Williston Observer 08/31/2023

GlobalFoundries plans solar array off Redmond Rd.

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Twenty acres of GlobalFoundries’ vacant Williston property off Redmond Road will be enlisted for solar energy production in a project soon to be considered by the Vermont Public Utilities Commission. The 8,000-ground-mounted-panel array is estimated to produce 3.5 megawatts of energy and is being developed in partnership with Encore Renewable Energy of Burlington.

The 10-15-foot-high panels will be set about 80 feet from the road with new plantings to shield the array from view, according to an Aug. 1 filing with the Town of Williston. The parcel is described as an agricultural field so that impact to natural resources will be minimal, the filing states.

“The applicant worked with its consultants to configure the project in a way that would maximize the potential energy generation benefits while minimizing environmental and aesthetic impacts,” the filing states.

The town is entitled to review the project because of its state-approved “enhanced” Energy Plan finalized in 2019. The Energy Plan lists several considerations for siting new wind and solar projects that are due to receive “substantial deference”

see SOLAR page 7

Archeologists clear Superfund site for cleanup

Groundwater decontamination to start in spring

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Before the State of Vermont digs toward groundwater around Commerce Street to remove industrial contaminants left by a 20th-century manufacturer, it first needs to be sure not to disturb any archeologically significant native American artifacts.

That’s why students, teachers and alumni with the UVM Consulting Archeology Program were sifting methodically through the soil alongside South

Brownell Road last week. And while they found what UVM anthropology professor John Crock described in an email as “a fragment of a precontact era native American stone tool,” the archeologists plan to clear the site as ready for groundwater remediation.

“No further archaeological work is necessary,” Crock said.

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is awaiting a formal report from Crock’s team.

“That particular area on the corner of Shunpike and South Brownell road was previously identified to be an archeologically sensitive area,” said Kimberly Caldwell, and environmental analyst

with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). “If they didn’t find anything, we will be able to proceed with our work with no changes to the plan.”

The DEC plans to commence groundwater remediation next spring. It is currently seeking a contractor to do the work. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is funding the remediation through its “Superfund” —federal funds designated for abandoned hazardous waste site cleanup.

The contamination at Commerce Street dates back to the 1980s, when Mitec Systems Corporation was man-

With every pair of Darn Tough & Smartwool socks sold, a pair will be donated to local non-profits serving the homeless.

Employees and volunteers with the UVM Consulting Archeology Program inspect the soil alongside South Brownell Road last week for archeologically significant artifacts.

“We’ve asked (Encore Renewable Energy) to look at our entire campus and find suitable locations for developing solar.”

Jeffrey Cram GlobalFoundries

Around Town

Four Winds school program seeks volunteers

Treasurer Pieciak to speak to Rotary

Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak will be the guest speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 7 breakfast meeting of the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club. Pieciak will provide an overview of activities in the Office of the State Treasurer and its role in advising state policymakers on fiscal and policy issues.

Members of the community are invited to join in person or via Zoom. RSVP to RotaryClubofWilliston@gmail.com.

CVSD hosting ‘Playing Fields’ event

Marinated Steak Tips

The Four Winds program at Williston Schools is looking for parent and community member volunteers to support nature lessons for students in and around the school. The theme for this year is “Earth.” Volunteers will present information about rocks and minerals, erosion, water, wind and clouds.

The lessons are about an hour long and include a monthly training to teach volunteers the hands-on activities.

The program is created by the Four Winds Nature Institute (www.fwni.org). Interested parties can email wsdfourwinds@cvsdvt.org.

Library welcomes media speaker

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 4-5 p.m., the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library will host speaker Mark Timney for a presentation called “Sorting the News from the Chaff.” The event will discuss ways to decipher real from fake news and ways to evaluate news sources.

The event will be in person at the library and online over Zoom. Email programs@ damlvt.org for more information.

The Champlain Valley School District is holding a back-to-school party for all members of the CVSD community on Thursday, Sept. 7 from 6-8 p.m. The ‘Playing Fields’ event takes place on the CVU football field in Hinesburg. Attendees are advised to bring a picnic, lawn chairs and their family and friends to enjoy artistic performances and spectacles.

Richmond rummage sale upcoming

The Richmond Congregational Church is conducting a rummage sale Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29-30. The sale will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 30. The address is 20 Church St.

Champlain Valley Fair sets single day attendance record

The Champlain Valley Fair welcomed 16,510 fairgoers on Sunday, the busiest opening Sunday in the 101-year history of the Fair. Attendance was up nearly 20 percent over the five-year average.

CORRECTION

In a Hub Happenings item on Page 5 of the Aug. 17 edition of the Observer, John Davis was mistakenly identified as the co-founder of Davis & Hodgdon. Davis is in fact the founder of the firm, which was originally named John Davis and Associates CPAs. Bret Hodgdon was named partner in 2005 and the firm was renamed Davis & Hodgdon Associates CPAs.

Williston students learn in an outdoor classroom as part of the Four Winds program.

Williston

Vet care in Vermont struggles for sustainability

Staffing shortages impacting veterinarians, pet owners

BY HANNAH CHO VTDigger

While spikes in pet adoption have slowed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vermont’s veterinary care system continues to struggle to recover staffing in its hospitals and find a path forward that serves workers and pet owners.

Staffing shortages have long troubled the veterinary industry and show no signs of letting up. In recent months, more hospitals have shortened their hours or opened waitlists for new clients.

Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists, or BEVS, in Williston, the state’s only 24-hour animal hospital, has maintained the triage system it began during the pandemic to manage incoming patients.

The challenges reflect a nationwide crisis, fueled by an increase in pet ownership and by the departure of veterinary health workers during the pandemic, some of whom pivoted to different industries and others who retired.

By 2030, the U.S. will need an additional 41,000 veterinarians and 133,000 veterinary technicians to meet the health care needs of the nation’s pets, according to a report by Mars Veterinary Health.

‘EMERGENCY VETS ARE OVERRUN RIGHT NOW’

The demand for 24-hour veterinary care facilities like BEVS is high among some pet owners who live outside Chittenden County.

“Why doesn’t central Vermont have an emergency vet clinic?” asked Robyn Steward, who lives in Northfield with her two pugs and a constant stream of foster animals. She said she’s grateful for Vermont’s veterinary workers and sympathetic to the strains emergency veterinary medicine places on its providers.

“They’re lifting and hoisting and getting bit and pooped on and puked on and peed on,” she said. “They’re on their feet from the time they arrive to the time they leave. I

mean, it is not for the faint of heart.”

To Steward, the issue is not about quality of care but rather accessibility — particularly in an emergency.

“We need more urgent care in our state,” she said. “We love our animals here.”

‘THERE SIMPLY ISN’T THE MANPOWER’

Many animal clinics in Greater Burlington ended on-call services when BEVS opened almost 25 years ago, said Dr. Erin Forbes, a veterinarian at Mountain View Animal Hospital in Essex Junction and communications officer of the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association.

In rural areas, on-call services were likely curtailed during the pandemic, Forbes said.

Though she saw the end of on-call services in many hospitals as a positive change for veterinary staff, Forbes said she understands the plight of Vermonters who wanted a 24-hour veterinary hospital closer to where they lived.

“There simply isn’t the manpower,” she said.

At BEVS, multiple vacant positions have gone unfilled, and that has hindered the hospital’s ability to handle cases, according to Whitney Durivage, the hospital’s director for the past 14 years.

“We have a standard in place for how many cases we can manage per doctor and veterinary technician. So if demand goes outside

Dr. Bryan Harnett performs an abdominal ultrasound on Stella, who is sedated, at Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists in Williston on Aug. 9.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER see VETS page 4

of that, we have to turn cases away,” Durivage said. “We bump up against that number, you know, multiple, multiple times throughout the week, and we never take the decision to turn people away lightly because we know some people can’t travel.”

