Williston Observer 12/8/2022

A standing ovation!!

St. Hilaire pleads not guilty

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Williston Selectboard member Gordon St. Hilaire appeared in Chit tenden County Criminal Court in Burlington last Thursday and plead ed not guilty to stalking and unlaw ful mischief.

St. Hilaire was released under condition that he not attempt to con tact the alleged stalking victim and not go within 300 feet of her. St. Hilaire was first charged with the crimes, which carry a potential sen tence of up to 2 years in prison and a $5,000 fine (stalking) and 1 year in

prison and a $1,000 fine (unlawful mischief), on Nov. 28. No other court hearing on the matter has been set.

St. Hilaire declined to comment following the arraignment. He was absent from Tuesday’s meeting of the selectboard.

The charges stem from incidents earlier this fall, when St. Hilaire al legedly repeatedly deflated a driv er’s side tire on his ex-girlfriend’s car while she was at home and at work. According to a sworn state ment from Williston Police Officer Avery Lemnah, St. Hilaire admitted to deflating the tire on multiple occa sions in an effort to spark a conver

RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

sation with his ex-girlfriend. They had been living together in Willis ton up until September, according to police.

The woman reportedly incurred roughly $500 in car expenses and was becoming fearful for her safe ty. The charge of stalking involves “engaging in a course of conduct directed (at) a specific person know ing that such conduct would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or suffer substantial emotion al distress,” according to court doc uments.

Officer Lemnah said she staked out the alleged victim’s workplace

parking lot in Williston on the eve ning of Nov. 16 and saw St. Hilaire wearing a motorcycle helmet and carrying three cartons of eggs. Ac cording to Lemnah, St. Hilaire ac knowledged that he was there to “do some not good things.” St. Hilaire said he was glad to be caught by police to prevent him from doing anything else, according to a sworn statement by Williston Police Sgt. Eric Shepard.

St. Hilaire has been on the select board since 2019. His seat is up for re-election in March, 2024.

VTDigger contributed to this report.

The cast and crew of Williston’s First Annual Winter Pageant, held Dec. 2 at Williston Central School, take a final bow to a standing ovation. For more photos and a review, see page 6. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Williston Selectboard member Gordon St. Hilaire arrives at his arraignment in Chittenden County Criminal Court in Burlington last Thursday.

PHOTO BY GLENN

PROPERTY TRANSFERS - NOVEMBER 2022 Library launches podcasting program

• Kristin Westphal bought a condomini um from Joseph Clay on Westview Circle for $315,100.

• Michael Garber Jr. bought a home on 2 acres on Governor Chittenden Road from Bernard Comeau for $275,000.

• Jeffrey Davis bought a condominium on Chelsea Place from Laura Allen for $451,000.

• Laurie Lavallee bought a mobile home on Trillium Road from Lisa Singer Low ell for $171,300.

• Massiel Ayala bought a home on Chloe Circle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $713,976

• Noah Boetsma bought a home on 3 acres on Nob Hill Road from Judith Gregory for $595,000.

• Casey Moore bought a home on South Brownell Road from Nancy Bates for $424,000.

• Lokesh Gurung bought a home on Lam plite Lane from the Pearl A. Wells Living Trust for $469,900.

• R&M Realty bought a commercial building on 2 acres on Avenue C from

Keebowl, Inc. for $1.3 million.

• Zlatan Valjevac bought a home on 30 acres on Greenwood Lane from Hans Krause for $741,000.

• Rebecca Byrne bought a home on 1 acre on St. George Road from Laura Nace for $410,000.

• Roy Harper Investments LLC bought commercial space on 1.2 acres on Avenue D from Avenue D LLC for $1.2 million.

• Scott Rogers bought a home on 6 acres on Martel Lane from Steven Erhard for $669,000.

• The Denise H. Martin Living Trust bought a condominium on Kadence Cir cle from Northridge-Williston LLC for $508,132.

• Jonathan Brooks bought a condomini um on Chelsea Place from Colin Iverson for $455,000

Property Transfers sponsored by

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Participants in this year’s Vermont Reads program at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Li brary (DAML) will grapple with harrowing stories of migrant workers in Vermont, and do so with new technology.

Library leaders have long sought ways to incorporate podcasting into their program ming, particularly for the DAML teen ad visory group. The Vermont Reads program a statewide Vermont Humanities initia tive that encourages Vermonters of all ages to read the same book and discuss its themes has become the impetus for librarians to finally set up a studio.

Youth Services Librarian Bonnie Lord will unveil the library’s new two-way pod casting microphone and recording software from 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 during a Vermont Reads kickoff party. Partici pants can pick up a copy of this year’s Ver mont Reads selection — “The Most Costly Journey” — a collection of 19 first-person accounts of migrant laborers working on Vermont farms, illustrated by New England cartoonists. The book includes stories of crossing the Southern border, struggling with language barriers, adapting to Ver mont winters, raising children, working long hours and health challenges.

“The teens here at Dorothy Alling have

expressed interest in doing a podcast before and it is something we had been looking into, so this was timely for us to dip our feet into the water,” Lord said. “I know they are interested in the technology.”

The teen advisory group is planning to create a podcast series around the themes of the book using the library’s new microphone, quiet space in the community room or Ver mont history room, and podcasting software (the Audacity app) loaded onto library tab let computers. And while participants may not have direct experience as New Ameri cans working Vermont farms, they will be interviewed or prompted to discuss personal experiences with similar feelings: “times where you were really a fish out of water, or in a place where you don’t fit in, or have to make sacrifices … ” Lord explained.

The teen group will then edit episodes and publish them on Spotify for anyone to listen.

