the senior center.) The last Wednesday of every month brings us back to Maple Street for a potluck where everyone brings a dish to share. The center provides beverages and dessert to celebrate the birthdays of the month. At our 2 Lincoln St. site, we have a monthly soup and sandwich on the second Friday of every month where seniors bring their own sandwich and the center provides the soup and beverages. This is $1 for members and $2 for non-members. Our Perfect Blend Café is open the third Friday of every month from 9-11 a.m., where anyone in the community is welcomed to join us for a free warm beverage and baked goods. The center also has many special events throughout the year that feature meals. For more information about Essex Area Senior Center, please stop in and see us at 2 Lincoln St. at the Five Corners, or visit our website at www.essexvtseniors.org. Some other local opportunities for eating with friends and battling senior malnutrition are the weekly Essex Eats Out program, in which different churches in the community sponsor a meal on Friday nights. See www.essexeatsout.org or email essexeatsout@gmail.com for details. Age Well (formerly CVAA) offers a countywide community meals program that has numerous opportunities for seniors to get together to share a meal, including many special events with good food and entertainment. Call 662-5218 or email Pat Long at plong@agewellvt.org for more information.

the taxpayers she seeks to represent, particularly those such as retirees whose incomes are relatively fixed, yet see annual municipal budget increases far in excess of their own meager cost of living adjustments. Mona has courageously espoused a forward thinking, essentially level funded budget proposal as an alternative to the one the current board will present to voters at Town Meeting. Her idea would save taxpayers money while having minimal impact on municipal services. In summary, Mona Sheppard’s unique professional experience, her financial acumen, her commitment to transparency in local governance and her heartfelt concern for those she would represent make her an ideal candidate for the Essex Selectboard. I hope you will join me in voting for Mona on March 7. Robert Bates Essex

ESSEX pOlICE REpORTS MONday, FEB. 13

BEVERAGE & REDEMPTION

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6:52 p.m., Citizen assist on Founders Rd. 11:31 p.m., Noise disturbance on Main St.

FRIday, FEB. 17

9:15 a.m., Citizen assist on Founders Rd. 9:34 a.m., Suspicious on Founder Rd. 12:07 p.m., Suspicious on Old Stage Rd. 6:08 p.m., Suspicious on Baker St. 9:33 p.m., Alcohol offense on Old Colchester Rd. 10:22 p.m., Property damage on Park St. 10:41 p.m., Citizen dispute on Park St.

SaTuRday, FEB. 18

1:03 a.m., DUI on Park St. 6:11 a.m., Animal problem on River Rd. 7:36 a.m., Property damage on River Rd. 10:24 a.m., Animal problem on River Rd. 11:20 a.m., Traffic hazard on I289 11:40 a.m., Fraud on Woods End Dr. 1:46 p.m., Noise disturbance on Carmichael St. 6:05 p.m., Citizen assist on Weed Rd. 7:50 p.m., Juvenile problem on Rosewood Ln. 11:50 p.m., DUI on Pearl St. 11:59 p.m., Traffic offense on West St.

SuNday, FEB. 19

1:50 a.m., DUI on Maple St. 2:25 a.m., DUI on River Rd. 10:50 a.m., Citizen assist on Pinecrest Dr. 2:17 p.m., Assault on River Rd. 3:19 p.m., Citizen dispute on Towers Rd.

TICkETS ISSuEd: 17 WaRNINgS ISSuEd: 25 FIRE/EMS CallS dISpaTChEd: 53 This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range.

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •11

local

Meet the Essex Selectboard candidates

By COLIN FLANDERS

ach year, The Essex Reporter poses questions to candidates seeking elected office to better inform voters. This year, three candidates emerged for two three-year seats on the Essex Selectboard: incumbent and current chairman Max Levy, incumbent