With the hospital’s triage system, some patients face hours-long wait times, while others may be diverted to hospitals out of state. But the system allows the hospital to manage its caseload, prioritize the most critical cases and manage pet owners’ expectations, Durivage said.

Turnover has always been high in the industry — a national average of 23 percent per year, according to a 2020 survey conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association. But the new veterinary technicians and veterinarians who traditionally filled those vacancies are now noticeably fewer.

BEVS is hiring for positions that range

from client care coordinators — jobs that Durivage said were historically easy to fill — to veterinary technicians and ER doctors.

“We’ll probably be hiring for the foreseeable future,” she said. “It’d be nice to get to a point where that isn’t the case, but for now

BEVS, said that veterinary technicians leave because of the grueling nature of their work, incommensurate pay and verbal abuse from pet owners.

Even after accumulating 16 years of experience, Doloff was making $16.25 an hour.

their family’s health, she said. But in others, “we noticed a shift in what people wanted as a work experience, so meeting that expectation is, all of a sudden, different.”

That mindset shift has prompted new questions for Durivage.

“How do we make the work experience for people different and more sustainable? How do we cater to the needs of clients who don’t want to have to wait for things?” she said. “It’s really trying to juggle how the two merge together. All of that has shifted.”

Durivage said she is optimistic that answers may emerge from the increasing corporatization of veterinary care.

and for the last couple of years, it certainly has been.”

There are myriad reasons hiring is a challenge, including housing and the cost of living in Chittenden County, and other industries in the state face the same conundrum.

Heather Doloff, a former veterinary technician and receptionist at Bristol Animal Hospital, Peak Veterinary Referral Center and

“You’ll have people who come in and say, ‘all you care about is money,’” she said of some pet parents she encountered. “And let me tell you, saying that to a veterinary professional is the worst slap in the face.”

But Durivage saw the pandemic as a turning point for how people looked at work. Employees who quit during those years did so for a variety of reasons, including concerns for

“Hopefully, when you scale to that size with a corporation, staff are able to get better benefits and good wages, and (can) turn a job into a career, so to speak,” she said.

In the short term, however, Durivage recommended pet owners get pet insurance and trust their instincts when it comes to bringing their pets in. As with human health care, she added, “we can’t give medical advice on the phone.”

Diane Von Furstenberg Shoshanna Alice & Olivia Shona Joy Trina turk Halston Hutch Julie Vos Monique L huillier Milly Mac Duggal Ted Baker Joseph ribkoff soia & kyo

“We have a standard in place for how many cases we can manage per doctor and veterinary technician. So if demand goes outside of that, we have to turn cases away.”

Whitney Durivage Director, Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists

Proposed EB-5 fraud settlement favors lawyers over investors

Attorneys would receive millions, investors as little as $1,000

BY ALAN J. KEAYS VTDigger

The court-appointed receiver overseeing properties at the center of Vermont’s largest known fraud scheme has disclosed how he intends to dole out $16.5 million in settlement funds from the state, resolving claims about its alleged role in the scandal.

Michael Goldberg, the receiver, has filed a court document outlining how that money could be distributed among the foreign investors who lost money and the attorneys who represented them. If approved, the former would take home millions and the latter anywhere from $1,000 to $75,000.

Russell Barr, a Stowe attorney who represents more than 60 investors, had alleged that the state and several officials were at best negligent and at worst active participants in the alleged fraud as they operated the state-run EB-5 regional center responsible for overseeing the Northeast Kingdom projects.

The settlement involves the state, Goldberg and the investors who sued Vermont. When the Vermont Attorney General’s Office announced the deal in July, it said the agreement would settle all “pending and potential” lawsuits filed against the state by the roughly 850 investors in the Northeast Kingdom projects.

Each EB-5 foreign investor

behalf of a group of eight investors. However, that trial ended after two days when the settlement was reached.

According to Goldberg’s filing last week, those eight investors would receive five-figure payouts “for their efforts in attending the beginning” of the trial and “helping to obtain the settlement.”

Three of the investors who have not obtained green cards would each receive $75,000, while the

“The balance of the Settlement Amount,” according to Goldberg’s filing, “shall be used for the benefit of the Receivership Estate from which all Investors and the plaintiffs in the Barr Actions benefit and which payments are being made on behalf of the Investors and the plaintiffs in the Barr Actions.” That amount was not immediately clear.

Former Jay Peak owner Ariel Quiros, former president and CEO

Quiros solicited more than $450 million in EB-5 money from more than 800 foreign investors. Separate legal actions filed by state and federal regulators in April 2016 accused the two developers of misusing $200 million of the money they raised through the EB-5 program. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Quiros took $50 million for himself to pay for personal items, including a luxury condo in New

prosecutors later called “nearly a complete fraud.”

As part of the settlement, government officials deny wrongdoing.

The state’s Agency of Commerce and Community Development ran Vermont’s EB-5 regional center, which was charged with promoting the projects — a relationship some investors have said led them to believe that the developments had the state’s seal of approval and full oversight.

Among those who traveled overseas to promote Vermont EB-5 projects were former Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, and his predecessor, Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, as well as former U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

As part of the settlement, the state agreed to continue to support investors in their efforts to secure permanent U.S. residency and, if successful, the state could cut its $16.5 payment by up to $4 million.

The settlement is contingent on obtaining a bar order, which has yet to be approved by the federal court in Florida overseeing the Jay Peak receivership. A bar order would prevent further litigation on the matter.

The federal case has been heard in Florida because that’s where Quiros had been based and many of his businesses had been located.

five who have obtained green cards would get $25,000 apiece.

As for the remaining 55 investors who sued the state, those without green cards will get $5,000 and those with green cards will receive $1,000, Goldberg’s filing stated.

Bill Stenger, and attorney William Kelly, a close adviser to Quiros, headed the projects. All three were indicted on federal criminal charges and sent to prison for their roles.

Across the eight Northeast Kingdom projects, Stenger and

York City.

Federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against Stenger, Quiros and Kelly related to one of the projects. In that instance, the developers proposed building a $110 million biomedical research center in Newport, which federal

Judge Darrin P. Gayles has issued an order “preliminarily” approving the settlement and setting a hearing for Oct. 23 in U.S. District Court in Miami to consider objections to it.

Neither Barr nor Goldberg could be reached for comment.

David Groff, attorney for the state, left, shakes hands with plaintiffs’ attorney Russell Barr after reaching a settlement in an EB-5 investor lawsuit against the State of Vermont in Lamoille County Superior Court in Hyde Park on June 22.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

The benefits of meeting people where they are

BY KELLY DEFORGE

With the state’s expanded motel program for people experiencing homelessness on temporary extension, overdose rates reaching new record highs and so many recent news stories about violence and behavioral issues in public spaces, concerns about individuals’ wellbeing and the community are understandably running high.

Amid these concerns, it’s been gratifying to see movement in the state toward funding innovative approaches like mental health urgent care centers and system-wide mobile crisis outreach programs. Howard Center has partnered with other designated agencies statewide, and with Community Health Centers of Burlington and the University of Vermont Medical Center, to implement both of these models. With funding secured, we look forward to bringing them online soon.

At Howard Center, we know the value of on-the-ground support because our Street Outreach

Team has been providing it in Burlington for 24 years. When properly resourced, our program has been transformative because we have established relationships with people upstream from hospital emergency departments and police interventions.

Often, we have been able to address issues faced by individuals before those issues become critical. Street Outreach was founded to help people in the city center and adjacent areas access social services and healthcare, and to intervene (instead of police) with trusted, clinically skilled individuals who are integrated within a treatment-focused and mission-driven organization when someone is experiencing a mental health issue. The team today has five members who start most days at 8 a.m., checking on people who are out and about early or have slept outdoors.

Police dispatch and officers on the street know our team members and contact them when situations require a social services interven-

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so people approach team members proactively when they need support, and business owners and office workers call when they have questions.