“The name of the podcast is still in the works because we want our teens to have a lot of input on that,” Lord said.

DAML is collaborating with Brownell Library in Essex Junction on the podcasting initiative. A closing celebration for Vermont Reads is planned for Brownell in February. After that, DAML’s podcasting kit will be available for all community members to check in and out and create their own pod casts.

Marvin, below, and Lois (Johnson) Clark skiing on the hill in front of their home on Governor Chittenden Road circa 1950.

Winter recreation in Williston: ‘lots of great memories’

BY RICHARD ALLEN Special to the Observer

close to 90 years, Williston has taken its rightful place on the list of Vermont ski towns. From the UVM Outing Club trails on Brownell Mountain in the 1930s, the ski jumps on Redmond Road, Williston Ski Associates in North Williston, the Tuthill Family trails and races and Catamount Family Center, to the after school ski pro gram at Cochran’s in Richmond, the reputation of the town as a great place to live for ski enthusi asts is well earned.

So, when did skiing first ap pear in Williston? In 1914, “snow skates” were advertised in the Burlington Free Press by Smith’s Sporting Goods on Church Street in Burlington as the “latest novelty … and … specially recommend ed by a prominent New England physician as furnishing one of the best means of outdoor recreation.”

Perhaps local resident Lloyd Full er used these skis in 1920 when he suffered an injury and was “con fined with a bad knee, having tried to ski down a steep bank of snow. The doctor took nine stitches be fore the gash was closed.”

In the past, residents have taken to other forms of winter recreation.

In “North Williston: Down Depot Hill,” Julia Fifield remembered “homemade jumpers” and how they were constructed with a barrel stave as a runner and a round piece of firewood that held a simple seat

on top. The “staves were sanded and waxed to insure speed.” They spent hours maneuvering down a small hill and walking back up. “We made jumps and dug potholes … to make it more thrilling.”

Sliding on North Williston Road or Depot Hill all the way to the rail road tracks was an indication of the lack of traffic.

“We’d go down two deep — one lay down the sled and the other on top, carrying a lighted flashlight. If we saw car lights, we’d ditch our selves … We usually made three or four trips before trudging home,” re membered Gertrude Urie.

A call for winter remembranc

es on the Facebook site of “If you grew up in Williston, then you re member…” elicited many enthusi astic answers. Jeff Isham emailed this account about his father.

“In the wintertime the road would be used for ice skating, but not by Teeny (George Isham). Teeny and his siblings would slide down the hill across from the (Lake Iroquois) schoolhouse, in cluding in the early morning be fore school started. At night the kids would hang lanterns on the

trees and slide down in between the trees to the road.”

The after-school ski program at the Cochran Ski Area in Rich mond was led for many years by Williston physical education teacher Richard Farrell. Pam Reit recalled how Mr. Farrell “was so encouraging and took great care of me as my hands would ache and

my leather mittens would shred on that darn rope tow!”

The easiest first skiing was often close to home. The photos on this page of Marvin and Lois Clark on their property on Governor Chit tenden Road in the early 1950s were described by granddaughter Cam eron Clark as “cow pasture skiing.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAMERON CLARK

A trip down memory lane with members of the Williston Historical Society

Past Times

Bob Bradish, in a recent email, said he first learned to ski on the slope in front of their house on the corner of Oak Hill Road and Route 2.

Nancy Hassett Breiner remem bered that “living on a farm, we mostly snowmobiled. On weekends we would have 30 machines on a

Estate

Elder

ride. We held races on Lake Iroquois. My grandmother kept her trophy in her living room. We had so many bonfires on top of Martel Hill with so many machines in a circle. All the neighbors would join us.” Vickie Bissonette Durgin recalled similar fun: “We grew up on Stirrup Circle, snowmobiling across the open fields to visit cousins in Lamplite.”

Karen Peterson Shastany de scribed some homemade winter activities. “In the early 1950s, my dad (Dr. Peterson) had a ‘fire pond‘ dug … We enjoyed it year-round al though mostly in the winter when we would spend hours skating on it … We also had a toboggan run on a hill in the north meadow. And of course, almost daily we would slide down Peterson Lane. I can almost still feel the excitement of that and then the trudge back up the hill.”

our coasters down, but the big fun would be when we would walk a mile down the road, dragging our sleds behind us, to go sliding down the back side of Five Tree Hill. The snow was so deep that it took several runs to get the trail packed enough to make it all the way to the pond, but in the right conditions, it was a blast!

“We all found cross-country skis under the Christmas tree one year and would pop them on and create our own trails on our fields behind the barn, and into the woods all the way to the fields behind the Stul tz’s farm on (Route) 2A … We all learned to ski on Brownell Moun tain when the old tow line … (was) run by an old beat-up car ... I re member the rope used to abrade our mittens to shreds and coming home with bloodied palms!

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.

Douglas Isham shared reminis cences as well: “Growing up on the farm, we did a variety of activities outside of daily chores. Sledding down the hill in the sugar woods until my older brother broke his foot hitting a tree. Dad put a stop to sledding in the woods after that … We would shovel off the pond behind the barn and play two-ontwo hockey with our cousins from South Road. We also would spend hours digging tunnels throughout the backyard once the snow got deep enough. Lots of great memo ries there.”

Nancy Packard wrote that “We had a small hill between the house and the barn that we used to slide

“We had a small pond on our property and would cut or shovel all the cattail reeds to the ice level once it froze and skate like balleri nas. We would build elaborate snow forts, rolling giant snowballs that would be so big and heavy that they would peel the snow right to grass and it took several of us to move them around! Making snow angels, snowmen, and snow painting with food coloring were fun activities. I imagine that hasn’t changed much over the years. Fun to remember all this!”