Andy Watts • Lived in Essex for 22 years • Married to Janet, who teaches math at ADL, with three sons • Engineer at IBM and GlobalFoundries for 34 years. Has a Ph.D. in materials science and a certificate of graduate studies in economics from University of Vermont. • Served two terms on the Essex Energy Committee, 10 years on the food shelf board of trustees, former youth soccer coach and frequent classroom volunteer 1. The town manager needs to be authentic. He or she should be the same person in front of various constituencies with consistent, transparent, ethical positions. He or she should be a good manager who inspires the best from his or her staff. Assuming the town and village can agree on a common manager, he or she must be able to be the slave of two masters, balancing the needs and demands of the town selectboard and the village trustees as those two groups wrestle with ongoing consolidation efforts. 2. My approach to controversial topics would be to make every effort to provide clear facts and to rigorously follow selectboard process. Determining “facts” can be challenging. Simplification can appear to be obfuscation and “truth” can vary with perspective. Pat Scheidel has commented many times that there are 360 degrees of right. This is where the challenge lies. How do you take your “truth” and look at it from others’ vantage point? How do you turn things around and look back at yourself to under-

Andy Watts and challenger Mona Sheppard. Voters will choose two of the three on March 7, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Town voters will cast ballots at Essex Middle School, while village voters do so at Essex High School. Town residents, including those who live in the village, will also judge the town’s budget via vote March 6 at 7:30

stand how others might view what you say? I was told during the past year that something said by members the selectboard during a meeting came across as hateful. I cannot let that go without changing how I consider my comments and positions on the selectboard, and I believe the entire selectboard needs to look back at itself with the same consideration in mind. 3. I have recently started using the phrases “town inside the village” and “town outside the village” to highlight that we all live in the town. I’d like to take a closer look at how consolidation has played out in town and village tax rates to see if we are getting the intended result. For example, there are a couple of cases where costs are split evenly between the town and village and I have started questioning why since, in those cases, the village pays their half and then also pays about half of the town’s half. So, village taxpayers actually pay about three-quarters of the cost. The equity of this split needs to be reconsidered. Over the past two years, the town municipal net tax rate has increased 1.7 cents while, for a village taxpayer, the net municipal rate has increased 4.2 cents. This appears to be going in the wrong direction given the goals of consolidation and needs to be looked at.

Mona Sheppard • Essex resident for 17 years with husband, John • Graduate of California State University, San Bernardino • Hold insurance designation as an associate in risk management • Brownie and Girl Scout

leader, active in school activities as a frequent chaperone, in the PTO and helped Little League • 40-plus years in both private industry and municipal government, focused on finance and management. Past seven years: director and human resources manager for town of Underhill • Worked with FEMA and state officials to administer over $300,000 in disaster relief funds and a hazard mitigation grant of nearly $400,000 • Past member of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, served as volunteer treasurer of a townhome association and current member of several professional associations. 1. Of primary importance is someone who cherishes open government and transparency, is of the highest ethical character, encourages community participation and will mentor town employees with respect and professionalism. The town manager must have a strong financial and analytical background and possess the ability to propose cost savings and efficiencies at all levels. She or he will need strong negotiation skills, present a strategy for economic development, guide the town through organizational changes and revitalize the Essex brand. The current municipal manager, Pat Scheidel, has offered many years and numerous hours to the town and we greatly appreciate his contributions getting us to this point. Hiring a new town manager is the most important task of the next selectboard. This is an exciting period for the town and bringing in someone with new perspective will move us forward as a community. 2. Our town and village recreation and parks departments are cherished treasures of our shared community. We all feel passionately about them. A resident recently told me that the recreation issue seemed like a solution looking for a problem. The selectboard could have done a better job at listening. Instead there were complaints of

p.m. in the high school auditorium. We asked the candidates the following: The board will be hiring a new town manager within your term. What skills and qualities are necessary for the town’s new leader? Last year's recreation proposal invoked passionate albeit divided responses before it ultimately failed.

1 2

bullying, talking down to people and a general lack of respect for the people we serve. We need to be better at building consensus, which takes time and trust because it’s more participatory and inclusive. When we ask residents to attend meetings, we need to listen to them and realize we all have the same goal – to retain our character while exploring new avenues for savings to all taxpayers. We need to promote an open, transparent government model, which includes respect for all stakeholders and the ability to have an open mind to fully explore strategies, costs and the effects of outcomes on everyone. 3. I bring an ability to listen to all constituents’ needs, creatively imagine productive results, and collaboratively work with other selectboard members to provide win-win results for all residents. No matter where you live in town, we are all town residents. I hope we can get past the divisive language that labels us as “inside the village” or “outside the village.” I believe that changing the language helps remind us we are one community and, as in any community, not everyone has the same needs or challenges. It is the duty of the town government to solve challenges respecting all views