As one team member put it: “People tend to open up pretty quickly once they understand who we are.”

reach help have multiple problems.

“Maybe someone has a relationship conflict,“ said a team member, “and that leads to homelessness first, then substance use, then to mental health issues. And things just compound for them.”

tion rather than a police response, or when a co-response is more likely to best meet an individual’s needs. The relationships team members build over time with people in the community create a high level of trust and familiarity,

The team helps people with all kinds of needs. They help people make appointments for mental health counseling and medical services, and they accompany those who are anxious about using facility-based services to their appointments. Another crucial part of the team’s work is providing basic needs like cell phone minutes, help with transportation and survival gear like sleeping bags and boots. And team members carry overdose reversal medication, administering it several times in recent months.

Often, the people Street Out-

The team works to interrupt this escalation by addressing underlying issues and avoiding worsening problems that can end in a medical emergency, arrest or incarceration.

And the approach works.

The team helps about 1,000 people every year, and the vast majority remain stable and avoid the most tragic outcomes. Most importantly and almost universally, the individuals we help report being listened to and treated with respect and care. It is no surprise then that Howard Center’s Street Outreach Team has been asked

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Howard Center’s Street Outreach Team has been asked to consult with groups across the country and in Canada, resulting in replication of the outreach team concept in several other cities.

Solar

continued from page 1

when the Public Utilities Commission considers whether to issue the project a “Certificate of Public Good.” It’s a weightier standard than the “due consideration” the commission gives to input from municipalities without a state-approved energy plan.

Siting criteria in the town’s Energy Plan include the protection of views and avoidance of habitat fragmentation. The town’s energy committee and planning commission will both review the proposal, according to Town Manager Erik Wells.

Energy generated from the site will feed directly into GlobalFoundries operations,

Digcontinued from page 1

ufacturing electronic and microwave components there. According to the EPA, the company used trichloroethylene to wash components, and sent the rinsewater and sludge into an unlined lagoon on the property. The discharge was found to contain heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, cyanide and nickel as well as various industrial solvents, according to the EPA. In 2018, the DEC completed a soil remediation project on the site.

DeForge

continued from page 6

to consult with groups across the country and in Canada, resulting in replication of the outreach team concept in several other cities.

The success of the Street Outreach Team inspired Howard Center’s Community Outreach Team in 2017, which has partnered with several local municipalities. The team’s work is similar as it often prevents a police response for social service needs and provides needed resources and a bridge to services and treatment. The team began working in six communities initially and is

according to Jeffery Cram, the company’s director of electrical distribution and sustainable energy, aligning the company with Vermont’s renewable energy goals.

“Developing the array in Williston, near where we are going to consume the electricity, helps meet a portion of (Vermont’s renewable energy standard) cost-effectively with minimum impacts,” he said.

The company recently created its own power subsidiary, GF Power, after receiving state approval last year to manage its own energy supply, costs, transmission and distribution. GF Power currently buys power primarily from Green Mountain Power under a contract that ends in 2026. After that, the company will be free to consider “the whole

The groundwater contamination is estimated to encompass 70 acres, affecting residential and commercial areas on Kirby Lane, South Brownell Road and Commerce Street.

“It’s migrated quite a ways from the release location,” Caldwell said.

The area is served by municipal water, and the state has advised residents not to drill any groundwater wells until the cleanup is complete.

“The groundwater is not safe to drink,” the DEC states in a fact sheet distributed to residents in May.

The cleanup will involve injecting vege-

now offering support in nine communities throughout Chittenden County (Colchester, Essex, Hinesburg, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski). What a great example of shared investment in the well-being of our communities serving some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

In the last few years, our clinicians have also partnered with the Vermont State Police to provide mental health crisis assessment, de-escalation, consultation and support. Through this partnership, people who otherwise may have entered the criminal justice system are instead connected to the mental health and social service supports they need.

view of potential partners and relationships that we can purchase electricity through,” Cram said.

“In the future we’ll have a combination of producing our own solar and external wholesale contracts,” he said. “We’ve asked (Encore) to look at our entire campus and find suitable locations for developing solar.”

The GlobalFoundries campus straddles the Winooski River with its primary business — its microchip manufacturing operation — located on the Essex Junction side. It leases space to other companies on the Williston side, and several years ago sold a parcel to a housing developer along Mountain View Road.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Saving a sacred Village landmark

Is it too much of a dream to hope that we might have one vestige of our Williston history left, the Old Brick Church — one piece in the midst of all the controversy the development of our town is raining down upon us?

table oil and other nutrients into the groundwater to “accelerate the natural breakdown of contaminants,” the fact sheet describes. It will also involve digging trenches and filling them with filtering materials like iron filings that clean the water as it flows through. The groundwater in the area flows slowly north to south, Caldwell said.

“Groundwater will be monitored for several years to ensure that bioremediation is occurring as planned,” the DEC fact sheet states.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/ superfund/commercestreet.

After more than two decades experience in outreach work, and with its fundamental model based on building relationships and trust with the community it serves, Howard Center’s outreach programs continue to play an important role in helping people in Burlington’s downtown and in communities throughout Chittenden County.

As board members and community members, we are proud that, when we say “Help is here,” at Howard Center, “here” is often where our friends and neighbors need help — in the community.

Kelly Deforge of Essex is vice president of the Howard Center’s Board of Trustees.

Is the money and the promise of better cell reception that Verizon is offering (“Verizon seeks space in Old Brick Church” July 20) worth eviscerating our beautiful landmark from the inside out? We have other choices, maybe not as convenient, but is that a valid argument?

Future Williston generations should be able to look back proudly on some of the decisions we have made. The preservation of the Old Brick Church, the historic center of our village, just as she stands, not full of antennas and cables, should be one of them.

Please email Erik Wells, our town manager, at ewells@willistonvt.org with your comments, per his request in the his “Notes from the Town Manager’s Office” in the Aug. 17 edition of the Observer.

Stephanie and Tony Robitaille Williston

LETTER POLICY: We ask that letters run no longer than 300 words. We edit only for length, clarity, style, spelling and grammar. Please include your name, town or city where you live and a daytime phone number (which we won’t print) so we can verify you wrote the letter. The deadline is Monday at noon for letters to be printed in Thursday’s paper. Send to: editor@ willistonobserver.com

Sports scoops

Fielding grounders Sunday afternoon were, left, Armadillo’s Todd Johnson at first and, at short, Eli Roque, during their 11-1 win over the Vergennes Codgers at Williston Central School

back

Fall volleyball

The CVU girls varsity volleyball team practices a triple block, top, and works on its blocking positioning, above left, and ball setting, right, during Monday’s preseason practice.

The CVU boys varsity volleyball team practices its double blocking technique, left, and bump sets, right, during Monday’s preseason practice.

Try, try again…

The CVU girls varsity field hockey team works on its stamina, ball handling and defensive skills during Monday’s preseason practice, and potential goalies try out their netguarding capabilities.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Immature dogwood sawflies, top, are caterpillars that change colors, textures and appearances several times as they grow and will be white or cream-colored with small, black spots as they near maturity.

Mature dogwood sawfly caterpillars, above, which are about an inch long and yellow with black markings, can cause damage by boring into decaying or soft wood.

Although the just-hatched larvae of the dogwood sawfly, right, are tiny and translucent, as they grow and molt, they become covered with a white, waxy coating. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTOS

The destructive habits of the Dogwood Sawfly

BY ANN HAZELRIGG Special to the Observer

You may think that it was caterpillars devouring your dogwoods this year, but it was likely lookalike larvae of sawflies that are related to bees, wasps and ants. (True caterpillars are the larvae of moths and butterflies.)

Sawflies skeletonize leaves and are gregarious, usually feeding in large numbers. So they can cause a lot of damage to plants very quickly. If the feeding occurs late in the season, the damage does not typically impact the health of the plant, but if early in the season, large outbreaks may need to be controlled.