But winter isn’t always pleasur able in Vermont; in an upcoming ar ticle, we will look at the challenges of winter travel in past times.

Town tree trimmed

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

BY SUSAN COTE Observer staff

Magic. That’s a fitting word for the spectacle that seems to have materialized from thin air at this year’s First Annual Winter Pageant staged by Williston Com munity Theatre.

Not just because audience members in the Williston Central School auditorium were treated to an astonishing and amusing act of illusion in “The Mystic Mangle Box of Doom” performed by the Fidler fami ly. But because, where there has been no event of this nature before in Williston, this past Friday we were treated to a full-blown variety show with performances of a range and standard that brought a delighted au dience to its feet to reward the production with a standing ovation.

“From the cast and the crew to our

wonderful audience, I couldn’t be happier with how our show turned out. Communi ty theatre only works if the community’s involved and it seems to be working in Williston,” said Sean Reeks, the pageant’s producing artistic director.

Reeks performed the role of Mr. Wil liam Winters, singing and dancing and serving as the emcee. He set a joyful tone from the outset, encouraging the audience to embrace the spirit of the season and en gagingly knitting the various performanc es together.

Assistant Director Helen Weston’s hand in the show may have been less vis ible but was nonetheless substantial and reflected in the overall quality of the pro duction. Weston, who is the founder of Williston Community Theatre and, along with Reeks, its co-executive director, coached and provided skillfully rendered piano accompaniment for several of the acts.

The production attracted a full house that was treated to musical performances

of holiday favorites ranging from the co medic to the nostalgic to the sublime. The show ran just under an hour and a half and kept the audience rapt throughout.

Soloist Sarah Connor and dancers opened the show with “Winter Wonder land,” giving a taste of the audio and visual buffet about to be spread before us. Connor later performed a lovely rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” ac companied by Weston.

The Champlain Consort’s period musi cians wove a tapestry of Renaissance and Elizabethan harmonies harkening back to the origins of many of today’s traditions and familiar tunes. While various record ers formed the base of their melodies, we were also introduced to the unique sounds of such early instruments as the bass cor namuse and the sackbut. The group round ed out their portion of the evening by getting everyone in attendance to join in singing verses of “Deck the Halls.”

Musical theater veterans and married

‘Mr. William Winter’ (Sean Reeks) leads the Winter Pageant as Master of Ceremonies.

OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

‘Goin’ on a Date with Santa’ is performed in a duet by Meredith and Robert Stetson.

Below, Harley Everitt, Williston sixthgrader, sings ‘A Marshmallow World.’

Helen Weston provided piano accompaniment for both numbers.

Bottom, ‘Winter Wonderland’ is performed by Williston’s own ‘Rockettes’ (l to r) Vie Mazur, Halee Bernier, Carah Pioli-Hunt, Ellie Wallace, Kyla Paul, Merril Cameron, Kaitie Bessette, Keely Agan and Sean Reeks.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

couple Meredith and Robert Stetson made us laugh with their sassy performance of “Goin’ on a Date with Santa,” then conjured a sweet ly wistful mood with their rendition of “Once Upon a December.”

Williston Central School sixth-grader Har ley Everitt delivered a delightful performance of “A Marshmallow World” with a beautiful clear voice and confident stage presence, earn ing enthusiastic applause.

Not to go unappreciated, the professional quality costume and set design and technical aspects of the show contributed much to the performances. Gary Howard’s sonorous read ing of “The Wind of Winter,” for example, was made even more vivid with artistic sound and lighting effects.

Dancing also uplifted the program. Bal let Vermont members’ performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” di rected by Chatch Pregger, was swirling and graceful. Tap numbers choreographed by Assistant Director Kyla Paul Marchand with assistance from Halee Bernier were bursting with crowd-pleasing energy, wowing us with the company’s synchronized motion.

The show concluded with Reeks singing holiday favorites “The Christmas Song” and “Let It Snow,” with the company of beam ing dancers joining him for the latter with a show-stopping kick line.

Exiting the auditorium, the crowd was abuzz with wonder at the mystifying magic act and excitedly trading comments about other fa vorite moments.

Immediately following the show and in the

days since, Weston and Reeks said they have received enthusiastic comments from commu nity members who left feeling inspired and im pressed by the talent that was shared.

“I had parents coming up and saying, ‘My kids were mesmerized the whole time,’” Reeks said. “I feel like we really had a chance to move people and I feel like we really did. That’s just incredibly fulfilling.”

“I look forward to our community always being excited about Williston Community Theatre,” said Weston, “because community theater happens because its community be lieves in the project.”

We may never know how Bill and Frankie Fidler made their mother Chloë disappear and reappear in the “Mystic Mangle Box of Doom,” but I do know that I and a lot of other people in Williston will be looking forward to the mag ic of gathering as a community for next year’s Second Annual Winter Pageant.

www.willistonobserver.com

P.O. Box 1401, Williston, VT 05495 | 802-489-5499

ADVERTISING

Rick Cote, Associate Publisher rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136

EDITOR Jason Starr editor@willistonobserver.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Jan Kenney jan@willistonobserver.com

PUBLISHER

Susan T. Cote susan@willistonobserver.com

BILLING INQUIRIES

Michael McCaffrey office@willistonobserver.com

ADVERTISING SPACE DEADLINE

Friday at 5 p.m. for the next Thursday issue rick@willistonobserver.com, 802-373-2136

CLASSIFIED ADS

Deadline is Friday 5 p.m. There is a fee for business, real estate, help wanted and legal ads. Free classi fieds must be 25 words or fewer and are printed on a space available basis.

SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS

Deadline is Monday noon for Thursday issue. News/ story tips are welcomed. Letters to the Editor must be 300 words or fewer and should include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we can verify the letter’s author.

The Williston Observer reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions or advertising. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the paper.

A publication of Twin Ponds Publishing LLC

MEMBER:

GUEST COLUMN

Health care reform needs to be reformed

BY PAUL KENDALL

Those seeking to reform Ver mont’s health care delivery sys tem need to focus on correcting two errors in past reform efforts.

The first correction is recog nizing that if an accountable care organization is controlled by a teaching hospital, it has an inher ent conflict of interest in achieving the goal of lowering health care costs. Such is the case now with the relationship between OneCare Vermont and the University of Vermont Medical Center.

The second is admitting that the government entities and leg islative committees responsible for overseeing and directing Ver mont’s accountable care organiza tion lack the cohesive leadership, vision and political will to do this job.

These are not new insights. Concern for mounting health care

HOT DOG DECEMBER

costs led the Public Oversight Commission under then-Gov. Jim Douglas to observe in 2007 that the system of authorizing annual cost increases is self-perpetuating.

Hospitals tend to add programs and services, requesting rate in

Vermont’s health care system resembles an orchestra without a conductor.

creases to cover revenue shortfalls and to maintain operating mar gins; that hospital strategic plans don’t adequately reflect planning for downside risk or alternative scenarios; and that the HRAP (the state’s health resources plan) should be updated to reflect a clear

vision of what the delivery system should look like.

Nothing much happened in response to this report until Gov. Peter Shumlin proposed his sin gle-payer plan and then, after withdrawing it, sought approval for the current experiment led by OneCare Vermont. A five-year contract with the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Inno vation was subsequently executed and came into effect in 2017.

Unfortunately, as recent news articles have documented, the re sults of this five-year effort have been worse than disappointing. Health care costs have continued to rise unacceptably, accessibility to needed health care providers has declined and, for many Ver monters, the quality of their care has suffered.

While there are many con tributing factors to these results,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Decentralized energy and the grid

The Living Green article in the Nov. 23 edition of the Ob server (“The Electric Grid — What is it and how do we benefit from it”) was very informative. I will add that the “grid” has an ever-increasing need for distrib uted generation. The article’s diagram and description depict large, centralized generation systems.

There are several scales of distributed generation that were left out — medium-sized com mercial solar and wind projects scattered throughout the state. Now, more and more, we see small solar distributed genera tion mounted at our homes and businesses. Many of these sys tems produce more electrons than they use, which are then added to the grid via net meter ing. With battery storage, their ability to further benefit the grid is enhanced.

Some percentage of the elec trons produced at large, remote generators are lost in transit pri or to their eventual use. Distrib uted generation, by definition, is decentralized. This greatly reduces losses, as it is produced nearer the end user.

There is a significant discus sion now regarding large hy dro-energy generation, such as Hydro Quebec, and whether it should be considered renewable. This is an important discussion but beyond the scope of this let ter.

Rep. Jim McCullough House Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Committee

Our student-athletes deserve better

The CVU fall sports season left us with three state champion titles: field hockey, girls soccer and football. The dedication of the athletes, coaches, school em ployees, administrators and stu dent supporters was inspiring. But teams accomplished these feats despite the poor ath letic facilities at CVU. We at tended games at South Burling ton and Burlington high schools. The stands at their turf fields were packed with community members and students who had a safe, purposeful place to gather.

CVU offers no such home experience: no lights for eve ning games; no sound system for hype music; no announcing our athletes or scores; no concession stand; no stadium; no student musicians playing at halftime. An occasional food truck is the result of school and parent ef forts — the valiant workarounds of those who want an experience for the students and community that we aren’t set up to give.

At football games, students drag an old couch behind a goal post, creating a seating area for four, while other students stand around. There’s no game visibil ity.

Field hockey is meant to be played on turf. Home games are cancelled on rainy days while competitors’ games go on. At away games, athletes must ad just to the faster speed of a game that they can’t adequately pre pare for on grass. Coaches and our activities director scrambled for turf time leading up to the finals. Groundskeepers do their best in an unwinnable battle.

Some say quality facilities aren’t in support of equity and inclusion for all. Those who feel that way should attend a game at Burlington or South Burl ington high schools and take in a diverse crowd of fans. I have read that CVU is too close to our neighbors and can’t hold eve ning games. Rival schools have neighbors. These are problems that can be addressed through policies.

Voice your support for im proved facilities through the CVSD strategic planning pro cess (https://www.cvsdvt.org/). This process will create goals. When it’s time to vote, support our schools.

In the short term, ask ques tions for immediate improve ments. For sports that need turf, regularly scheduled turf time and a bus should be a require ment at the outset of the season. We need well-planned risers on all sports fields. Games should have an announcer. Use the con cession stand we have.

Athletic facilities that sup port the quality of our program is important in creating out comes to be proud of. We can do better for our students and com munity.

Meg Thomas Williston

Health Care Plans Made For Vermonters.

By Vermonters.

At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, our employees live and work here—more than 400 of us.

So when it comes to the health and well-being of our neighbors in this brave little state, we know what’s important: You want your health care dollars to work their hardest. People who treat you right. And affordable plans with extras to keep you well. That’s what makes us Vermont’s health plan. Take advantage of federal subsidies that may lower the cost of every Blue Cross plan through Vermont Health Connect. See how much you can save at VTBlue.com or call (802) 780-2830.

a fundamental one is conflict of interest.

