Williston Observer 11/10/2022

Williston’s women Dems shine

Brady, Arsenault, Lyons, Clark and George secure elected office

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Williston will send two wom en to the Statehouse after oneterm incumbent Erin Brady and first-time candidate Angela Arse nault won the town’s two House of Representatives seats in Tuesday’s General Election.

Their wins complete a transi tion from retired Reps. Jim Mc Cullough and Terry Macaig, who held the seats for 20 and 12 years, respectively, to younger Demo crats. Brady and Arsenault beat out Republican challengers Bruce Roy and Tony O’Rourke for the

seats by a roughly 2-to-1 margin.

“I am tremendously hope ful and excited about the work ahead,” said Brady, who received 3,335 votes. “Our caucus will be focused on policies that support families, working Vermonters and the most vulnerable in our com munities.”

Brady pledged to ensure con tinued state support for universal school meals, an issue she took a leadership role in on the House Education Committee.

“I also want to thank Tony and Bruce for their hard work and taking the time to run for office,” Brady continued. “It is important

to have multiple perspectives and voices in our democratic process.”

Arsenault, who received 2,972 votes, expressed thanks Wednes day for the support of her family and friends and gratitude to Wil liston voters.

“I hold this responsibility

close to my heart,” she said of representing the town in the State house. “I promise to lead with cu riosity, ever mindful of all that I don’t yet know, and look to each of you to share your wisdom and experience to inform my work in the Legislature.”

A total of 5,752 Williston vot ers cast ballots, either on Election Day at the National Guard Ar mory next to Town Hall or by mail or dropbox in recent weeks. That amounts to a roughly 66 percent turnout, according to the Vermont

School budget can’t handle central office move

Administrators abandon plan to relocate to Williston

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

The Champlain Valley School District central office is staying put in Shelburne.

School administrators have abandoned a plan to move into a larger space in Williston af ter members of the school board balked at the $188,000 estimat ed increased annual rent and

$100,000 in up-front remodeling costs.

“That’s exciting news,” board member Meghan Metzler said Tuesday during a meeting of the board’s finance subcommittee. “I think that’s the right decision.”

Administrators had hoped to begin renovations of the new space — in an office building on Hurricane Lane — this winter and move in the spring. In October, they empaneled a committee to facilitate the move. But this week, after hearing opposition from board members and running a first

draft of the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, the work of the committee was suspended.

“We didn’t feel we could com mit the additional funds to the budget, because it’s pretty loaded already,” said district Chief Oper ating Officer Gary Marckres.

Indeed, a first look at the annu al school budget that voters will be asked to approve at Town Meeting Day in March shows a spending increase of $7.7 million (8.6 per cent) over the current year budget. At roughly $97 million, the draft is already $1 million over the

board’s spending target.

Increases in salaries, health insurance, liability insurance and energy costs all contribute to the spending increase, Marckres said. Administrators plan to chip away at the increase to bring the budget in line with the board’s preferred $96 million limit.

“We are cognizant of the target,” Marckres said. “I know there are some adjustments we need to make.”

Any projection on the prop erty tax impact of the spending increase would be premature, he said, because upcoming fiscal

Suede, Slip Resistant & Supportive

Women’s Addiction Walker

year revenue has not yet been pro jected.

Meanwhile, the school district plans to re-up its lease for the space at the Shelburne town of fices, where its central office has been located for the past 20 years.

“They are thrilled to have us because this place would prob ably not rent out and that would be a big hit to the Shelburne town budget,” school district consultant Jeanne Jensen said during the fi nance committee meeting, which took place in the central office conference room.

A total of 66 percent of Williston’s registered voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s General Election, either by mail earlier or on Election Day, above, at the Vermont National Guard Armory on Williston Road. O BSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Williston

Adams Farm Market

Belle’s Café

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

Fairfield Inn

Gardener’s Supply

Green Mountain Bagel

Hannaford

Healthy Living Williston

Home2Suites

Korner Kwik Stop

Marriott Courtyard

Men At Wok

People’s United Bank

Ramunto’s

Rehab Gym

Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd)

Simon’s Mobil Williston

Simply Divine Café

Sonesta

Sunoco Station

Town of Williston Offices

UPS Store

Williston Coffee Shop

Rick@WillistonObserver.com

Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety

Hannaford (at Essex Shoppes) Inn at Essex

Mac’s Market

Martone’s Deli Price Chopper

Quality Bake Shop River Road Beverage

Richmond

PROPERTY TRANSFERS - OCTOBER 2022

• Dhan Khadka bought a home on Lamplite Lane from Laura Lahue, Trustee of the Lahue Living Trust for $455,000.

• Ronald Johnson bought a home on Hanon Drive from Amer Ahmen for $720,000.

• Brian Curtis bought a home on 2 acres on Highlands Avenue from Kenneth Palm for $1.375 million.

• Glenn Card bought 10 acres of open land on Old Creamery Road from the Boutin Family Trust for $45,000.

• Scott Allaire bought a home on St. George Road from Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas for $234,219.

• The Luc Labrie Trust bought a condominium on Hideaway Lane from Gail Lawson for $253,000.

• Dana Pontbriand bought a home on Chloe Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $879,800.

• Lawrence Andrew Steven Michael bought a condominium on Commons Road from John Moran for $424,900.

• Williams Dasilva bought a home

on McMullen Lane from Marc Heilemann for $705,000.

• Anju Jesudason bought a con dominium on Holland Lane from Joseph Smith for $415,000.

• Dianna Michele Waggoner bought a mobile home on Porter wood Drive from Nicholas Lep ere for $205,000.

• The Town of Williston bought a mobile home on Williston Road from Thomas Tatro for $5,520.63.

• Mark McElroy bought a home on 4 acres on Windridge Road from Jacob Glaser for $1.179 mil lion.

• Jordan Adair bought a home on South Brownell Road from Lou ise Plouffe for $327,000.