This can be done by hand picking or using insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils when the larvae are small.

Several sawflies attack our trees and shrubs in Vermont, including the pear slug, rose slug, European pine sawfly and birch sawfly, among others. The dogwood sawfly (Macremphytus tarsatus) attacks various species of dogwoods. It is an interesting sawfly because the immature forms have the ability to change colors, textures and appearances several times as they grow

and mature.

The adult is a slender, black wasp-like insect that emerges from May to July. The female lays up to 100 eggs on the undersides of leaves using a “sawlike” ovipositor, a tube-like organ for depositing eggs. When the larvae hatch, they are tiny, yellow and translucent. As they grow and molt, they become covered with a white waxy coating.

The young caterpillars skeletonize leaves, leaving the veins, while older larvae may leave only the midrib. The larvae eventually shed their waxy coating and become cream-colored with black spots.

At maturity, the larvae are about an inch long and become yellow and black. The mature caterpillars bore into decaying or soft wood and were recently found boring into a rotted deck in Vermont. The larvae can form cells in logs, landscape timbers and even lawn furniture.

Fortunately, there is only one generation of this sawfly per year in Vermont.

Ann Hazelrigg is the University of Vermont Extension plant pathologist and director of the UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic.

Five techniques for managing a forest efficiently

BY ETHAN TAPPER Special to the Observer

Some of my favorite forest managers are landowners, people who work on a small scale to make their forest a little heathier and more vibrant each year.

While a thoughtful forest steward can have a truly positive relationship with their woods, the breadth of their impact is limited by their finite time and energy. Through using these five simple techniques, you can maximize the positive impact that you have on your forest.

LEAVE DEAD TREES ALONE

Fallen trees, dead-standing trees and dead wood benefit wildlife habitat, soil health, soil fertility, carbon storage and forest hydrology, among other things. If the tree is dead, leave it alone. Be proactive, not reactive by focusing on cutting living trees, especially unhealthy trees that are competing with healthier crop trees.

USE THE ‘CROP TREE RELEASE’ METHOD

Crop tree release is a shift in the way that we look at the forest. Instead of focusing on cutting all the trees that “need to go” — trees that are unhealthy, that have wounds or defects, trees of undesired species — we find our forest’s healthiest, most promising trees and release them from competition individually.

“Crop tree” is a bit of a misnomer. While a crop tree could be a tree that we’re encouraging to produce a crop, like maple sap, it can

also be any healthy tree of almost any species. What makes crop tree release so efficient is that we only cut trees that are competing with our crop trees. If a tree isn’t competing with a crop tree, leave it alone.

CUT IT AND LEAVE IT

As you release your crop trees, you’ll end up cutting trees that are smaller, or that, for a variety of

trees will be a real asset to the health and ecology of your forest.

GIRDLE SOME TREES

“Girdling” a tree means creating two shallow, parallel cuts around its circumference, just deep enough to touch its wood. This severs the tree’s cambium, eventually killing the tree and turning it into a “snag” (a dead-standing tree). This creates an important habitat.

I generally use girdling as a faster and safer method for killing trees that are competing with crop trees but are too dangerous to fell. Girdling will turn trees into hazards, so it’s not a method to be used around your house or your recreational trails.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH MESSINESS

In working with hundreds of landowners, I find that nearly everyone’s instincts tell them that a healthy, well-managed forest looks like a park, with large, evenly-spaced trees and a clear, open understory.

reasons, just aren’t worth pulling out of the woods. Instead of taking the time to process these small trees into firewood, leave them on the ground and move on. This will be a more efficient use of your time, allowing you to release more crop trees and thus have a greater positive impact on your woods. It will also increase the amount of dead wood in your forest and its associated habitats and benefits.

They are not a waste. The dead

In fact, healthy forests are messy, with trees of all different sizes and ages, dead trees, gaps in the canopy and tons of dead wood on the forest floor. “Cleaning-up” our forests — removing dead trees and dead wood, managing them to look like parks — is not just a waste of time, it actually makes our forests less healthy, less resilient and less rich with habitat.

When you manage your forest, avoid piling brush or moving trees and branches so that they lie flat on the ground. While they make your

forest look neater, these practices actually diminish many of the benefits that these trees and tree tops offer to wildlife and forest ecology.

If you can learn to appreciate the messiness, you’ll see that not “cleaning-up” your forest will save you tons of time and energy, and make your forest healthier at the

same time.

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

‘Cleaning-up’ our forests — removing dead trees and dead wood, managing them to look like parks — is not just a waste of time, it actually makes our forests less healthy, less resilient and less rich with habitat.

A cherry tree released using the crop tree release method. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Vermont Dartmouth grad discovers 2 new planets

BY MAX SCHEINBLUM VTDigger

Jack Duranceau knew from a young age growing up in Quechee that he wanted to do something with science, though the specifics of the job changed “week by week,” he said.

The scope finally narrowed in the summer of 2016 when, in his first year of high school, he attended an astronomy summer camp run by the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont. “Astronomy” as a blanket field had piqued his interest, but this experience opened his eyes to the nitty gritty.

“I really enjoyed the data processing and just the work in general,” he said. “So I said, ‘OK, I’m going to continue with this as far as I’m still interested.’ And I’m still very interested. So it’s worked out.”

Before graduating from Hartford High School in 2019, Duranceau built a telescope as part of his honors capstone, saying he “just kind of dipped my toes in” and “sort of taught” himself how to take in and use astronomical data.

But that was peanuts compared to his latest venture: the discovery of two exoplanets — planets far outside Earth’s solar system — 257 light-years away.

The planetary finding is the key element of Duranceau’s roughly 130-page senior thesis at Dartmouth College, not far from where he grew up.

“I think we often have a few undergraduate students a year who are working on research that leads directly to a published paper,” said Elisabeth Newton, who’s been an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth since 2019. “But I haven’t had an undergrad-led paper yet, so this is definitely a first for me.”

Duranceau said the thesis took a year and a half of intense work and was published when he graduated in June with a bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy. Exoplanets are the “sweet spot” of astronomy, he said — far enough out that you can’t see them from a backyard, but easier to grasp than things like galaxies or the formation of the universe itself.

“For me, it’s easier to connect with because astronomy is such a far-out concept or field of study,” he said. “It’s just a really interesting

TESS flags only potentials, and astronomers’ expertise and modeling are then required to confirm that the decreases in light are from planet overlap, not any other phenomena such as star spots.

thing. I live on a planet, so what do other planets look like?”

The two planets, TOI 3353b and TOI 3353c, are nearly three times the size of Earth and share traits with ice giant Neptune. Duranceau found them using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, which was launched by NASA and MIT in the spring of 2018.

Duranceau created a computer model using what he called a long, fancy algorithm to simulate what parameters would be needed to have a planet in the area. He ran that more than 30,000 times, which took multiple weeks, tweaking throughout to ensure the hypothetical conditions were still in line with reality. Those were then successfully compared to the original TESS data, and two more planets were officially born.

“It’s very cool. And honestly, I was just excited that I got the model to work, like getting my code to run. Because going in, I knew there were probably two planets here,” he said. “So it wasn’t really a (single) moment of confirmation. It was just like, each time improving the likelihood, improving the confidence that there are two planets here until we can actually say they do exist.”

TESS tracks about 200,000 stars across space for drops in brightness caused by planetary transits, which is when a planet orbits between the view of the star and the telescope.

Duranceau’s planets are two of 230 exoplanet discoveries so far this year, bringing the total number to 5,496, according to NASA data. Though astronomers have been interested in these discoveries since the early 1990s, there were fewer than 1,000 confirmed through 2013.

But with improved transiting technology, the number had ballooned to nearly 3,500 in 2016, when NASA’s Kepler K2 mission greatly increased monitoring. Since TESS was launched in 2018, NASA has logged an average of 332 discoveries per year.