Since its inception, OneCare Vermont, the state’s only account able care organization, has been controlled by the University of Vermont Medical Center. In its defense, UVM Medical Center, together with its related hospital network, has the deepest bench of medical and management pro fessionals in Vermont and is the state’s most politically powerful health care advocate.

But a sophisticated teach ing hospital, whose mission is to provide the highest levels of spe cialized care, is not like any other health care provider in the state. Hence, it is not particularly at tuned to the needs of lower-cost, community-based primary health care providers, nor can it pri oritize their needs over its own self-interest.

This should have been obvious when the contract with Medicare and Medicaid was being consid ered, and it is my understanding that Sen. Bernie Sanders had sim ilar concerns about potential con flicts of interest when he created the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) program. Conse quently, none of the FQHCs that provide essential services to rural communities may be owned by a hospital.

The second fundamental cor rection that needs to be made in the current reform effort is to ad mit the state’s failure to articulate what a new health care delivery

system should look like.

Vermont’s health care system resembles an orchestra without a conductor.

Within government, there are the Green Mountain Care Board; the Agency of Human Services with its departments of Health, Mental Health, and Health Ac cess; the Legislature’s Health Re form Oversight Committee; and a Task Force on Affordable, Acces sible Health Care.

Outside of government, there are community access hospitals, regional hospitals, a medical center, rural health clinics, Fed erally Qualified Health Centers, independent mental health, home health, housing, aging and visit ing nurse organizations, as well as private medical practitioners,

optometrists and dentists.

Like the different sections of an orchestra, each of these “play ers” may perform well. But with out a conductor, they do not play the same tune, or they play it in different keys or at different tem pos. None of them has a concep tion of, or accountability for, the total effort.

The need for these two correc tions — OneCare Vermont’s con flict of interest and the state’s lack of a unified vision — raises two crit ical questions. How can Vermont’s health care policies, strategies, funding and execution be linked together to produce lower costs while maintaining service quality and accessibility? If an accountable care organization is the best means for achieving this goal, who should

“own” it and be held accountable for its results?

In theory, the accountable care organization (ACO) approach is not a bad idea, but OneCare Vermont cannot be that ACO nor can an ACO be a cure-all for cost containment.

Accountable care organiza tions are essentially adminis trators of an allocation system. They distribute funds, annually or by multiyear contracts, across the spectrum of a health care sys tem in accordance with a vision of service delivery endorsed by the public’s elected officials. An ACO could even be a part of the executive branch of government, as there is no reason why public health care funding is fundamen tally different from funding public education or transportation.

Fortunately, the imminent re negotiation of the state’s current Medicare and Medicaid contract provides an opportunity for the state to start over. Instead of tin kering around the edges of a failed approach, why not — with a pop ular governor, a progressive Leg islature and the able leadership of Sen. Sanders — redesign the sys tem into a well-planned orchestra and conductor so they can play ex ceptional music?

Paul Kendall of Braintree has been a director or trustee of several Vermont health care organizations and participated in the 2015-16 discussions leading to the designation of OneCare Vermont as Vermont’s only accountable care organization.

Sports

Preseason goals

A candidate for the Redhawk goalie position, left, makes a trapper save during the final day of try-outs for the CVU boys hockey team on Thursday at Cairns Arena.

Above, the ice ‘Hawks listen to some final words from Coach JP Benoit before the season begins.

A Winter Artisan Festival

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

On a dark, December night, Illuminate Vermont shines bright with the power of artistic expression and celebration.

Grab a cocktail or some culinary treats. Enjoy the live music from the main stage. Stroll the artists’ market, featuring great holiday gifts from Vermont artisans. Best of all, admission is free.

EXPERIENCE VERMONT’S NEWEST ARTISTIC FESTIVAL. 180 Market Street, South Burlington, Vermont www.illuminatevermont.com

photo by Al

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library 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. 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.

LITTLE DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

Friday, Dec. 9, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Ages 6-8. Kids finish their two-session D&D campaign.

Caretakers stay to help their cam paigner. Registration required.

POKÉMON CLUB

Monday, Dec. 12, 4-5 p.m. Show off your favorite cards, make Pokémon crafts and play games to win prizes.

TEENS DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CHARACTERIZATION

Monday, Dec. 12, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Work on your character (and sketch them). Plan future D&D events.

STORYTIME

Tuesdays, Dec. 13 and 20, 10:30-11 a.m. Join Danielle for stories and fun.

AFTER SCHOOL MOVIE

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m. Rated PG. Find out who wins in this basketball jam with beloved cartoon characters.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC AND PLAYTIME

Thursday, Dec. 15 and 22, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Enjoy music with Linda Bassick, then stay to play.

BORAX CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKES

Thursday, Dec. 15, 5-5:45 p.m. Create a snowflake or star, and learn about the solution and reaction. Pick up your creation on the Dec. 16.

TEEN NIGHT GENRE BOOK CLUB

Friday, Dec. 16, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Read a graph ic novel and discuss what you thought. Vote on February’s genre.

TWEEN BOOK CLUB

Monday, Dec. 19, 3-4 p.m. Come discuss Golden Dome books.

SLIMY CHEMISTRY

Monday, Dec. 19, 5-6 p.m. Experience chemistry by mak ing slime and putty.

AFTER SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2-3 p.m. Enjoy hands-on experiments

TEEN NIGHT: YULETIDE BALL

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 6-8 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Dress up and party like you’re at Hogwarts.

LEGO TIME

Thursday, Dec. 22, 3-4 p.m. Create something with the Li brary’s LEGO collection.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Thursday, Dec. 22, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Join our teen ad visory group. You bring the thoughts, we bring the food.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS

FRENCH CONVERSATION FOR ALL

Saturday, Dec. 10, 10:3011:30 a.m. All abilities. Adults and youth with an adult are wel come.