• Maya Teeple bought a condo minium on Meadow Run Road from Althea McGinley for $410,000.

• Cassidy Canzani bought a home on Sunrise Drive from Michele Elmore for $500,000.

• John Bodnar bought a home on 2 acres on East Hill Road from Na than Palmer for $460,000.

• Ian Barr bought a home on Hick

ory Hill Road from Eric Shepard for $405,000.

• Jason Adams and Josilyn Adams bought a home on 18 acres on Hanon Drive from Adams Real Properties for $899,000.

• Gary Zigmann bought a home on Winslow Lane from Brian Curtis for $629,900.

• Benoit Belley bought a home on Hanon Drive from Nancy Bartoo for $975,000.

• Tyler Seeholzer bought a home on Chloe Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $843,525.29.

• Andrea Martin bought a condo minium on Kadence Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $436,732.07.

• Joann Lawrence bought a mo bile home on Stonehill Drive from Andrew Martin for $163,500.

Property Transfers sponsored by

Essex Junction

Firefighters called to rogue backyard fire

A backyard fire pit on South Brownell Road was consumed by an out-of-control fire Friday, before Williston firefighters arrived to extinguish it. A citizen called the fire station to report the fire.

The Williston Fire Department said in a news release that the homeowner had a fire permit, but was found to be burning material that was not within the scope of the permit. The homeowner attempted to extinguish the fire, but their garden hose could not reach it.

After extinguishing the fire, firefighters remained on scene to educate the homeowner on fire permit guidelines. Fire permits, as well as fire permit regulations, can be found online at www.willistonfire. com.

“Firefighters were thankful for the concerned citizen who called,” Capt. Prescott Nadeau of the Williston Fire Department wrote in a news release. “The timing of their phone call allowed for a timely response to the scene just as the fire was getting out of control. With the dry conditions and wind gusts, the fire had potential to travel into neighboring yards and homes.”

Church organizes turkey dinner food drive, Christmas Bazaar

The Williston Federated Church is seeking the community’s help to make Thanksgiving a joyful event for local families.

A food drop-off will be held Nov. 12 at the Wil liston Federated Church parking lot, 44 North Wil liston Rd. between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Food items for a Thanksgiving meal are sought, plus staples to sup plement families’ needs during the upcoming school break.

Items of need include: potatoes, canned vegeta bles, Jiffy pie crust mix, pie filling, evaporated milk, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, as well as a $20 (al cohol and tobacco free) gift card from Hannaford for the purchase of a turkey.

Additional food items needed are: peanut butter, cereal, pasta sauce, canned fruit and granola bars. Excess food will be donated to the Williston Com munity Food Shelf.

Next weekend, the church hosts its annual Christ mas Bazaar, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Nov. 19. The ba zaar features crafts, a bake sale, soups to go, plants, attic treasures, a silent auction and more.

Local artist Nancy Stone will be selling her book “251 Vermont Vistas.”

For more information, contact Carol at 862-7400.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESCOTT NADEAU

Deer hunting season starts Saturday

Deer hunting season in Vermont begins Saturday and runs 16 days through Sunday, Nov. 27.

Fish and Wildlife Department regula tions state that a hunter may take one le gal buck if they have not already taken one during archery deer season earlier this fall. Depending on which “wildlife management unit” a hunter is in, the definition of a legal buck is either any deer with at least one ant ler 3 inches or more in length; or any deer with at least one antler with two or more antler points 1 inch in length or longer.

“The greatest numbers of deer contin ue to be in western regions of the state and other valley areas,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s deer biologist Nick Fortin. “The Green Mountains and Northeast Kingdom offer more of a big woods experience with fewer but often larger deer.”

A Vermont hunting license costs $28 for residents and $102 for nonresidents. For hunters under 18 years of age, the cost is $8 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. Licenses are available on the Fish and Wildlife Department website (www.vtfis handwildlife.com) and from license agents statewide.

“I am urging all hunters to wear a fluo rescent orange hat and vest to help maintain Vermont’s very good hunting season safe ty record,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Christopher Herrick.

Hunters are required to report deer in person at a big game reporting station. On line reporting will not be available. This re quirement allows biologists to collect deer information. A list of reporting stations and a hunters guide are available at www.vtfis handwildlife.com.

Hunters are required to report deer in person at a big game reporting station, which allows state biologists to collect deer information.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Officials tackle school safety at governor’s conference

BY AUDITI GUHA VTDigger

Emergency preparedness, be havioral threat assessment and re sponding to active threats were all up for discussion at last Wednes day’s daylong Governor’s School Safety Conference.

“It’s about finding and assess ing the risks involved,” Gov. Phil Scott said during a press briefing between sessions at the Double Tree conference center in South Burlington.

Scott described the event, which was closed to members of the media, as a “fascinating con versation” and opportunity for collaboration among educators, administrators and public safety and state officials.

the event, according to Ted Fish er, a spokesperson for the Agen cy of Education.

Fisher said the event was closed to the media in order to support inclusive learning and encourage candid dialogue. State officials held a brief Q&A for re porters in between sessions.

The conference brought to gether school and district lead ers, educators, community members, school mental health professionals, emergency ser vices professionals and law en forcement to share experiences and learn about protecting the physical safety of students, staff and schools. It also focused on

tackling the mental health im pacts of crises at home and around the country.

The keynote speaker, threat assessment expert and author Marisa Randazzo, discussed the history of active shooter inci dents and tools that can mitigate the risks.

Breakout sessions addressed topics such as opportunities and challenges when building a be havioral threat assessment and management team, and collab orating with the Department for Children and Families when managing students of concern. Officials said they expected the event to serve mainly as a

learning experience but that dis cussions could, down the road, lead to increased regulatory oversight of school safety.

“I think we’re on a trajectory to get more intentional,” Secre tary of Education Dan French said. “One of the things we’re contemplating at the agency and in our partnership with other agencies is how to strengthen the regulatory and the statutory framework in school safety.”