The first component of Duranceau’s thesis was confirming that the planets are, in fact, planets.

Despite their ice giant characteristics, his model also showed that both planets orbit star TOI 3353 from only 4.6 million miles and 7.4 million miles away. That is compared to 2.8 billion miles for Neptune, its closest relative in Earth’s solar system. The two are also between the size of Earth and Neptune, “a very common outcome of the planet formation process,” said Newton, but something there are no examples of in Earth’s solar system.

Duranceau aims to expand and solidify his research over the next year while continuing to study under Newton. He plans to publish a peer-reviewed paper based on his findings and then attend graduate school to get a Ph.D.

“It’s been really great having him in the group for the past couple of years, and we’re glad he’s still sticking around for a little while,” Newton said.

Despite what some might consider a grueling, long and taxing scientific process, it is clear that the grind doesn’t bother Duranceau. With a love for statistical analysis and “making my fun plots,” he could be a star in the making himself.

“It’s just a really interesting thing. I live on a planet, so what do other planets look like?”

Jack Duranceau

Jack Duranceau outside the Shattuck Observatory at Dartmouth College on Aug. 21.

PHOTO BY MAX SCHEINBLUM/VTDIGGER

Hospital unveils ‘Hearts and Hands’ sculpture

A Vermont artist’s tribute to the work of health care providers during the Covid pandemic was recently unveiled near the elevators on the third floor of the UVM Medical Center in Burlington. The sculpture, by Randolph artist Jim Sardonis, is called “Hearts and Hands – A Tribute to Health Care Workers.” It depicts two figures, cast in bronze, sitting on a marble bench with their outstretched hands joining to form the shape of a heart.

Sardonis was contacted last March by an anonymous donor with a desire to honor health care workers’ perseverance and bravery during the pandemic. The artist said he was guided by his own admiration of health care workers throughout the pandemic, and a desire to recognize their bravery during a protracted period of uncertainty and fear.

“They were literally risking their lives. So when I was asked to be a part of this effort to honor

that work, I was especially happy,” said Sardonis, whose wife is a retired registered nurse.

Behind the sculpture a wall-mounted plaque reads: “This bronze sculpture and bench … is a gift in recognition of the dedication and care exemplified by all healthcare professionals in the face of unprecedented adversity during the pandemic of 20192023. Our community is forever grateful for your courage, compassion and sacrifice.”

Remains of Swanton WWII soldier to be buried at Arlington

The remains of Army Pfc. Arthur C. Barrett, a Swanton native killed during World War II, will be interred this week at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

According to the Department of Defense (DOD), Barrett was a member of the 31st Infantry Regiment when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan Peninsula April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members, including Barrett, were captured and interned at pris-

oner of war camps when U.S. forces in Bataan fell to the Japanese. The men were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March, then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp, where more than 2,500 POWs perished during the war. According to prison camp and other historical records, Barrett died July 19, 1942, at age 27, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 312.

Following the war, remains buried in Common Grave 312 were exhumed by the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) and

relocated to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the remains were examined by the AGRS for identification but only 12 sets could be identified, according to the Department of Defense. The rest were declared unidentifiable and buried as unknowns at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. Those remains were disinterred in January 2018 and sent to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for analysis.

Barrett was accounted for by the DPAA on July 20, 2022, after

his remains were identified using circumstantial evidence as well as anthropological and mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Although interred as an unknown at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Barrett’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

To learn more about the DOD’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 6991420 ext. 1169.

The new ‘Hearts and Hands’ sculpture honors the work of health care providers during the pandemic. It is on display on the third floor of the UVM Medical Center in Burlington. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Pfc. Arthur Barrett

Medical center creates Addiction Treatment Center

Amid rising demand for resources and programs aimed at supporting individuals with substance use and related disorders, UVM Medical Center has integrated and expanded its addiction services into a new Addiction Treatment Center (ATC) that brings together psychiatric providers, licensed drug and alcohol counselors, and experienced nurses to reduce barriers to care, expand local access to treatment and modernize UVM Medical Center’s current slate of treatment programs.

The ATC has revised its protocols and requirements for patient referrals, and now accepts referrals from prospective patients’ loved ones and family members. The ATC is also expanding opportunities for individuals seeking treatment for themselves, allowing walk-ins every Wednesday at its offices on South Prospect Street in Burlington.

Clinical leaders at the ATC said the focus of the program’s reformation and rebranding is harmonizing and modernizing the UVM Medical Center’s current addiction services — and ensuring that individuals seeking support for substance abuse disorders have a clear path to programs and treatment, regardless of where at UVM Medical Center they are receiving care.

“There is no ‘wrong door’ for individuals seeking support and treatment for sub -

State reviews ‘Blues’ affiliation plan for Vermont and Michigan insurers

BY KRISTEN FOUNTAIN VTDigger

Vermont’s insurance regulator has recently started two different public processes for reviewing the proposed affiliation between the state’s largest commercial health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, and the much larger Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Peter Jackson, Medical

stance use disorders,” said Peter Jackson, medical director of the ATC. “We’re reducing and removing barriers to accessing care – not just for those seeking support and treatment for substance use, but for co-occurring disorders as well.”

The ATC is rolling out re-imagined community outreach, treatment and support strategies, with a focus on providing rapid access to prospective patients, expanding touch-points and referral options for the community at-large, and assuring ATC’s treatment and support programs incorporate the most up-to-date best practices.

When you shop for yourself, Remember the Shelf!

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont is subject to two different avenues of oversight by the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation under state law, one as an insurance holding company and the other as a licensed nonprofit health insurer.

On May 15, in coordinated filings, Detroit-based Michigan Blue applied for approval of its “acquisition of control” of Vermont Blue as an insurance holding company, while the Berlin-based Vermont Blue applied to request approval for a “change in control” of its own organization as a permitted non-profit insurer of hospital-based and general medical care.

“There are two different statutory processes that are running at the same time,” said Deputy Commissioner Emily Brown, who oversees the insurance division for the department. “There’s a lot of overlap in the review and what we are reviewing, but they are two completely separate requirements under our jurisdiction.”

On Friday, the department announced the public comment portion of these processes.

Mike Fisher, who heads the Office of the Health Care Advocate for Vermont Legal Aid, which represents the public and ratepayers in regulatory proceedings, said he and his staff plan to weigh in.

For more than 40 years, Vermonters have benefitted from having a “homegrown insurance company,” Fisher said. The issues of who controls Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and where its leaders are focused are key, he said.

“If real decisions about how Blue Cross of Vermont behaves in the future are made in Michigan, we are very fearful that Vermonters will lose out, will lose access to care,” Fisher said.

The Michigan and Vermont organizations are among the 34 independent licensees of the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Both are nonprofit corporations that spend a comparatively high percentage of premium dollars on claims, and a comparatively lower percentage on administration.

The differences are ones of scale and complexity.

Michigan Blue Cross — or BCBSM — provides health insurance to more than 20 times as many people, both within its home state and beyond. It processes almost 30 times the number of claims as its Vermont

counterpart, BCBSVT.

The Michigan organization is the 10th largest health insurer in the country and seventh largest seller of Medicare Advantage plans, according to its application. Michigan’s CEO Daniel Loepp also was awarded almost 21 times the annual salary that went to BCBSVT CEO Don George last year, according to annual Michigan and Vermont regulatory filings.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont states emphatically in its application that the new relationship “is not an acquisition, merger, conversion, stock purchase, asset purchase or consolidation.”

After the affiliation, the Vermont nonprofit organization will continue to exist and to operate as it does currently, setting its own rates and interacting as it has historically with regulators at the department and the Green Mountain Care Board, according to its application. The majority of the board of directors will be from Vermont.

No staff reductions or relocations are expected. Premiums and capital reserves will remain under the control of the Vermont organization and administration and customer service will continue to be based in Vermont, the document states.

The affiliation will allow the much smaller BCBSVT to access information technology and expertise “to remain competitive in a rapidly changing and highly competitive marketplace, increasingly dominated by national for-profit health plans,” the organization wrote. Trying to do so on its own would be an untenable cost burden for ratepayers, it said, noting that BCBSM spends upward of $250 million annually on IT development and upgrades.

Michigan Blue Cross has dozens of whole or partially owned subsidiary companies, which in several cases have dozens of their own nested subsidiaries, compared to the roughly dozen on the Vermont Blue organizational chart. Through those subsidiaries, the larger organization sells Medicare supplemental and Part C plans, as does BCBSVT.

In addition to that, the Michigan organization offers health plans to around 5 million Medicaid recipients in 10 states through a subsidiary, AmeriHealth Caritas Health Plan, which it co-owns with a Blue organization based in southeastern Pennsylvania. Through other subsidiaries, it develops information technology for both the back end — such as claims processing and care management support — and the customer-facing front-end, including mobile apps, for its plans.

Another outcome of affiliation is that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will become the “sole member” of BCBSVT, and the holder of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association “exclusive service area” license see BLUES page 15

“We’re reducing and removing barriers to accessing care – not just for those seeking support and treatment for substance use, but for co-occurring disorders as well.”

Director

UVM Addiction Treatment Center

Aug. 11 at 1:48 p.m. — Report of a suspicious male at Hannaford. Male was trespassed from the property and moved along.

Aug. 11 at 11:20 p.m. — Report of a male in the Walmart parking lot acting strange and harassing people. Officers were unable to locate the male.

Aug. 12 at 4:46 p.m. — Report of an electric scooter stolen from Best Buy. Male was referred to the Community Justice Center.

Aug. 12 at 5:16 p.m. — Suspicious male on Merchants Row. A male, age 34, had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was issued a citation to appear in court.

Aug. 12 at 5:25 p.m. — Report of a retail theft at Walmart. Female was trespassed from the property and moved along.

Aug. 12 at 10:01 p.m. — Retail theft at Walmart. A male, age 34, and a female, age 33, were both issued citation to appear in court. It was also discovered that the male had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was issued a citation to appear in court.

Aug. 13 at 2:21 p.m. — Report of a retail theft at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Case is still under investigation.

Aug. 14 at 10:55 a.m. — Report of a storage unit on Adams Drive being broken into. Suspects took off when officers arrived on scene. Case is still under investigation.

Aug. 14 at 3:48 p.m. — Dispute in the parking lot of Sandri over a stolen ladder. Ladder was returned to the owner and parties were moved along.

Aug. 15 at 2:42 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Home Depot. Case is still under investigation.

Aug. 16 at 1:30 a.m. — Following a traffic stop, a juvenile male was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.

Aug. 16 at 4:44 p.m. — Report of a suspicious male walking around Merchants Row. Officers were unable to locate the male.

Aug. 17 at 7:11 a.m. — Assisted South Burlington Police with a male having a mental health crisis. Male was transported to the hospital for evaluation.

Aug. 17 at 9:07 p.m. — Report of

an intoxicated male in Walmart. Male was moved along.

Aug. 18 at 12:29 p.m. — Report of a male acting suspicious on Walnut Walk. Officer located the male, age 39, who had an active arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.

Aug. 18 at 5:19 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Walmart. Female was referred to the Community Justice Center.

Aug. 19 at 9:45 a.m. — Retail theft reported at Walmart. A male, age 45, and a female, age 35, were both issued citations to appear in court.

Aug. 19 at 10:20 a.m. — Retail theft reported at Walmart. A male, age 44, was issued a citation to appear in court.

Aug. 19 at 12:30 p.m. — Report of a retail theft at Walmart. A male, age 52, had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.

Aug. 19 at 11:03 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Walmart. A female, age 38, was issued a citation to appear in court.

Aug. 20 at 1:05 a.m. — Following a traffic stop, a male, age 29, was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.

Aug. 20 at 11:40 a.m. — Male in REI that is not supposed to be there. A male, age 48, was issued a citation to appear in court for unlawful trespass.

Aug. 21 at 9:17 a.m. — Report of a stolen vehicle from Maple Tree Place. Vehicle was recovered in the Walmart parking lot a short time later.

Aug. 21 at 7:20 p.m. — Assisted Williston Fire with locating an illegal burn.

Aug. 22 at 12:24 p.m. — Male called to report his car stolen. Car was only misplaced and located at CVS.

Aug. 22 at 9:59 p.m. — Following a traffic stop, a male, age 23, was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.

Officers also responded to 15 alarm activations, 10 motor vehicle crashes and conducted 42 traffic stops during this time frame.

continued from page 14

for Vermont, giving the larger organization great sway within the smaller one.

In particular, Vermont’s CEO, chief information officer and chief financial officer will report to executive vice presidents at the Michigan insurer, according to an organizational chart in Vermont’s application.

After the affiliation, Michigan Blue Cross will not only appoint five members of Vermont Blue Cross’s 12-member board, but it will also have veto power over who sits in the seven seats appointed by a Vermont nominating committee. The latter ability is what constitutes the change in control of Vermont Blue, which is why regulatory approval of the agreement is required.

Seven current members of the Vermont board would remain after the affiliation: the organiza-

tion’s CEO Don George as well as Charles Smith, Scott Giles, John Kassel, Kate Williams, Jason Robart and Robert Miller, according to Michigan Blue Cross’ application. Two BCBSM board members and three executives, including the company’s chief executive and chief operating officers, would be appointed to fill the remaining five seats.

There are limited grounds in state law for the Vermont department to deny either application.

In the BCBSM application, the criteria are largely related to the financial solvency of the acquiring holding company, Deputy Commissioner Brown said. With more than $10 billion in assets reported in 2022, the Michigan nonprofit has a higher solvency rating than its Vermont counterpart, though both applications stress that neither affiliate would have access to the reserves of the other.

However, both parties believe the relationship will lead to significant operational savings to

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont over the next three years. As part of the affiliation agreement, Michigan Blue Cross has guaranteed Vermont Blue Cross savings of $10 million by the end of that period, and has agreed to pay the difference if that amount is not achieved, the filings state.

To deny the Vermont Blue Cross application, according to state law, the department would need to find that the change in control would make the Vermont organization unable to meet the state’s requirements for doing business, would lower competition in the insurance marketplace, would put the organization in inexperienced hands or cause it financial jeopardy or, more broadly, would be “unfair and unreasonable to policyholders of the insurer and not in the public interest.”

Both Blues have said they hope to close on the affiliation agreement by Oct. 1.

Saturn’s Discoveries

Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. It has rings made of chunks of ice and rock. While people have known about this planet since ancient times, scientists are still making discoveries about it today! The Mini Page learns about Saturn this week.

Moons

Earth has only one moon, but NASA reports that Saturn has 146 of them! Some of them are new discoveries. In May 2023, a research team led by Edward Ashton found 62 new moons. This means that Saturn has the most moons of any planet in our solar system.

The moons vary in size — some of them are huge, like the one called Titan. Titan is the largest of Saturn’s moons, with a diameter of 3,200 miles. Other moons are much smaller, like the size of an arena, according to NASA.

Saturn also has thousands of moonlets, or tiny moons, within its compacted rings.

Try ’n’ Find

Next Week: School safety

Mini Fact: Saturn goes around the sun very slowly. A year on Saturn is more than 29 Earth years.

Rings

At the end of June 2023, NASA released a vivid image of Saturn and its rings. The image was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope using a special type of camera called near-infrared that made the rings stand out. NASA said this was the first time Saturn was captured with this amount of clarity at this wavelength. The planet looks dark, according to NASA, because methane gas absorbs a lot of the light from the sun.

The telescope took this image in hopes of learning more about Saturn’s moons and potential moons.

“Any newly discovered moons could help scientists put together a more complete picture of the current system of Saturn, as well as its past,” NASA said.

Imaging like this also helps scientists get a better understanding of Saturn’s atmosphere. Saturn is made mostly of hydrogen and helium, which are gases. At its center, however, rocky material surrounds a center of metals, like nickel and iron.

Saturn doesn’t have a solid surface, but it does have water vapor in its atmosphere.

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

DISCOVERIES, GAS, HELIUM, HYDROGEN, ICY, IMAGE, JETS, METHANE, MOONS, NASA, PHOSPHORUS, PLANETS, POLE, RINGS, SATURN, SURFACE, TELESCOPE, TITAN.

Enceladus

The summer of 2023 was a big time for discoveries regarding Saturn. Not only were moons found and a significant image of the planet captured, but an important element was found on one of its orbiting moons. Enceladus (en-SEH-luh-duhs) has an ocean under its icy crust. This moon’s south pole has jets of ice water that erupt and release icy grains into the atmosphere. These grains were recently found to contain phosphorus, which is considered a building block of life.

In a previous mission, researchers discovered sodium, potassium, chlorine and carbonate (CAR-buh-nate) compounds in the icy grains. Researchers said that the combination of compounds found could suggest Enceladus might be able to support life.

“The important part for habitability is that we found phosphates that have been dissolved in Enceladus’ ocean and, with that, are readily available for the formation of potential life,” said Dr. Frank Postberg.

Resources

On the Web:

• spaceplace.nasa.gov/ all-about-saturn/en/

At the library:

• “All About the Planet Saturn!” by Baby Professor

• “Saturn” by Steve Foxe

Mini Jokes

Seth: What did Mars say to Saturn?

Sylvia: “Give me a ring sometime!”

the peak of its 11-year cycle of

The

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 35, 2023

photo courtesy of NASA

This image of Hyperion, one of Saturn’s many moons, shows the interesting details across its surface. Images like this help researchers better understand Saturn and our solar system.

courtesy of NASA

courtesy of NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

Enceladus’ jets of ice water are illuminated by the sun in this photo.

moons, within its compacted rings.

Try ’n’ Find

Saturn doesn’t have a solid surface, but it does have water vapor in its atmosphere.

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

DISCOVERIES, GAS, HELIUM, HYDROGEN, ICY, IMAGE, JETS, METHANE, MOONS, NASA, PHOSPHORUS, PLANETS, POLE, RINGS, SATURN, SURFACE, TELESCOPE, TITAN.

Mini Spy Classics

Mini Spy and her friends are studying the solar system. See if you can find the hidden pictures. Then color the picture.

About the Planet Saturn!” by Baby Professor • “Saturn” by Steve Foxe

Mini Jokes

Seth: What did Mars say to Saturn?

Sylvia: “Give me a ring sometime!”

Eco Note

The sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity and recently produced a massive solar storm that briefly disrupted highfrequency radio communication in parts of the U.S. and eastern Pacific region. A blast of charged particles and ultraviolet light on July 2, 2023, reached Earth’s ionosphere eight minutes after a sunspot, about eight times the size of Earth, created an intense geomagnetic storm.

For

later:

Look in the newspaper for articles about planets.

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

BY DAN THOMPSON

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

The hidden danger of untreated heartburn

Dear Savvy Senior,

Is regular heartburn or acid reflux anything to worry about?

I eat a lot of Rolaids throughout the day to help manage it, but it’s gotten worse with age and it keeps me up at night too. What can you tell me?

Belching Bob

counter antacids, you need to see your doctor, who may refer you to a gastroenterologist. Frequent bouts may mean you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERDs, which can severely irritate and damage the lining of your esophagus, putting you at risk of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer if it’s not treated.

agus.

ous symptoms.

Dear Bob,

Almost everyone experiences heartburn or acid reflux from time to time, but frequent episodes can signal a much more serious problem. It’s estimated that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, with around 15 million people who suffer from it daily.

Heartburn symptoms show up in a variety of ways — as a burning pain behind the breastbone, indigestion, or a sour or burning taste in the back of the throat. Other symptoms may include chest pain, excessing belching, a longterm cough, sore throat or hoarseness.

If you’re plagued by heartburn two or more times a week, and it’s not responding well to over-the-

LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS

Depending on the frequency and severity of your heartburn, there are a number of lifestyle adjustments you can make that can help provide relief and avoid a more serious problem down the road, such as:

• Avoid trigger foods: Some foods can trigger heartburn symptoms, like citrus fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods, chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy foods, mints, alcohol, coffee and sodas. You should keep a food diary to track which foods cause you the most problems and avoid them.

• Eat smaller, slower and earlier: Smaller portions at mealtime and eating slower can help reduce heartburn symptoms.

By Jim Miller

You should also wait at least three hours after eating before lying down or going to bed.

• Lose weight: Having excess weight around the midsection puts pressure on the abdomen, pushing up the stomach and causing acid to back up into the esophagus.

• Quit smoking: Smoking can increase stomach acid and weaken the valve that prevents acid from entering the esoph-

• Sleep elevated: To help keep the acid down while sleeping, get a wedge-shaped pillow to prop yourself up a few inches. If that’s not enough, try elevating the head of your bed six to eight inches by placing blocks under the bedposts or insert a wedge between your mattress and box spring. Wedges are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. Sleeping on the left side may also help keep the acid down.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

If the lifestyle adjustments don’t solve the problem, or if antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta or Alka-Seltzer) aren’t doing the trick, there are a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help, including:

• H-2 Blockers: Available as both over-the-counter and prescription strength, these drugs (Pepcid, Tagamet, Axid and Zantac) reduce how much acid your stomach makes but may not be strong enough for seri

• Proton-Pump Inhibitors (PPI): If you have frequent and severe heartburn symptoms, PPIs are long-acting prescription medications that block acid production and allow time for damaged esophageal tissue to heal. They include Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Zegerid, Protonix, Aciphex and Dexilant. Prevacid, Nexium, Prilosec and Zegerid are also available over the counter. But be aware that long-term use of PPIs can increase your risk for osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease.

• If the medications aren’t enough, there are also surgical procedures that can tighten or strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter so gastric fluids can’t wash back up into the esophagus.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit

SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 22

CROSSWORD

SOLUTION ON PAGE 22

ANDREWS MCMEEL Almanac

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1888, the body of Mary Ann Nichols, the first victim of London serial killer Jack the Ripper, was found.

• In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Neutrality Act.

• In 1954, Hurricane Carol made landfall over Long Island and Connecticut and soon became one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit New England.

• In 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car accident in Paris.

TODAY’S FACT:

• The last original episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” aired on this day in 2001.

We’re proud of our smiles! We believe that our state-of-the-art, impeccable skills; cheerful, approachable attitudes and ability to handle all your dental needs under one roof means a visit with us will always leave you with a beautiful smile.

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 apply for a library card, renew materials, access digital offerings and register for programs. Need help? Call 878-4918 or email daml@damlvt.org.

The library will be closed on Sept. 4 for Labor Day.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

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

TEEN NIGHT: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

Friday, Sept. 1, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Join our D&D campaign.

SATURDAY STORYTIME

Saturday, Sept. 2, 10-10:30 a.m. Drop in for storytime with Cindy.

STORYTIME

Tuesdays, Sept. 5 and 12, 10:30-11 a.m.

SEPTEMBER SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

Tuesdays, Sept. 5 and 12, 5-5:45 p.m. Sept. 5: make your own butter and learn about friction. Sept. 12: learn about chemical bonds with rainbow rain.

BABY TIME

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 10:30-11 a.m. Enjoy gentle activities with your baby for bonding and socializing.

AFTER SCHOOL LEGO AND BOARD GAMES

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2-3 p.m. Play games and create with LEGOs at the library.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC AND PLAYTIME

Thursdays, Sept. 7 and 14, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Enjoy music, then stay to play.