If elected, how would you approach controversial topics, using the recreation debate as a lesson? As selectboard members, you’re representatives of both those who live inside the village and in the town outside the village. How would you balance the needs of these two constituencies when they might not always align?

for work in semiconductor industry. • Started own innovative engineering company in Essex. • Nine-year selectman. Also serve on joint stormwater coordinating committee and as an alternate for the Chittenden Solid Waste District. • Recipient of U.S. President’s volunteer service award and graduate of the Leadership Champlain program. • Member of Essex Rotary, volunteer at the local Heavenly Pantry Food Bank, served as chairman of the Vermont and New Hampshire Upper Valley Red Cross Board of Directors. 1. I'd look for someone whose record demonstrates clear competency in finances, collaboration, economic development and operational results in a community similar to Essex. A creative manager with interpersonal skills who’s energized by the challenges of our community is essential for our sustainable future. It’s not a 9-5 job. An effective manager must be an active listener, enjoy public engagement and be capable of communicating effectively with governmental agencies, nongovernmental agencies and the Essex community at large. The challenges posed by social media and demands for transparency should be viewed as opportunities for positive public dialogue that can build trust in local government. 2. As the selectboard’s representative on the Recreation Governance Study Committee, I learned we needed to do a better job communicating with the public what the committee was charged with by the selectboard and village trustees, including a list of possible outcomes under

consideration. The committee warned all its meetings throughout the town and had good attendance. But that lulled us into assuming the broader community was aware of what we were doing, which they were not. When the study committee concluded that a recreation district was the best consolidation model, and recommended it to the elected boards, I think people were caught off guard. That's the critical lesson with any new effort: identify possible outcomes that might be controversial, and develop a two-way civic engagement protocol with the public so no one feels surprised or blindsided when recommendations are presented. 3. As a community leader, I attempt to use my voice to encourage residents, both inside and outside the village, to have empathy for each other. I seek to help people understand why their neighbors on the other side of the village-town line might see things differently. That's the first step to finding the common ground needed to solve any differences. Aligning the consolidation of the town and village services is an example of balancing and aligning the needs of different constituencies to ensure a sustainable future. My leadership skill is to bring all our constituents together in the face of controversy and help move beyond an “us vs. them” mindset. This year, residents who aren’t yet registered to vote may do so any day up to and including the election. Registration is available at the town clerk’s office or online at the secretary of state’s website: www.olvr. sec.state.vt.us.

Max Levy • Essex resident for 29 years. • Married to Alison, a sixth-grade teacher at Essex Middle School, with four children who attended Essex schools. • Retired senior engineer at IBM for 29 years. Hold many patents and awards

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12• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

The natural gifts of camp By RiChARD LOUV

very summer when i was in junior high and high school, my buddy Pete Sebring would disappear for a few weeks to a camp in the mountains west of Colorado Springs. i resented it. For me, those humid July weeks back in Kansas dragged, and then Pete would come home telling tales of adventure — as if he had been to some alpine Oz. As it turns out, that camp shaped Pete in ways neither of us realized at the time. he credits his summers in Colorado with giving him a foundation for success and longevity — more than three decades — as a teacher. "The camp encouraged me to invent activities, such as pioneering, survival hikes and overnights, and identifying native plants of central Colorado," he says. "Once while picking ground plums, which tasted like raw green beans, we uncovered an ancient hunting site full

of arrowheads, charcoal, and flint chips. i also encountered brown bears, coyotes, pumas and wolves — one white and one black. Only the kids with me believed me." i was one of those who didn't believe Pete had encountered wolves. This morning, i checked the history: The Colorado Department of Resources reports that, while wolves were, by official measure, eradicated in the 1930s, "there have been sporadic reports of wolves in Colorado over the decades" — none confirmed. They may have been wolf-hybrids or dogs or, just maybe, wolves. "Their night howls were long, sonorous and unnerving," Pete recalls. One more reason i wished i could have gone to summer camp with him. Still, during those years, i had my own adventures — a free-range childhood spent fishing and chasing snakes and building forts in the woods. Those experiences shaped my life every bit as much as Pete's time at camp shaped his. Today, too few children and young people have either experience — freerange or camp. in my book, "Last Child in the Woods," i describe how young people can likely tell you about the Amazon rainforest, but they'll likely be hard pressed to describe the last time they explored the woods in solitude or lay in a