While the national focus has been on school violence and students’ mental health, Wednesday’s event also includ ed discussions about emergen cy planning for fires, chemical

spills and environmental prob lems. “So it’s an all-hazards ap proach,” said Erica Bornemann, director of Vermont Emergency Management.

French said the conversation around school security has ex panded beyond just the safety of school buildings.

“Fifteen years ago, that was where we started this journey, really making sure that the physical aspect of buildings was more secure,” he said. “And now you are seeing an evolution to get into issues of the social and emotional aspects of threat as sessment. It’s a comprehensive understanding.”

“It’s all of us working together, pulling in the same direction so that we can identify the prob lems before they blossom,” he said.

Sponsored by the Vermont School Safety Center, which is a collaboration between the Agen cy of Education and Department of Public Safety, the annual conference comes after a twoyear hiatus due to the pandemic. Established in 2016, the center looks to enhance the emergency preparedness in K-12 schools and to share tools and best practices.

Hosted by the Agency of Ed ucation, this year’s conference was free for the first time since its inception about a decade ago. About 350 people registered for

“That was where we started this journey, really making sure that the physical aspect of buildings was more secure. And now you are seeing an evolution to get into issues of the social and emotional aspects of threat assessment.”

Dan French Vermont Education Secretary

Echoes of the Holocaust reverberate today

BY DEBORA STEINERMAN

This week we remember that on Nov. 9-10, 1938, the Kristall nacht pogrom took place through out Nazi Germany and its an nexed countries. Also known as the “Night of Broken Glass,” the name refers to the litter of glass left in the streets after vicious at tacks were implemented by Nazi leaders against Jewish business es, places of worship and homes.

Around 100 Jews were mur dered and many seriously hurt. More than 7,000 Jewish business es and hundreds of synagogues were destroyed. Jewish ceme teries were vandalized, Jewish schools were defaced, and 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps, for no other reason except that they were Jews.

The indifference with which most responded to the violence indicated to the Nazis that the public was prepared for more radical measures. The days, months and years that followed

found Jews forced from their homes, propelled into hiding or separated in ghettos, and ulti mately transported to labor and death camps.

Many who managed to some how survive were near death, several still dying just after liber ation. Among those who perished just before the end of World War II were my uncle, who died on a forced Nazi death march, and Anne Frank, the young girl who is among the most well-known of the six million Jews killed. By the time the Nazis were defeated in May 1945, two-thirds of Europe’s Jews — including 1.5 million children — had been murdered in what is known as the Holocaust.

Unfortunately, antisemitism, the basic principle and founda tion of Nazi ideology, did not end after the Holocaust. We see its echoes daily — from celebrities, athletes, politicians, street thugs and on social media. According to Anti-Defamation League sta tistics “incidents tracked in the 2021 Audit of Antisemitic Inci

dents reached an all-time high of 2,717 in the United States last year — an average of more than seven incidents per day and a 34 percent increase year over year, including assaults, harassment and vandalism. This is the high est number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic inci dents in 1979.”

Antisemitism is escalating in its frequency, visibility and in tensity.

As the child of Holocaust sur vivors, I am particularly aware that these current disturbing trends are a threat to us all. Ver mont, thankfully, is not among the states with the highest oc currence of antisemitism, how ever, it is not without increasing incidence. With the recent uptick often taking place in our schools and universities comes a greater responsibility for education.

The Vermont Holocaust Me morial (VTHM) was founded in response to the need to educate our young people about antisemi tism, its history and the enduring lessons learned by studying the Holocaust: That hatred can easily infect a society; in Nazi Germa ny, it started with Jews but did

not end with them. Such lessons prove invaluable.

This school year, VTHM is working with the Vermont Agency of Education, Echoes & Reflections and other Holocaust education institutions to inaugu rate the first “Vermont Holocaust Education Week.” From Jan. 2327, in commemoration of Interna tional Holocaust Remembrance Day, teachers in grades 7-12 will be offered a menu of suggested programs, lesson plans and pre sentations to share the fundamen tal history of the Holocaust with their students.

It is only through education that antisemitism, and all rac ism, can be a thing of the past. We know this from personal ex perience: VTHM has been co ordinating Holocaust educator professional development work shops and bringing speakers to schools since our founding in 2017. Teaching the history and legacies of Holocaust heroes, vic tims and survivors brings to light that words and actions have con sequences — both good and bad.

“The Holocaust has important lessons for us today, and one of them is that antisemitism cannot

be allowed to flourish uncontest ed,” said United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Chairman Stuart E. Eizenstat. “While the United States in 2022 is not Nazi Germany, and we live in a demo cratic society with many checks and balances, it remains imper ative for each and every one of us to forcibly reject antisemitism and racism.”

Currently more than 20 states in the country have established Holocaust education legislation — including all New England states except Vermont. Reach out to your recently elected state senators and representatives. Let them know you believe Holocaust education is more crucial now than ever. Help us make Vermont a leader in this essential endeavor for the future of our children and the nation.

VTHM, a volunteer-run non profit, is looking for sponsors to support our Holocaust education efforts. Please visit the website www.HolocaustMemorial-VT. org for more information.

Debora Steinerman is president and co-founder of the Vermont Holocaust Memorial.

Michael McCaffrey office@willistonobserver.com

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OCTOBER 9-15

Total reported incidents: 165

Traffic Stops: 27

Fingerprints: 6

Background Investigations: 5 Arrests: 2

• Wayne Aiken, 51, of Williston, was arrested and charged with violating conditions of release.

• Conrad Wells, 35, of Stowe, was arrested and charged with domestic assault and violating con ditions of release.

OCTOBER 16-22

Total reported incidents: 210

Traffic Stops: 78

Fingerprints: 2

Background Investigations: 2 Arrests: 5

• Christopher Forsman of Burlington, 40, was ar rested and charged with driving while under the influence.