TEEN NIGHT: FRISBEE

Friday, Sept. 8, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Relax on the Town Green with frisbees and other outdoor games.

FRENCH STORYTIME

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Enjoy stories read aloud by a native French speaker.

LITTLES D&D

Saturday, Sept. 9, 1-2 p.m. Register your child for a Dungeon & Dragons adventure. Adults should stay with their campaigner to help. Register each child individually.

POKÉMON CLUB

Monday, Sept. 11, 4-5 p.m. Drop in for Pokémon-themed activities.

AFTER SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2-3 p.m. Have fun with an after-school science experiment.

LEGO TIME CHALLENGE

Thursday, Sept. 14, 3-4 p.m.

Use the library’s LEGOs and build for a mystery challenge.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Thursday, Sept. 14, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Seeking teens to join our Teen Advisory Board. You bring the thoughts, we bring the food.

ADULT PROGRAMS

For online programs, email programs@damlvt.org for link.

ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)

Fridays in September, 1212:30 p.m. Guided meditation with Maryellen Crangle.

MAH JONGG

Fridays, Sept. 1 and 8, 1-3 p.m. Drop by to play this popular tile game. All levels.

ADULT GOOD CITIZEN CHALLENGE

Ends Monday, Sept. 4. Please email or drop off your completed challenge.

SPANISH CONVERSATION (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 5-6 p.m. Brush up on your Spanish skills with teacher Elliot Lafferty. All abilities welcome.

ADULT CRAFTERNOON: LAVENDER BATH BOMBS

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2-3 p.m. Kickoff Self-Care September by making a soothing soaking treat. Pre-register.

FRENCH CONVERSATION FOR ALL

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Join a native French speaker in brushing up your language skills. All abilities welcome.

PUT YOUR GARDEN TO BED WORKSHOP

S aturday, Sept. 9, 2-3:30 p.m. Master Gardener Justin Fox teaches how to overwinter your garden, plant for next year, take advantage of leaves and make spring clean-up easier. Co-sponsored by the UVM Extension Master Gardener/ Master Composter Program. Pre-register.

CURRENT EVENTS

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop in to discuss today’s events with other community members.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2-3:30 see LIBRARY page 21

Library

continued from page 20

p.m. Come prepared with a story, or Maryellen Crangle will provide a prompt to guide the group in choosing a story to share.

BIRDS OF VERMONT: SEE IT, SKETCH

IT, BIRD IT

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6-7:30 p.m. Join a Birds of Vermont Museum representative to learn how to sketch models of birds. No experience necessary. Materials provided. Pre-register.

AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6:307:30 p.m. “Count the Ways” by

Kathleen A. Truax

Kathleen A. Truax, 67, of Richmond, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Aug. 18, 2023.

Kathy was born in Dearborn, MI on April 6, 1956, the youngest of three daughters born to Dorothy (Bartkowiak) and Harry Chester.

In her childhood, she was quite athletic. Kathy played softball and bowled, was an avid swimmer, and was a member of a synchronized swimming team.

She graduated from Dearborn High School in 1974 and went on to work at Little Professors Bookstore. She then took a position at Hamilton Test Systems as an administrator. It was here she met her husband, Brian Truax. The two were married in 1983 in Dearborn.

Kathy retired in 2019 and shortly after began a new “career” as a Grandma. In addition to being a busy grandma, Kathy loved crafting, gardening, and travel. She traveled the US and the world from Alaska to Turkey to Machu Picchu and many places in between.

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She moved to Vermont in 1984 where Brian began an engineering position at GE. They found a home in Richmond and began their family, welcoming two daughters, Heather and Ashley. Kathy was the core of the Truax household

and active in the Richmond community. She enjoyed baking cakes for any and every celebration, camping with friends, listening to Motown, and of course, a good laugh. She was a Girl Scout troop leader, was active in the Richmond Women’s Group, and hosted a Wednesday Backyard Volleyball League.

As the girls grew older, Kathy took a position at the University of Vermont History Department, where she worked for 15 years. She had fond memories of her professors and students.

Kathy is predeceased by her husband Brian Truax and sister Lorraine Pearce. She is survived by her daughters Heather Truax (Sam Hobbs) and Ashley Truax (Devin Praino), three grandchildren, sister Marilyn Allevato, companion Tim Severance, and her faithful dog, Mitzie.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life luncheon on Saturday Sept. 16 from 12-3 p.m. at the Catamount Country Club in Williston VT.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the below in memory of Kathy:

• Boys and Girls Club of Burlington: https://www.bandgclub.org/donate

• Vermont Humane Federation: https://vermonthumane.org/ donate

BEFORE SHE’S TOO COOL FOR MOM TO DROP HER OFF AT SCHOOL…

NOW HIRING

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Send a resume and cover letter to: Stowe Reporter, POB 489, Stowe VT 05672; or katerina@stowereporter.com. No phone calls please.

For more information, email: katerina@stowereporter.com

VT National Guard to host Open House

BY CAPT. MIKEL ARCOVITCH  Vermont National Guard

The Vermont National Guard invites the public to its second annual Open House, set to take place at Camp Johnson in Colchester on Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is an opportunity for the community to connect with servicemen and servicewomen, gain insights into military operations and partake in an array of family-friendly activities.

Visitors will have the chance to see equipment, vehicles and unit displays, providing a glimpse into the machinery and strategic tools employed by the Vermont National Guard. There will also be a variety of food options available for purchase.

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PUZZLE FOUND ON PAGE 19

“Last year’s event was outstanding with more than 6,000 people in attendance,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, the Vermont National Guard Adjutant General. “We wanted to host the event again this year to allow our community another opportunity to join us and learn about our organization.”

Other activities include a kids’ zone with bouncy houses and face-painting, informational booths, a simulations center and demonstrations throughout the day. The Vermont National Guard Museum will also be open and showcasing exhibits.

Parking will be available on Camp Johnson, at the Fanny Allen Medical Center nearby, at an Agency of Transportation parking lot and at an off-site lot at Essex High School with a shuttle bus.

Demonstrations will occur throughout the day with the 40th Army Band, the Norwich Silent Drill Team and the Vermont Air National Guard conducting a “jaws of life” demonstration. Additional interactive events include riding in a Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV), which showcases one of the many unique capabilities of the Vermont National Guard. The United States Air Force will also provide a simula-

CLASSIFIEDS

Multi-family yard sale — Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 147 Windridge in Williston. Disneyana, Pokemon, new/ unopened office supplies, new/unopened scrapbook supplies, girls’ toys and clothing, tech (keyboards, monitor, mice),

Driver Wanted

tor using virtual reality.

“We believe in bridging the gap between our dedicated personnel and the community we serve,” said Knight. “This Open House is not just about showcasing our capabilities but also about fostering relationships. We’re excited to open our doors and welcome everyone to see their Vermont National Guard.”

For more information, visit the Vermont National Guard’s webpage for the event, https:// vt.public.ng.mil/Events/OpenHouse-2023/, or contact Capt. Mike Arcovitch at (802) 338-3434 or by email at mikel.r.arcovitch. mil@army.mil.

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Pfc. Robert Popeleski of the Vermont Army National Guard shows Isaac Heath around the dashboard of a tactical Humvee ambulance during the Vermont National Guard Open House last year.

PHOTO BY DON BRANUM/VERMONT NATIONAL GUARD

Reading, writing and ‘rithmatic readiness

The first day of school in Williston was Wednesday, Aug. 30.

In the quiet days before students enter the classrooms of Allen Brook School, teachers and others have been busily cleaning and decorating to create inviting spaces for learning.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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With the government’s A ordable Connectivity Program (ACP) millions of households are already saving $30 a month on internet service. To find out if you’re eligible, visit GetInternet.gov/Connect. If you’re approved, a participating provider can help you connect and the savings will be applied directly to your monthly bill.

Sign up, connect and save at

GetInternet.gov/Connect.

To request a printed application, call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575.