READ TO A DOG

Thursday, Dec. 15, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Schedule a 10-minute timeslot to read to therapy dog, Lola.

VERMONT READS KICK-OFF PARTY

Saturday, Dec. 17, 10-11 a.m. Pick up a copy of “The Most Costly Journey” and enjoy Cen tral American snacks. Learn

Bag Riders, Lund partner on toy drive

Bag Riders is partnering with Lund to sponsor a toy drive through Dec. 14. Donations of new toys are welcome and may be placed in collection bins at their offices on 347 Shunpike Road, Unit #2, in Williston on weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

about upcoming events, includ ing our podcast series in collab oration with Brownell Library.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

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

DECEMBER BOOK CLUBS

• After Hours Book Club, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m. “Chances Are” by Richard Russo.

• Book Club Buffet (Online), Tuesday, Dec. 20, 12:30 p.m. “The Tao of Pooh” by Benja min Hoff.

• Brown Bag Book Club, Tues day, Dec. 27, 12:30 p.m. Reader’s Recommendation — come share a favorite!

GUIDED MEDITATION (ONLINE)

Fridays in Dec. 12-12:30 p.m. Guided meditation via Zoom.

ANNUAL COOKIE EXCHANGE

Tuesday, Dec. 13 drop off. Wednesday, Dec. 14 pick up. Bring two dozen individually wrapped cookies and a copy of your recipe to the library Tues day by 4 p.m. Pick up an assort ment of cookies and recipes on Wednesday.

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop by for a dis cussion of newsworthy topics.

MAH JONGG

Friday, Dec. 16, 1-3 p.m. Drop in to play this popular tile game. All abilities welcome.

TECH TUTOR

Friday, Dec. 16, 2-4 p.m. Call to book a time slot for help with your technology.

SPANISH CONVERSATION (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 5-6 p.m. Practice Spanish conversation.

Shop Local Support Your Local Community

Your Support Matters

Buying at locally owned businesses keeps money close to home. For every $1.00 spent at a local business 0.67¢ is reinvested locally, compared to only 0.06¢ reinvested locally if spent online.

This holiday season, support local stores.

Sponsored by:

Amazing Reindeer

It’s fun to share stories about animals. During the holiday season, we often think of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. A very special reindeer with a blinking red nose is said to lead the way. The Mini Page learns about reindeer this week.

Reindeer

According to legend, Santa delivers kids’ presents from a sleigh pulled by nine reindeer. Reindeer are the same species, or type, of animal as caribou (KAR-uh-boo). They live in northern Europe, Asia and North America.

Reindeer have long fur with hollow hairs in the outer layer. These hairs trap air to keep the animals warm. When food is scarce, they can get by with less food.

In winter, they eat lichen (LIE-kun), a plantlike organism that resembles moss. It may be the only thing to eat under the snow.

A reindeer’s strong legs and large, wide hooves help them stay on top of the snow. Their hooves also help them dig through snow to find food. They have long hair on their feet to help them get more traction on the snow.

Rudolph

The words to the song about Rudolph were written in 1939 by Robert L. May. He was in

the advertising business in New York. He was asked to come up with a Christmas verse about an animal. Ten years later, his brother-inlaw, Johnny Marks, put May’s words to music.

The Lapland reindeer

Mini Fact:

Reindeer are strong and work well together as a team. Northern peoples use reindeer to pull sleighs.

Reindeer facts

Reindeer are herbivores, which means they eat a plant-based diet.

They’ve been recorded running between 36 and 48 mph (miles per hour).

Reindeer like to travel in large groups called herds. Some herds have many reindeer, and some have fewer. One herd is reported to have 1 million reindeer!

Both male and female reindeer have antlers. No other deer species has antlered females. Females’ antlers tend to be smaller than the males’.

What about other reindeer? There are some that live in the Arctic, which is in the cold far north. Lapland is an area in the Arctic. Parts of this area are in four countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

The people of Lapland, the Lapps, have been herding reindeer for about 3,000 years. These animals are almost tame, or domesticated

The Lapps taught native Alaskans to herd reindeer.

Lapps depend on reindeer for many things: • hides to make tents, bedding, boots and clothing.

• stomachs and intestines to hold food.

• antlers for making tools, dolls and cooking utensils.

• meat, milk, cheese and butter.

They also use reindeer to pull sleighs that help them transport things and people.

A large male’s antlers can grow up to a centimeter per day.

They like to live in very cold climates, but because temperatures are warmer around the world than they once were, the range of reindeer habitat is shrinking.

Reindeer usually live between 12 and 15 years.

At the library:

one artist are deploying

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 50, 2022

NORWAY, REINDEER, RUDOLPH, RUSSIA,

Resources

photo by Tristan Ferne

•

RudolphThe words to the song about Rudolph were written in 1939 by Robert L. May. He was in

Try ’n’ Find

milk, cheese and butter.

They also use reindeer to pull sleighs that help them transport things and people.

Mini Jokes

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

FAST, FINLAND, FOOD, HAIR, HERBIVORE, HOOVES, , LICHEN, NOSE, NORWAY, REINDEER, RUDOLPH, RUSSIA, SANTA, SLEIGH, SNOW, SPECIES, STRONG, SWEDEN.

Cook’s Corner Cinnamon Rolls With Brown Sugar & Walnuts

You’ll need:

• cooking spray

• 1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed according to package directions

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

What to do:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

• 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

2. Roll bread dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick and about 12 by 15 inches. Spread brown sugar all over dough to within 1/8 inch of edge. Sprinkle cinnamon over brown sugar and top with walnuts.