field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move. Nature is becoming an abstraction, something to watch on the flip-down TV screen from the back seat of a minivan. in 2005, "Generation M: Media in the Lives of Eight- to Eighteen-Year-Olds," conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, revealed that children are plugged into some kind of electronic medium an average of five-and-a-half hours a day, "the equivalent of a full-time job, and more time than they spend doing anything else besides sleeping." One reason kids aren't going outside as much is parental fear. News and entertainment media have conditioned us to believe that life outside the front door is far more dangerous than it actually is, at least from stranger-danger. Nonetheless, this fear is unlikely to go away, which is one of the reasons parents are likely to value camps even more in the future than they do today. Risk is always a part of life, but camps can offer parents the reassurance their children will be safe as they receive the gifts of nature. The physical benefits are obvious; others are more subtle but no less important. For example, research shows that nature experiences significantly reduce children's stress. Free play in natural areas enhances children's cognitive flexibil-

ity, problem-solving ability, creativity, self-esteem and self-discipline. Effects of attention deficit disorder are reduced when children have regular access to the outdoors. Studies of outdoor-education programs geared toward troubled youth — especially those diagnosed with mental health problems — show a clear therapeutic value. Children are simply happier and healthier when they have frequent and varied opportunities for experiences in the outdoors. Nature-oriented camps also help care for the health of the earth; many studies show that nature play in childhood is the chief determining factor in the environmental consciousness of adults. Clearly, there's more to camp than s'mores. Pete could have told us that. in fact, he did. Richard Louv is the author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" and chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org). Originally published in the March 2014 Camp e-News. Reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association.©2014 American Camping Association, Inc.

Fly fishing summer camp for teens announced

ermont Trout Unlimited has announced the seventh year of its fly fishing camp for Vermont teens ages 13 to 16. Teens interested in either learning the art of fly-fishing or improving their basic skill level alongside some of Vermont’s most accomplished

fly anglers are invited to apply. The camp is scheduled for Sunday, June 25 through Thursday, June 29 at Jackson’s Lodge in Canaan. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Commissioner Louis Porter supports TU’s educational efforts. “TU’s Fly Fishing Camp for Teens is an in-

credible program dedicated to educating our next generation of fly fishermen and women to help ensure that our precious cold water fisheries here in Vermont will be taken care of well into the future,” Porter said. Participants in the five-day, four-night comprehensive program will learn and practice casting,

basic fly tying, knot craft, insect identification and imitation (entomology), fish identification and behavior (ichthyology), safe wading techniques, angling ethics and coldwater conservation. Campers will hone their skills on local lakes, ponds and streams, including the Connecticut River. Our host, Jackson’s Lodge, is located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom on Wallace Pond

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protection and restoration of North America’s coldwater fisheries and watersheds. For complete information about the TU Fly Fishing Camp, an application form and many videos of the camp, go to www. vermonttroutcamp.com or email Kurt Budliger, camp director, at vermonttroutcamp@gmail.com, or call 223-4022.

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and is a short five-minute drive from the Connecticut River. Prospective campers are encouraged to apply no later than April 15, 2017 to secure a spot for this year’s program. The cost for the five-day camp is $450. Scholarships may be available on an “asneeded” basis. Trout Unlimited is a non-profit organization that has dedicated over 50 years to the conservation,

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February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •13

2016 7 SUMMER CAMP DIRECTORY

SummerFun!

Get ready for summer camp season

ummer camp season is just around the corner. Each summer, millions of children depart for campsites around the country to swim, hike, craft and enjoy the companionship of friends. Summer camps in North America were first established in the 1880s and were attended by children without their parents for overnight stays. By the 20th century, summer camps had become an international phenomenon, and various organizations hosted traditional summer camps or camps geared toward religion, sports, music and other activities. According to the American Camp Association, each year more than 14 million children and adults in the U.S. attend camp. America is home to more than 14,000 day and resident camps (8,400 are overnight camps and 5,600 are day camps). Nonprofit groups are the largest sponsors of summer camps. Many people put off summer camp planning until it's too late. Parents should keep in mind that camps begin registration early in the year and have specific cut-off dates for enrollment. Parents who want to beat the crowds this year can use this guide to help plan a summer camp agenda.