• John McCarthy of Saint Albans, 50, was taken into custody and charged with burglary.

• Wendy Many of Williston, 51, was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence.

• Raymond Gingras of Colchester, 30, was taken into custody and charged with violating condi

tions of release and suspicions of driving while under the influence.

• Charles Zeleny of Essex Junction, 58, was taken into custody and charged with driving while un der the influence.

OCTOBER 23-29

Total Incidents: 223

Background Investigations 2 Traffic Stops 81

VIN verifications: 1

Arrests: 6

• Kyle Doherty, 22, of Irasburg was taken into custody and charged with driving while under the influence.

• Raymond Benson, 34, of Burlington, was taken into custody and charged with retail theft.

• Elizabeth Goodrich, 29, of Williston was arrest ed and charged with driving while under the in fluence.

• John Sinclair, 32, of Winooski, was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence.

• Brent LaBombard, 50, of South Burlington, was arrested and charged with retail theft, simple as sault, and possession of a controlled substance.

• Devin Lagassie, 31, of Burlington, was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant.

Protecting plants from winter damage

BY DEBORAH J. BENOIT Special to the Observer

With snow on its way, are you wondering what you can do to pre vent winter damage to your garden?

The first thing is to be sure your soil gets a good drink of water before it freezes. This will help prepare both soil and plants for the coming winter.

Once the ground has frozen, add a thick layer of mulch to help insu late the soil and regulate tempera ture fluctuations that can cause frost heaves when there is insufficient snow cover. After a period of mild temperatures, the ground can begin to thaw.

It’s those freeze-thaw-refreeze cycles that can cause the ground to heave. Severe heaving can push plants and bulbs out of the ground, exposing them to more damage than they would be subjected to other wise.

Sometimes it’s the things you can’t see that do the most damage. Little rodents can move unseen under the cover of snow. Rabbits hop along drifts. Hungry deer wade through snow under cover of darkness to pro vide an unwelcome pruning. The one thing they all have in common is the damage they can do to plants during the winter months.

Young trees can be killed by mice and rabbits that eat the bark completely around the trunk (called girdling). To help prevent them from

nibbling on the bark, fit flexible tree guards around the trunks of your young trees.

For larger trees with thicker trunks, fashion a tube of hardware cloth. Be sure the tube is several inches larger than the diameter of the trunk. Place it so that it extends from below the surface of the soil to dis courage mice, to at least 2 feet above

netting over shrubs and smaller trees.

To protect a larger area, you will need a fence 8-12 feet high to keep deer out. For more information on preventing deer damage, visit https:// go.uvm.edu/winter-deer.

We’ve all heard the old expres sion, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humid ity.” Well, in the case of one of win ter’s unseen dangers to our plants,

When

Rabbits can hop along the top of snow drifts in winter and can nibble on bark, causing extensive damage to trees. The most effective way to prevent winter

the usual level of snowfall to discour age rabbits.

To deter deer or other animals that might chew the ends of branch es or evergreen boughs, you can use various barrier methods, including fencing at least 5-6 feet high closely encircling the plant, or a covering of

often it’s not the cold, it’s the drying winter wind. Evergreens are partic ularly susceptible to desiccation (the drawing out of water from the plant) if left unprotected in a windy area.

To protect multiple plants, con struct a wind barrier using burlap and stakes. For a single plant, a chicken-wire tube wrapped in bur lap and tied with twine can be con structed around plants in particularly windy areas.

Sometimes it really is the cold that’s responsible for posing a danger to the garden. Severe temperature drops may damage a plant, so you may want to place a tube of chicken wire around smaller plants and fill with shredded leaves or straw.

In addition, burlap can be wrapped and secured around the chicken-wire structure. This will allow air circulation while cutting down on drastic temperature fluctu ations, as well as wind chill.

For more information on pro tecting plants in winter, see https:// go.uvm.edu/winter-trees.

With a few precautions, your gar den will happily weather the winter and be ready to grow when spring arrives.

Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension Master Gardener from North Adams, Mass., who is part of Vermont’s Bennington County Chapter.

damage by rabbits is to install guards or hardware cloth around vulnerable trees.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

A forest-lover’s reading list

BY ETHAN TAPPER

I am often asked what books I would recommend to folks in terested in learning more about forests and forestry, so I’d like to recommend a few of my fa vorites. These books are great resources for forest-lovers, each addressing a key theme of for ests and forest stewardship.

“The Hidden Forest: Biog raphy of an Ecosystem” by Jon R. Luoma

For anyone interested in de veloping a better understanding of how forests work, this book is always my first recommen dation. In it, Luoma follows a multi-disciplinary group of re searchers at the Andrews Exper imental Forest in Oregon as they collaborate to build a more com plete vision of the pieces, parts and processes that make forest ecosystems function. The ge nius of this book is both its easyto-read, conversational tone,

and its clear, accurate, nuanced description of forest ecology.

I have found that an under standing of healthy forests is not something that any of us are born with; it is a something that we need to develop. Forests are at the same time unintuitive, messy and complicated. They are natural communities of pro found depth and complexity, dynamic systems that embody resilience and celebrate death, regeneration and change. The first step toward learning how to care for and manage forests is learning what makes them tick, and this is a great resource for doing just that.

“Reading the Forested Landscape” by Tom Wessells Understanding the lega cies of New England’s historic landscape is a key ingredient in understanding how our mod ern-day forests came to be. In this book, Wessels, an ecologist from southern Vermont, dis

cusses how to “read” the history of our forests using clues like stone walls.

Since the early 1800’s, near ly all of Vermont’s forests have been cleared, many of them maintained as pastures for a century or more. While your backyard woods may seem an cient, it is likely that it was a pasture within the last 60-100 years, placing it at the very be ginning of the process of forest

development. This is true for forests across our landscape: They are relatively young and simple, lacking many of the qualities of the old forests that covered much of our region a few centuries ago.