3. Starting at a short end, roll up dough tightly. Using a sharp knife, cut roll crosswise into 12 1-inch-thick rounds. Put 6 rounds into each pan, leaving space between them.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until rolls are puffed up and golden brown.

5. Whisk together confectioner’s sugar and 2 teaspoons water. Drizzle glaze over rolls.

* You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.

Rudolph want for Christmas? A pony sleigh station!

A team of scientists and one artist are deploying a network of underwater microphones off Greenland to record the sounds of melting icebergs and other natural occurrences. The hydrophones will capture the soundscape of the Davis Strait for two years, which will then be compiled by Irish artist Siobhán McDonald. The artistic endeavor will include sounds of earthquakes, landslides, wildlife, pollution and meltwater. Scientists say the acoustic research will also study the ocean’s salinity, whale migration, ice floes and other phenomena.

For later: Look in your newspaper for articles about winter animals.

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

BY DAN THOMPSON

Moulton

“Reindeer: On the Move!” by Ginjer L. Clarke

I C H E N B F S A N T A H S W E D E N D Q O B M H S W E E C D S S E V O O H P R L O

R E F N P S Q Y C D L O M E N B S I A E U D V S O Y A U I S I O N L C R E E D N I E R G T V N L P I F D U M S D L L H R O I A A E B R M S X R I A H O R Y N L S F N U S Y A W R O N E Y D N P Q R G K D F A S T G

By Jim Miller

Little known property tax relief programs help seniors save

know about. What can you tell me about this?

Overtaxed Eddie

Dear Eddie, Great question! Residential property-tax refund and credit programs exist in nearly every state, but unfortunately few people know about them. These

programs can help retirees and many other Americans by re ducing their property taxes. Here’s what you should know.

RISING PROPERTY TAXES

Property taxes are a major source of income for local gov ernments, but while they help fund key public services, they can be a financial drain for many homeowners, especially retirees, many of whom live on fixed incomes.

According to Attom Data Solutions, a property-data provider, the average Ameri can household payed $3,785 in property taxes in 2021, but this amount varies widely depending on your state’s tax rate and your home’s estimated value. For example, New Jersey residents paid $9,476 per year on average in 2021, while West Virginia residents paid $901.

To help ease this tax burden, most states offer a number of property-tax relief programs. But states aren’t always proac tive in letting people know. It’s up to you, the homeowner, to find out what’s available in your county or city that you may be eligible for, and to apply.

RELIEF PROGRAMS

Property tax relief programs, sometimes called exemptions, release eligible homeowners from paying some or all of their property tax obligation. How long the exemption lasts can vary depending on where you live, and the reason you’re ap plying for the exemption.

The tax-relief process varies by county, city or state. In gen eral, you’ll have to meet certain eligibility requirements, submit an application and provide doc uments that support your re quest. Most programs will either reduce, waive or freeze property taxes for seniors, veterans, sur viving spouses, disabled and low-income residents.

But there are some counties that also offer basic homestead exemptions to homeowners re gardless of age or income, and

CROSSWORD

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and officially entered World War II.

• In 1980, John Lennon was shot to death outside his Manhattan apartment building.

• In 1991, the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine signed an agreement dissolving the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States.

• In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

• In 2019, China recorded the first confirmed case of COVID-19.

TODAY’S FACT:

• SpaceX became the first private company in the world to successfully launch, place in orbit and recover a spacecraft on this day in 2010.

Patrick Tyler Metro of West brook, Maine, died in Portland, Maine, on Nov. 23, 2022, of a brain hemorrhage. He was the beloved son of William and Sally (Stockwell) Metro.

Patrick was born in Burlington, Vermont, on Oct. 25, 1985, and grew up in Williston, Vermont. He attended Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg, Vermont, and graduated from Cas tleton University in Castleton, Ver mont. At the time of his death he was working for Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, as a Community Outreach worker. He was a Certi fied Peer Counselor.

Pat was loved by family,

OBITUARIES Patrick Tyler Metro

friends, and clients alike. For sev eral years he struggled with drug addiction, but was finally able to get clean and sober at Hazelden Betty Ford Center in Minnesota in 2015. From there he moved to Port

land and became a peer counselor working on the streets and in hos pitals with the homeless, mentally ill, and addicted population. He was loved and respected by all who worked with him and who received his care. He was especially cher ished by his partner, Kelsey, and his best friend and business part ner, Lester Gilkey. He was an avid reader and video gamer. In typical Pat fashion he continued to give after his death, donating both kid neys and a liver to save three lives.

Pat was predeceased by his grandparents, John and Kathleen Metro. He is survived by his par ents, the love of his life, Kelsey Burrell, and his brother Hazen and fiance Katelyn McKenzie. He leaves three sets of aunts and uncles, five cousins, and more friends than we can count.

A gathering of friends and family to remember this extraor dinary life will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn at 145 Jetport Boulevard, Portland, on Dec. 11, 2022 at noon.

Anyone wishing to help fur ther Pat’s mission can make a donation in his name to Spec trum Youth and Family Services in Burlington, Vermont (www. spectrumvt.org), Operation Hope in Maine (www.portlandrecov ery.org) or Milestone Recovery Center in Portland (www.mile stone-recovery.org).

CLASSIFIEDS

LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

Tuesday, December 13, 2022 – 7:00 PM

Police Station Meeting Room (7928 Williston Road) or

Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656

DP 20-03.2 U-Haul Moving & Storage c/o Jeffery Vaine requests a Master Sign Plan amendment for their store located at 4964 Williston Rd. in the IZDW.