· Attend an orienta- camp may present. Sumtion seminar. Take the mer camp activities may time to visit prospective camps for a tour, and use this open house as an opportunity to learn more about the programs offered. If available, find a camp employee to discuss your child's eligibility for enrollment. Some camps may offer webinars for convenience.

· Fill out the enrollment package completely. Each camp has their own requirements for registration. Expect to submit some personal information, including a medical background and proof of insurance, names and numbers of emergency contacts and any other pertinent information as it applies to the camper. This may include allergies, fears, physical or mental disabilities or even preferences in camp courses.

· Establish ment schedules.

pay-

Summer camps vary in price. The ACA says camp costs range from $100 to more than $1,500 per week. However, many accredited camps offer some sort of financial assistance for children from families with limited financial means. If cost is a factor, be sure to broach the subject.

be rigorous, and campers may need to be cleared by a physician before starting. Be sure to schedule your child a physical and bring along any pertinent forms. Children also can increase their levels of physical activity compared to the often sedentary nature of winter. Such preparation can prevent injuries when engaging in outdoor and physical activities.

· Shop for supplies.

Camps are likely to provide a list of requirements with regard to clothing and other equipment campers will need. Make sure kids have enough shorts, T-shirts, socks, athletic shoes, swimsuits, toiletries and other camp necessities before they leave.

Stock photo Start gearing up now for summer camp plans to guarantee kids attend the camps they prefer.

· Keep children in the loop. Engage children in

the planning process to help alleviate their fears and get them excited about summer camp.

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14• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

school CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY, ESSEX

ESSEX HIGH SCHOOL

Vermont counselor of the year: At the EHS faculty meeting on February 7, a representative from the Vermont School Counselor Association presented EHS school counselor Jon Moore with the John M. Cawley Vermont Outstanding School Counselor of the Year award. The award surprised Moore, who greatly deserves this recognition. Recipients of this award showcase distinguished contributions to school counseling. The award acknowledges and honors those instrumental in bringing outstanding innovation’s to the development of counseling in Vermont youth. Bridge concert: On February 1, the Essex bands program invited incoming eighth-grade students from ADL, EMS and Westford to perform with high school students in concert to help bridge the gap between middle school and high school. Career Talks: On February 8,

EHS welcomed two experts in forensic fields to speak during our Career Talks series. We had the director of the VT Forensics Lab, Trisha Conti and Computer & Digital Forensics program instructor from Champlain College, Jon Rajewski. Many students enjoyed their joint presentation and asked several questions. March Career Talks are March 14 with Erin Forbes from Mountain View Animal Hospital and March 22 with Beth Cross from Bow Meow, pet grooming school. Each of these presentations are during flex block (10:50-11:20 a.m.). All EHS/CTE students are encouraged to sign up to attend. EHS/CTE career center helping local employers with summer hiring needs: Are you looking to hire high school students for summer positions? If so, the EHS/CTE career center can help. If you would like your business represented at our April 20 summer hiring fair for

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all EHS and CTE students, please contact Sarah Knight at sknight@ ccsuvt.org or Pam Hemingway at phemingway@ccsuvt.org. All you need to provide are your applications and job descriptions. Students looking for summer work will attend our fair to fill out applications. We will help the students fill out applications or navigate your online forms. We look forward to working with you. School calendar notes: Winter break for EHS is February 27 through Tuesday, March 7. Classes resume on March 8 with a "B" day schedule. Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for March 23 from 3-8:30 p.m.

Courtesy photo Essex middle and high-schoolers perform at their bridge concert on February 7.

TE dental assisting students attend dental convention: The Dental Assisting program students recently took a class trip to Yankee Dental Congress in Boston. The Yankee Dental Congress is New England’s largest meeting for professionals seeking the best continuing dental education, as well as dental products, services and resources. With nearly 27,500 dental professionals in attendance from around the U.S., Yankee Dental Congress is the fifth-largest dental meeting in the country. Held in Boston each January, Yankee is the best source in New England for industry professionals on the cutting-edge of oral health care. The dental assisting students fundraised diligently for transportation expenses to the event. There were no additional costs to attend because the Massachusetts Dental Society generously allows students to attend

at no charge. This trip was the student's first opportunity to attend a professional event and interact with dental supply vendors and dental professionals. This year’s attendance will hopefully be the first of many trips for the students as they begin their career in dentistry. Many area dental practices attend to take advantage of quality continuing education opportunities and to network with other professionals. The dental assisting program at CTE, Essex is a technical center program enrolling Vermont high school juniors, seniors and adults students. We are currently accepting applications for the 2017-18 school year. For more information, please visit the CTE web page at http:// cte.ccsuvt.org/ and also visit the dental assisting program Facebook page by searching "CTE Dental Assisting." Make sure to “like” us.

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Courtesy photo Two EMS students help finish the design and build of a wooden supply cart for the STEM program.

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programs. Working with design and technology education teacher, Dan Airoldi, the seventh grade students incorporated design and engineering concepts and best practices as outlined in the ETSD DTE Standards. The students also applied math and measurement skills in developing and constructing the cart. They evaluated original design illustrations, sketched up a design for a mobile cart while considering size, scale and materials for manufacturing the project. They planned a sequence of steps, evaluated their procedures and revised their project plans as the assignment moved along in its design and manufacturing phases. For many students, it was the first time working with the materials, tools and equipment available in the DTE workspace. Six weeks later, the carts are sanded and finished, ready for delivery to the other schools. This was a great STEM project and collaboration between schools. FMS & EES will each get a supply cart on castors to carry STEM tools and materials. Dan Airoldi and his seventh graders did an amazing job.

February 23, 2017 • The Essex Reporter •15

sports

ANOTHER ONE Essex gymnasts capture 12th-straight

By COLIN FLANDERS

nother one for the rafters. While cruising to a undefeated 8-0 record this season, Essex saved the best for last, capturing its 12th-straight state championship last weekend en route to its higest score of the season, 144.25. CVU kept it close, racking up 139.78 points, but was no match for the powerhouse Hornets, who also boasted the top two individual scorers. In fact, Essex senior Allison Green defended her 2016 individual championship by besting teammate Abigail Gehsmann, 36.755 to 36.65 — just over one tenth of a point. Lindsey Gleason followed up in fifth at 34.7. The Hornets jumped out to an early lead as Green won the vault

with a score of 8.85. Kylie Svarczkopf and Gehsmann placed in third and sixth, respectively. Gehsmann then bounced back to take first in the bars after a nearly flawless routine, scoring 9.675. Other notable finishes include Mya Dusablon's third in the bars and Svarczkopf's third on the beam. The win not only adds to Essex's historic run, but marks the 25th state title for the gymnastics squad. "It's been a privilege to coach this incredible group," head coach Ashley Godin said. "Their talent is obvious, but they truly defined teamwork this year and overcame any adversity they faced together. They became a family, and we couldn't be more proud of that. This was a season to remember."

SPORT SHORTS

by JOE GONILLO

an you feel vacation coming? Two more state championships in the book, and the regular season ends this week for other sports. The ADL Tourney is underway with semis and finals up next. Spring training is in full swing in sunny Florida. I’ll bet it will be nice to have some days off — even the snow may be on break! Congratulations to our state championship gymnastics team! The girls won their 12th-straight state title last Saturday by scoring a season high 144.125 to CVU’s 139.78. SB hung in with 131.9, followed by St. J. Defending her 2016 title, Allison Green was the all-around individual champ, scoring 36.755 points to edge teammate Abigail Gehsmann’s 36.65. For you non-math majors, that’s a difference of 0.105, or an eyelash! What a day! Coaches Neary and Krug, both former Hornet gymnasts, did a super job with the team yet again. Excellent job ladies. The cheerleaders finished second in

Photos by KYLE ST. PETER Clockwise from top: 1) The Essex gymnastics team poses with its trophy after winning its 12th-straight state title. 2) Senior captain Lindsey Gleason takes flight in her floor routine. 3) Junior Anna Charland drops in on her bar routine.

their state finals to Rutland last week. The wrestlers will be competing in states this week, beginning Friday afternoon and concluding Saturday at Vergennes H.S. Take the short trip down Route 7 or shortcut it through Hinesburg and Monkton to support the team. Last Saturday, the JVs wrestled in their state meet. Essex finished in sixth place with the following athletes placing: Michael Barnett (third, 138 pounds), David Raymond (fifth, 160 pounds), Dagan Thompson (second, 170 pounds) and Hayden Beattie (fourth, 220 pounds). Nice job to all. No worries on the ice for the girls hockey team as it’s now 13-2-2 and the No. 1 seed in D-I. They skated to a scoreless tie with No. 2 Rutland last weekend as goalkeeper Lindsay Hallowell smothered 23 shots. Essex plays two road games this week as the regular season ends against Middlebury and St. Albans. The Hornet boys’ hockey team is 11-6 after a win this week, drilling CHS 6-3 last Saturday. They may have moved up a notch to the No. 3 spot in D-I and play Woodstock (snow-day reschedule), Rutland and No. 2 BFA before the playoffs. The boys basketball team (6-12) fell to SHS by a mere three points then romped NCUHS 68-50. In the latter, TJ Reed led the Hornets with 14. Their regular season ends with road games against CHS and MMU. The JVs have won seven of their last eight and now stand 13-5. They defeated SHS 58-44 as Anthony DeCarv-

alho had 18 points. A 61-33 win over the Falcons followed. Our girls basketball team was 1-1 again last week and owns a 9-7 record. With four games remaining, Essex is ninth in D-I, but that can change with a few key victories. St. J edged the Hornets 38-32 last week before Essex blitzed BHS 53-32. Emmalee Smith dropped 20 on the ‘Horses. Sharp shooting from the free throw line helped tremendously. The team has held seven of its last 10 opponents to less than 40 points. That’s why you don’t count them out. The JVs continued their outstanding 15-1 season with wins over St. J 25-24 and BHS 44-33. Both teams hit I-89 this week to play SHS and BFA. This team is loaded with talent. The JV B-squad finished the winter with six straight wins. They played to a record of 13-4 as Coach Alissa Giroux and company beat Mt. Abe 42-37. This is a talented, athletic group of girls who have a bright basketball future. Bowling’s Senior Day went well last Saturday for its last match of the year. The four seniors recognized were Brian Cookingham, Sabrina Liguori, Emily Moehn and Parker Ryan. The Hornets finished third. This Saturday is the individual state championships at Champlain Lanes in SB at noon. The top 32 bowlers in the state qualified. Essex has four competing: Alex Prim, Reese Meunier, Brian Cookingham and Ryan Parker. The team state championships at

Twin City Lanes in Barre are on March 4, also at noon. Essex finished in sixth place for the season and will face No. 3 Springfield in their first round match. The Nordic skiers have part one of their state championship Friday with a classic race at Rickert. The championships conclude Monday at Craftsbury. The UVM men’s basketball team is 24-5, 14-0 in league play, and own a school record 16-game winning streak. Their RPI rating is 51! Two home games left versus Albany and Stony Brook. The 47th Annual Albert D. Lawton Invitational Basketball Tournament will play its championship games on Saturday. Get your tickets earlier as the place will be mobbed. If anyone is interested in working at Essex High School track and field meets this spring, please send me an email so I can have you view a Google Doc of the schedule. Condolences to family, friends and fans of Warren Frost of Middlebury, who passed last Friday at home. The actor worked on “Dragnet,” “Matlock” and “Twin Peaks,” but he will be most remembered for his role on “Seinfeld” as Mr. Ross, the almost father-in-law of George Costanza. Happy birthday to town rec director Ally Vile, Jill Shumway, Steve Hennessey, Jane Tessitore, Lindsay Johnson, Julie Marie Griffiths, Kristine Fleming, Dave Peacock, Trevor Yandow and Dayna Davis.

16• The Essex Reporter • February 23, 2017

food

Foods that pack a nutritious punch

healthy diet is essential to longterm health. When coupled with routine exercise, healthy diets can be an effective way to reduce their risk of contracting a variety of diseases, not to mention the positive impact a healthy lifestyle can have on an individual’s quality of life. The following are a handful of easily found foods that pack a nutritious punch.

• Whole wheat and multigrain pasta: Once difficult

find,

these

low-calorie alternatives to traditional pastas are now available in many large chain grocery stores as well as organic marketplaces. A typical twoounce serving of whole wheat or multigrain pasta typically includes about seven grams of protein and six grams of fiber.

• Nonfat Greek yogurt: Nonfat Greek yogurt is a great low-calorie source of protein, making it a good option for people who want a snack that can boost their afternoon energy levels without compromising their waistlines.

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Time: 6 PM – 8 PM Location: LaQuinta Inn 813 Fairfax Rd, St. Albans

Single serving containers of Greek yogurt tend to be right around six ounces, and that six ounces can include 120 grams of protein or more.

• Russet potatoes: If baked potatoes are a side dish you typically only enjoy in restaurants, you might want to consider eating more of them at home. One medium-sized Russet potato is roughly 170 calories and includes three grams of fiber, five grams of protein and 25 percent of your daily-recommended dosage of potassium. Russet potatoes also are high in vitamin C and iron. • Fresh spinach: Popeye was on to something, as a four-cup serving of fresh bagged spinach is just 20 calories and loaded with vitamins and nutrients. Just one serving of fresh bagged spinach can provide 160 percent of the recommended daily value

of vitamin A and 40 percent of the daily value of vitamin C. Spinach is also a great source of folic acid, which can help prevent heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer.

• Dried lentils: Dried len-

tils make great additions to salads, soups and stews and pack a nutritious punch despite their relatively small serving size. A single serving of dried lentils is 1/4 cup and includes 10 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber.

• Brown rice: A single 1/4-cup serving of brown rice has roughly 20 less calories than a similar serving of traditional white rice, and brown rice is also a greater source of dietary fiber (1.8 grams) than white rice (0.4 grams). Rich in selenium, brown rice can reduce a person’s risk of developing arthritis, certain cancers and heart disease.

Stock photo One serving of spinach can provide 160 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin A.

Thursday,February 16th

Time: 2 PM – 4 PM Location: Unsworth LaPlante PLC 26 Railroad Ave., Essex Jct.

Tuesday, February 28th

Time: 2 PM – 4 PM Location: Unsworth LaPlante PLC 26 Railroad Ave., Essex Jct.

To reserve your seat, call 879-7133 or register online at unsworthlaplante.com

26 Railroad Ave. / Essex Jct., VT (802) 879-7133 / unsworthlaplante.com

Kids eat FREE on Mondays! limit one per adult entree

Have a recipe to share? Send it to us! news@essexreporter.com

Can You Bring In Our Most Wanted?

KITCHEN CABINETS

APPLIANC

USED CARS

DRESSER

& TRUCKS

Our remodeling’s on target so don’t lose hope Before you know it we’ll be shiny and new We’re doing our best and it’s all for you!

G r e e n M o u nt a i n

528 Essex Rd. (Rt. 2A) • Williston • 857-5296 • vermonthabitat.org Open to the Public Mon. - Fri. 10 - 6 & Sat. 10 - 5 Revenue from donations and purchases support local, affordable home building. authentic mexican cuisine

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH & DINNER 4 Park Street • Essex • 802.662.4334 169 Church St. • Burlington • 802.540.3095 • www.ElGatoCantina.com

FREE PICK UP • TAX DEDUCTIBLE

SMOKEHOUSE SALE THE20%BESTOFFPRICES OF THE YEAR! UP TO

ALL THE FAVORITES. STOCK UP FOR WINTER!

Instore Only, offers valid through 2/25/17 only

Pet of the Week BABY

11 year old Spayed Female

HURRY,

Reason here: My owner could no longer care for me

FINAL DAYS!

SUMMARY: Looks like we put Baby in the corner…the corner office that is! Meet Baby! This shy but sweet gal is looking for a home that will give her some extra time to settle in and feel comfortable with her new family. Described as playful and friendly in her previous home, Baby is searching for a special home to give her a second chance. Baby has found shelter life to be more stressful than our other feline companions and change can be hard; will you be the one to make it a little easier? Come meet Baby today! Instore Only, offers valid through 2/25/17 only

My thoughts on: Cats: I ived with cats in my previous home and may do well with another.

RIBS • CABOT CHEDDAR • PULLED PORK • BACON • SYRUP

Dogs: I have no known experience with dogs.

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135

While you might find soup where there used to be soap

100 Dorset St. in S. Burlington 802-658-9560 (Next to Barnes & Noble, Exit 14E off I89)

Route 7 in Ferrisburgh 802-425-3971 (9.5 miles south of the Shelburne Museum)

www.DAKINFARM.com

21A Essex Way, Essex Jct. 802-878-0274 www.Hannaford.com