As such, being able to read a forest’s history both adds rich ness to the experience of being in the woods and is a critical part of understanding Vermont’s forests. As forest-lovers, under

standing the profoundly altered condition of our forests helps us understand and contextualize the steps that may be necessary to help them recover and adapt to the many changes and stress ors of the modern world.

“A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold

Published in 1949, this work is a foundational text in the con servation world. Through a se

Ethan Tapper navigates a Chittenden County forest in autumn.

COURTESY PHOTO

ries of essays, Leopold — a forester and conservationist — discusses the nuances of his relationship with the land. Per haps the most salient contribution of this book, and Leopold’s work in general, is the idea of the land ethic, the concept that

we have a moral or ethical responsibility toward the land and its forests, wetlands, wildlife and waters.

In Vermont, each of us depends on forests for clean air, clean water, climate mitigation, scenic beauty, vibrant rural economies and more. Whether we have the privilege of owning our own forest or not, each of us affects forests locally and globally through our choices and the

resources that we consume. As Leopold details in this poignant book, each of us has the opportunity and the responsibil ity to define our own land ethic.

“Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

In “Gathering Moss,” Kimmerer, a bryologist (a scientist who studies moss es and other bryo phytes), highlights her own land ethic while guiding the reader on an exploration into the enig matic world of mosses. Kimmerer, the author of “Braiding Sweetgrass” – anoth er great read, demonstrates how even the tiniest parts of the forest are rich with life

and worthy of our care and attention.

These books are great resources for forest-lovers, each addressing a key theme of forests and forest stewardship.

While we often focus on trees, re search increasingly shows that the other components of forests — mosses, lichens, plants, animals, in sects, fungi — are critical to their health and function. As we endeavor to manage forests thoughtfully and responsibly, it is important to consider both the massive and the minute.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. See more of his work at https://linktr.ee/ ChittendenCountyForester.

Baby-Tested Baby-Approved

Vermont is facing a public health crisis.

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Seize the semifinal

CLOCKWISE from left: CVU’s Asher Vaughn, breaks into the clear for a touchdown run during the Redhawks’ 49-24 football semifinal win over the Essex Hornets on Saturday afternoon in Hinesburg. Alex Provost, near left, makes a catch along the sideline. Aidan Morris kicks off to begin the game. Jack Sumner, right, breaks a tackle in his run for a touchdown. Below, CVU defenders, Alex Provost, 81, and Dylan Frere, 10, leap to make an interception, Provost coming down with the ball.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

HOURS:

• Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

CLOSURES:

The library will be closed Friday, Nov. 11 in honor of Vet

erans Day. We close at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and will be closed on Nov. 24-25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Visit www.damlvt.org to ap ply for a library card, renew ma terials, access digital offerings and register online for programs. Need help? Call 878-4918 or email daml@damlvt.org.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.

STORYWALK

On the Town Green: “Leaves” by David Ezra Stein.

STORYTIME WITH AUTHOR VISIT

Monday, Nov. 14, 5:30-6:15 p.m. Meet Vermont author Kay la Johnson for stories and crafts about sharing your culture.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME

Tuesdays, Nov. 15 and 22, 10:30-11 a.m. Join Danielle for stories and fun.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS FOR KIDS

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Ages 8-12. Continue (or join) our November campaign.

AFTER SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2-3 p.m. Explore science at the library.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC AND PLAYTIME

Thursday, Nov. 17, 10:3011:30 a.m. Enjoy music with Linda Bassick, then stay to play.

TEEN NIGHT: FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Thursday, Nov. 17, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Join our teen ad visory group. You bring the thoughts, we bring the food.

THANKSGIVING SKIT

Monday, Nov. 21, 5-6:45 p.m. Suggested ages 5-plus. Practice lines from 5-6:15 p.m. Family and friends enjoy a short skit at 6:30 with light refreshments in the lobby. Produced by the li brary’s teen volunteers. Actors, please register in advance.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS

FRENCH CONVERSATION

Saturday, Nov. 12, 10:3011:30 a.m. Join native speaker Roman Feuillette at the library for an informal discussion group. All abilities. Youth ac companied by an adult are wel come. Register once for all ses sions at www.damlvt.org.

READ TO A DOG

Thursday, Nov. 17, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Call to schedule a 10-min ute time slot to read to therapy dog Lola.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

To join a book club or for Zoom link, email programs@ damlvt.org.

GUIDED MEDITATION (ONLINE)

Fridays in November, 1212:30 p.m. Take a break from your day to reconnect to your peaceful body and breath. Join us for a short, guided meditation session via Zoom.

BOOK CLUB BUFFET (ONLINE)

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “The Book of Longings” by Sue Monk Kidd features a fictional story of a woman’s struggle in the time of Jesus. Available from the library and as an eBook or audiobook in Libby (Overdrive).

COOK THE BOOK

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 12-1 p.m. Share a recipe from “That Noodle Life: Soulful, Savory, Spicy, Slurpy” by Mike and Stephanie Le at this month’s pot luck. Register when you stop by the library to pick out a recipe.

MAH JONGG

Friday, Nov. 18, 1-3 p.m. Drop in. All abilities welcome.

TECH TUTOR

Friday, Nov. 18, 2-4 p.m. Call (802) 878-4918 to book a time slot for help with your technology.

SPECIAL ADULT CRAFTERNOON: HOSTESS GIFT SUGAR SCRUB

Saturday Nov. 19, 12-1 p.m. Going somewhere for Thanks giving and need an easy hostess gift? Make a fall-scented sugar scrub with all-natural ingre dients. All supplies provided. Register at www.damlvt.org.

BROWN BAG BOOK CLUB

Tuesday, Nov. 22, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “This Tender Land” by Wil liam Kent Krueger depicts a life-changing odyssey of Depres sion-era orphans down the Mis sissippi. Available in Libby (Over drive) and hoopla as an Audiobook, or in print from the library.

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop by for a dis cussion of newsworthy topics.

Working Together

Thanksgiving is coming up next week. Native Americans show their thanks to the Earth for providing food. They recognize a reciprocal (re-SIP-ro-cal) relationship: The Earth provides, and the people give back to the Earth.

This week, The Mini Page learns more about an early reciprocal relationship between native people and new arrivals.

Native challenges

In the region that includes what is now Rhode Island and Massachusetts, thousands of Wampanoag (wahm-puh-NO-ag) people lived in the early 1600s.

But between 1616 and 1620, about threefourths of the Wampanoag people died from

Mini Fact:

This painting, “The First Thanksgiving 1621,” is by artist J.L.G. Ferris.

diseases brought to the area by European explorers. The smaller community also faced danger from an unfriendly neighboring tribe.

When the Mayflower arrived and Pilgrims founded Plimoth Plantation in December 1620, they didn’t have enough supplies to survive the winter. It was too late to plant crops, and they didn’t have the tools needed to do so.

Helping each other

The Wampanoag saw an opportunity to make a trade. They would help the Pilgrims survive, and the Pilgrims would help the natives in case of an attack.

One man who knew how to speak English, Tisquantum, taught the Pilgrims to hunt and fish and to plant and raise native crops.

The Harvest Home

By the following fall, 1621, the Pilgrims had a successful harvest. They decided to celebrate with a festival they may have participated in as children in Europe.

The Harvest Home lasted for three days. It included feasts of food and drink, competitive sporting events and shooting of muskets, or guns.

The Europeans killed wild ducks, geese and turkey for the feast. The Native Americans provided five deer, which were roasted. Experts believe the Harvest Home festival was more of a celebration than a time of giving thanks.

Next Week: Tongue twisters!

Respect for food

Native American traditions hold great respect for the plants and animals that support them. Some call plants the “hair of Mother Earth.” Whether they grew the food themselves or hunted animals to eat, early native people were careful not to waste any part of what they took.

For example, corn husks were used to make shoes, bags and dolls for children. Bison that were hunted for meat also provided skins for clothing, blankets and shelter, along with bones for tools and ceremonial objects.

Giving thanks

Part of Native American culture is giving thanks each time the Earth provides for humans’ needs. In fact, the Haudenosaunee (HA-deh-no-SHOnee) start each day with a Thanksgiving Address. It expresses thanks for other people, the Earth, the moon, animals, the sun, water, air and more.

Founded by Betty DebnamIssue

OLIVIA JAIMES

But between 1616 and 1620, about threefourths of the Wampanoag people died from

Try ’n’ Find

provided

deer,

believe the Harvest Home festival was more of a celebration than a time of giving thanks.

Words that remind us of the Wampanoag are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

BEANS, BISON, CORN, DISEASE, EARTH, FOOD, HARVEST, HOME, MUSKET, NATIVE, PLIMOTH, PROVIDE, RECIPROCAL, SQUASH, THANKSGIVING, TISQUANTUM, TRIBE, WAMPANOAG, WASTE.

A

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 (15 1/4-ounce) cans corn, drained • 1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

• juice from one small lime

Salad by 15 zeros.) This means that for every human, there are nearly 2.5 million ants scurrying, eating and breeding across the landscape.

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin • sprinkle of salt to taste

For later: Look in your newspaper for articles about Thanksgiving.

Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

BY DAN THOMPSON

by Catherine O’Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac • “Wampanoag” by Katie Lajiness

By Jim Miller

Top financial scams targeting seniors today

Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most common scams today that target seniors?

My 75-year-old mother has been swindled several times over the past year, so I’m being extra cau tious.

Paranoid Patty

Dear Patty, Great question! While many

scams today are universal, there are certain types of fraud that specifically target older adults, or affect them disproportion ately. And unfortunately these senior targeted scams are on the rise.

According to the Federal Bu reau of Investigation, in 2021 there were 92,371 older victims

of fraud resulting in $1.7 billion in losses. This was a 74 percent increase in losses compared to 2020.

Here are five of the most common senior scams that were reported last year.

Government impostor scams: These are fraudulent telephone calls from people

claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service, Social Securi ty Administration or Medicare. These scammers may falsely tell you that you have unpaid taxes and threaten arrest or deporta tion if you don’t pay up imme diately. Or they may say your Social Security or Medicare benefits are in danger of being cut off if you don’t provide per sonal identifying information. They may even “spoof” your caller ID to make it look like the government is actually calling.

Sweepstakes and lottery scams: These scams may con tact you by phone, mail or email. They tell you that you’ve won or have the potential to win a jack pot. But you need to pay a fee, or cover taxes and processing fees to receive your prize, perhaps by prepaid debit card, wire transfer, money order or cash. Scammers may impersonate well-known sweepstakes organizations, like Publishers Clearing House, to fool you.

Robocalls and phone scams: Robocalls may claim that a war ranty is expiring and that pay ment is needed to renew it. These scammers may also “spoof” the number to make the call look au thentic.

One common robocall is the “Can you hear me?” call. When the older person says “yes,” the scammer records their voice and hangs up. The criminal then has a voice signature to authorize unwanted charges on items like stolen credit cards.

Computer tech support scams: These scams prey on se niors’ lack of knowledge about computers and cybersecurity. A pop-up message or blank screen usually appears on a computer or phone, telling you that your de vice is compromised and needs fixing. When you call the sup port number for help, the scam mer may either request remote access to your computer and/or that you pay a fee to have it re paired.

Grandparent scam: The grandparent scam has been around for several years now. A scammer will call and say something along the lines of: “Hi Grandma, do you know who

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1775, the Continental Congress created the U.S. Marine Corps.

• In 1954, the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) was dedicated near Arlington National Cemetery.

• In 1969, “Sesame Street” premiered on PBS.

• In 1977, a human was conceived through in vitro fertilization for the first time.

• In 2001, China was approved for membership in the World Trade Organization.

TODAY’S FACT:

• In 2021, the annual U.S.-China trade deficit was $354 billion, up 14 percent from the 2020 deficit of $310 billion.

ANDREWS

Savvy Senior

this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of a grandchild, the scammer has established a fake identity.

The fake grandchild will then ask for money to solve some un expected financial problem (legal

Estate Planning, Elder Law & Medicaid Planning

Peace of mind for families and loved ones

What we do:

• Protection of assets without spending all down to qualify for Medicaid

• Wills & Living Trusts

• Assistance with Medicaid Applications

Ellen B. LaPlante, Esq.

Stephen A. Unsworth, Esq. Wendy S Hillmuth, Esq.

Members of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys & National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.

trouble, overdue rent, car repairs, etc.), to be paid via gift cards or money transfers, which don’t re quire identification to collect.

OTHER SCAMS

Some other popular scams targeting older adults right now are romance scams through social media and online dat ing sites, Covid-19 scams, in vestment scams, Medicare and health insurance scams, and in ternet and email fraud.

For more information on the different types senior scams to

watch out for, along with tips to help your mom protect herself, visit the National Council on Ag ing website at www.NCOA.org and type in “the top 5 financial scams targeting older adults” in the search bar.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

OBITUARIES

Carl Eugene Bickmore Jr.

Carl Eugene Bickmore Jr., 80, of Essex Junction went to our Lord peacefully on Thursday October 20, 2022 after fighting a brave bat tle with COVID. Born in Virginia in 1942 to Carl Eugene Bickmore Sr. from Corinth, Maine and Ruth (Payea) Bickmore of Essex Junc tion, Vermont he was the eldest of two sons.

Carl built a career in refriger ation repair, first with Bickmore Refrigeration started in 1966 and then with Big Sky refrigeration with his second wife Nancy (Car ter) Bickmore. Carl loved the big open spaces of the American west and spent several years living in Big Sky Country, but the need to be close to family pulled him back to his roots in Vermont. As a car enthusiast he loved the classics from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s and was often seen enjoying a ride in one of his favorite cars, his 1964 Chrysler New Yorker. He also enjoyed discussing the history of the area he grew up in, Essex Junction, and reminiscing about events, such as when the fair would come to town on the train and parade through five corners, making its way to the fairgrounds, which was considered the out skirts of town at that time.

Above all else Carl loved his children: Peter Bickmore and wife Debbie of Richmond, VT, Car olynn Guenther and husband Wal ter of Colchester, VT, Mary Bezio and husband James of Colchester, VT, Patrick Ward and wife Patri cia of Colchester, VT, Sean Ward and husband Mike of Plainfield,

VT and Timothy Ward and wife Holly of Monroe, NJ. Carl’s love also extended to his eleven grand children, Allen, David, Jessica D, Kristopher, Nicholas, Steven, Tyler, Jake, Katie, Jessica A, and Brendan. Also within Carl’s heart was his nephew Jason, nine great grandchildren, and his special friend Leanne.

Carl is predeceased by both parents, his adoring wife, Nancy Bickmore, and his brother, Thom as Bickmore.

Friends and family celebrated Carl’s life at 11:00 am on Friday November 4 at St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 20 Jericho Rd, Essex. Burial took place at Fort Ethan Allen cemetery in Col chester and a light meal followed at McGillicuddy’s On the Green, 18 Severance Green, Colchester. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Vermont Associ ation for the Blind and Visually Impaired at www.vabvi.org.

26 Railroad Avenue

Essex Junction, VT (802) 879-7133

For FREE consumer reports, articles, and estate planning webinars, please visit us at www.unsworthlaplante.com

Donna Beth Hartman Goldsmith died on October 27, 2022, at The Residence at Shel burne Bay in Shelburne, VT.

Born April 11, 1943, to James Hartman and Edith Kiefer Hartman of Danville PA, and married to husband David, she lived in many

OBITUARIES

Donna Beth Hartman Goldsmith

parts of the country including Syracuse NY where they met, Rochester NY, Colden, NY, Montrose PA, Williston VT, for twenty years, Woodstock GA and Salem SC before moving back to Vermont in 2020.

Beloved mother of sons Douglas of Bur lington VT and Drew of Breckinridge CO. Loved by daughters-in-law Gail Rose and Heather VanDam Goldsmith. Survived by Sis ter Nancy Hartman Teal and her husband Da vid, and brother Barry Hartman and his wife Faye. She was smitten with all of her grand children, Miles and Megan from Burlington and Cope from Breckenridge.

Donna was a learner, a doer and someone who cared about people. She enjoyed learning throughout life, whether it was a course on how to use a computer, how to cook some new cui sine or how to master a new craft (quilting and Ukrainian egg decoration were favorite pas times of hers in addition to just about any craft that came her way including knitting Christmas stockings for her grandchildren and countless

Cheryl Lynn (Fortier) Kennedy

Cheryl Lynn (Fortier) Kennedy of Col chester, Vermont was a mom, a gram, a sis ter, an aunt, and a friend. She left this world suddenly on October 1, 2022 at age 65 in Burlington, Vermont.

Cheryl grew up in Williston on the farm and loved horseback riding. She graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School. She worked for the State of Vermont from 1986 to 1995. She later went on to be an Assistant Manager of PetSmart in Willis ton for many years. Cheryl loved spending time in her garden tending to her flowers. She loved caring for her great nieces which brought her great joy.

Cheryl leaves behind her daughter, Shannon Delage, Burlington; grandson, Jordan Delage, Colchester; Reilley Delage, St. Albans, and great granddaughter, Da kota Lynn Lavee, St. Albans. Also left behind are her siblings, Allen (Shirley) Fortier, Williston, Darrell (Mary) Fortier, Williston, Marlene Collins, Colchester, James Fortier, Essex, Dean Fortier, Ocala,

Florida, and Kelly Allen, Williston, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is prede ceased by her parents, Adrian and Rita For tier, and brother, Lyndon Fortier.

A private graveside service was held on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at East Ceme tery, Williston, VT.

Cheryl – may you rest easy on the wings of eternity

other children of Doug’s and Drew’s friends).

She was never idle, practicing regular fit ness – even getting up at 3:30 a.m. to ‘hit the gym’ before catching the hour-long bus ride to her job in Atlanta. She loved the outdoors and in high school was selected to travel to Chi cago to present her forestry project in her 4H club. She went on to become a leader in 4H as a nurse in a PA 4H summer camp and leading clubs in VT.

She loved traveling to national parks, camping with friends and family from her community or canoeing in Vermont’s lakes and rivers. Later, she was active in the South Carolina PEO and did many civic projects with friends. At her core, she cared about peo ple and dedicated her professional life to their care as a nurse. She received her degree from Lankenau School of Nursing in PA and first

worked as an ER nurse on the night shift and later as an occupational nurse for the Federal Building and the Baird Center in Burlington VT, and for Occupational Federal Health in Atlanta GA.

Lastly, she combined all the above to be the best mother and wife anyone could ask for –brilliant with the gauze for two boys, the best Halloween costumes for the grandchildren and always up for a family adventure.

Services have been entrusted to the Cre mation Society of Chittenden County, Burl ington. To read the full obituary please vis it: www.cremationsocietycc.com.

Donna’s wishes were for no formal fu neral services, however a donation to The Vermont Alzheimer’s Association, 75 Tal cott Rd Suite 40, Williston, VT 05495 in her name would be welcomed.

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a supportive environment by providing case management for individuals either for our Adult Family Care program or our Developmental Services program. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical, organizational & leadership skills and enjoy working in a team-oriented position. $47,000 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Shared Living Provider: Move into someone’s home or have someone live with you to provide residential supports. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements. $1,000 sign on bonus.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Champlain Community Services, Inc.

https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Why not have a job you love?

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”.

Make a career making a difference and join our team today!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Are you looking to start or continue a career in the finance industry? Consider joining our team as a Community Banker! To see all our available positions, please visit www.NSBVT.com/careers/open-positions.

Job Responsibilities & Requirements

This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills. The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required. If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

Opportunity for Growth

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Well-rounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work-Life balance!

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

ways fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100percent effectivewhengivensoonafter a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their nor mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food ven dors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

burne-Hinesburg headtotheLittleLeaguefield the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

Voting

Secretary of State’s office.

Roy, after receiving 1,662 votes, con gratulated Brady and Arsenault.

“My thanks to the citizens of Williston for allowing me to campaign to be your rep resentative,” he said. “Thank you for your consideration and your votes. Though I am disappointed by the outcome, I truly appre ciated the opportunity to hear from so many of you over the past weeks.

“My intent in running was to offer a change and a choice to Williston voters. I believe I did that.”

O’Rourke received 1,577 votes. On Wednesday, he commended the candidates for “campaigning with civility and convic tion.”

“The campaign season is an arduous journey filled with highs and lows, re quiring persistence and perseverance,” he said. “I have appreciated the opportunity to

engage with members of our community to discuss issues.”

In Williston’s newly created House Dis trict 8, shared with a portion of South Bur lington, Democrat Noah Hyman won the single House seat in an uncontested elec tion.

Williston’s Senate representation re mains all Democrats, as Thomas Chitten den of South Burlington, Ginny Lyons of Williston and Kesha Ram Hinsdale of Shel burne won the three available Senate seats in the newly created Chittenden Southeast District, which covers all of Williston.

In a statewide contest, Williston attor ney Charity Clark (Democrat) defeated Re publican Michael Tagliavia to become the first woman ever elected as Vermont Attor ney General. Williston’s Sarah George won re-election to the Chittenden County State’s Attorney post in an uncontested election.

In a post-election statement, Clark said her focus as the state’s top prosecutor will be reproductive rights, environmental pro tection, consumer protection and criminal

justice reform.

“I can’t wait to get to work,” she wrote. “Thank you for putting your faith in me.”

Williston voters also overwhelmingly voted to become a founding member of the Chittenden County Communications Union District (4,759 to 610). The question passed in Essex, Essex Junction, Shelburne and South Burlington as well, by a margin of nearly 90 percent to 10 percent. Together, these five municipalities will create a new governmental entity to build out high speed internet infrastructure. Other municipali ties can now join the district by vote of their selectboards or city councils.

Williston voters also joined their coun ty counterparts in approving a $22 million bond for the construction of a new Chitten den Solid Waste District recycling center. The center is planned to be constructed at CSWD headquarters on Redmond Road, phasing out the existing recycling center off Industrial Avenue and adding state-of-theart robotic sorting capabilities.

The district plans to submit designs for

Development Review Board approval next year and build the facility in 2025.

“When it comes to conserving natural resources, Vermonters step up to do what’s right,” CSWD Executive Director Sarah Reeves said in a Wednesday news release. “We want to thank the voters of Chittenden County for supporting this important bond initiative that will allow Vermonters to re cycle more.

“The new (facility) will be more efficient and effective, providing meaningful envi ronmental benefits and reducing Vermont’s carbon footprint,” she added. “It is being designed with the ability to adapt to fu ture changes in recyclable materials, some of which are still on the drawing board or even ones that we can’t imagine yet … We look forward to helping Vermonters recycle better and more over the decades to come.”

CSWD Board chair Paul Ruess of Un derhill said: “You have made a real, tangi ble difference in our state and for our planet by voting in favor of this critical infrastruc ture for Vermont’s recycling.”

We Can Take It!

From an armoire to a zucchini, check our A-Z list and learn how to reuse, recycle, or dispose of items and materials you no longer want.

Now serving you with eight Drop-Off locations in Chittenden County.

Visit cswd.net for locations and materials accepted.