DP 23-08 Summit Automotive Partners c/o Daniel Heil requests a discretionary permit for proposed renovation of Berlin City Kia including 2 additions totaling approx. 5,475 sf and the reconfiguration of parking at 586 Marshall Ave. in the IZDW.

DP 23-09 William & Joan Boardman

c/o Bryan Currier requests pre-application review for their proposed 2-lot residential subdivision on a 29.2 acre lot to create a 1.84 acre single family building lot and a 5.55 acre lot with the existing residence at 10 Ricky Vista in the ARZD.

Project details and site plans are available online, go to bit.ly/DRBagendas. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org

Vermont is facing a public health crisis.

Start the New Year with a New Career at Rhino Foods!

Rhino is hiring like crazy to meet the summer demand for all our delicious products and we need you to join us!

If you are hired in an hourly role for our Production, Distribution, Manintenance and Sanitation Teams, Rhino will pay YOU $2,000 on your 6-month anniversary!

Check out our website for all our job listings, which include:

Production 1st, 3rd shifts, $17-18.50 depending on shift Sanitation 2nd shift-$18/hr.

Maintenance Techs 1st shift-DOE

Make your New Year’s Resolution to Earn some “dough” at Rhino Foods!

Please see more on these openings on our career page at rhinofoods.com/about-rhino-foods/jobs-and-careers.

*Rhino Foods does run sex offender checks on all employees

Savvy Senior

continued from page 18

others that may provide exemptions to homeown ers that have recently made energy-efficient improve ments to their home.

WHERE TO LOOK

The best way to learn about local property-tax re lief programs and their el igibility requirements is to visit your town, county, city or state website that collects your property tax. Most of these sites also provide ap plications and instructions, and will allow you to apply

either online, by mail or at your local tax office.

Another good resource for locating programs in your area is the Lincoln In stitute, which has a proper ty-tax database that lets you to browse programs across the country. To access it go to www.ResidentialProper tyTaxReliefPrograms.org.

AARP may also be able to help through their Property Tax-Aide service — see www.PTAconsum ers.aarpfoundation.org. This free program, which is available in 13 states — Arizona, Colorado, Flori

da (Miami Dade County), Illinois (Cook County), Kansas, Maryland, Michi gan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York and North Car olina — and the District of Columbia helps eligible homeowners and renters apply for relief.

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.

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”.

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/

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

SUDUKO

Champlain Community Services, Inc.

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

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

CAT SITTING TRANSITION POINTS Evidence-Based Strategies to Navigate Life Changes Life, Career, Moving & End-of-Life Support Judy F. Carr, Ed.D. 802.487.8077 - jcarrvt@gmail.com Winooski, Vermont & Virtually www.TransitionDoula.org Conversation – Education - Advocacy

DOULA

LANDSCAPING Complete Landscape Overhauls • Design and Installations Mini-Excavator Work, Driveway Culvert Replacements, Walls, Paver Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Edging & Mulching Fully Insured-30+ years experience www.kingfishvt.com/1-802-345-4280

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

continued Remodeling & Additions ALL TYPES OF SIDING Vinyl/Wood/Composite Windows & Doors • Decks & Porches Kitchens & Bathrooms Sunrooms & Garages

display lead dors from creemees. from 10/08 /2019 3.25 x 2 AD for Williston Observer 52 Consecutive Weeks $18.00/week $936 BEAGLE BUILDERS, LLC Monkton, VT beaglebuilders@gmavt.net 802-453-4340 CALLUS!

BUILDING SERVICES INSURANCE Covering Your Life’s Journey 802-862-1600 Email: info@turnbaughinsurance.com 188 Allen Brook Lane, Suite 1, Williston turnbaughinsurance.com/contact

Shelburne Visit our website for more information: www.vtlandmaintenance.com Email: vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com Brian Washburn: 802-434-5533 • 802-373-1755 (cell)

Scheduling now for 2023. Call today to reserve your spot! To place a classified or service directory ad, email rick@williston observer.com or call 802-373-2136

Confection construction

Boeden Christiansen, left, puts some finishing touches on his “gingerbread” house at Williston’s Dorothy Alling Library on Saturday.

Young architects constructed a variety of sweet homes like the one shown above.

CVU grad’s Champlain shot earns national recognition

Iain Mahaffey’s image of a calm Lake Champlain backed by the Adirondacks under wispy clouds has been chosen among works from around the country for the AP Art and Design Dig ital Exhibit, available at www. apartanddesign.collegeboard.

Williston Observer rack distribution

at these locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex

org.

Mahaffey, a 2022 graduate of CVU High School, submitted the photograph along with his portfolio to the AP Art and De sign Exam last May after com pleting the AP Art and Design class at CVU. The image was se lected as one of 50 chosen works from about 62,000 submissions.

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

Essex Junction Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety Hannaford Inn at Essex Mac’s Market Martone’s Deli Price Chopper Quality Bake Shop River Road Beverage Richmond Cumberland Farms Richmond Free Library Richmond Market Richmond Mobil Mart

If you would like copies dropped at your location call Rick Cote at (802) 373-2136 or email Rick@WillistonObserver.com

Mahaffey included an artist statement with the submission: “This piece on a sentimental level is truly important to me. I made this piece in a place that has become home for me … This image is an homage to my home. The land I have grown in. And the mountains that I have learned to adore.”

Mahaffey lives in Charlotte.

CVU art teacher Abbie Bowker praised the school’s support of the arts and invest ment in art galleries and cre ative spaces. She described Mahaffey’s image as “a good example of how cropping cre ated energy within the stillness and established a compelling storied relationship between the sky, mountains, and water.”

“Homage” by Iain Mahaffey COURTESY OF AP ART AND DESIGN

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY