Thursday, July 27, 2017

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PROGRAM

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Field Days

Heirloom

Everything you want to know about the 2017 fair can be found in this year’s program inside.

A Salisbury woman hand weaves Shaker-style baskets that last a lifetime. See Arts + Leisure.

LD DAYS7 FAIR &AuFIE gust 12, 201 ADTuDIesdSOay,NAuCOguUNst TY 8 - Saturday,

25 to life An Orwell man on Monday was sentenced on sex charges at an emotional hearing. See Page 7A.

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

Vol. 71 No. 30

Middlebury, Vermont

Thursday, July 27, 2017

84 Pages

Gun advocates take aim in Bristol forum By GAEN MURPHREE BRISTOL — Pete Lossman was among the 70 or so Bristol residents at Monday night’s hearing in Holley Hall on a proposed ordinance to regulate the discharge of firearms in Bristol. He was one the many who claimed the ordinance would burden responsible gun owners only, while doing nothing to curb the “stupid” behavior of those who lack the common sense to use guns safely. A new law isn’t going to protect Bristol residents from such people, Lossman opined. “You just can’t fix stupid,” he said. But there were others at the hearing who were willing to give such an ordinance a try. For close to two hours, citizens came forward and spoke their minds, directly addressing the selectboard. Most spoke against the proposed ordinance. Some spoke in favor. The tone for the hearing was set by Selectboard Chair John “Peeker” Heffernan, who instructed the crowd to be respectful and give others a chance

to speak. “It’s OK to disagree,” he said. “We just don’t need to be disagreeable.” Heffernan described the hearing as a “fact finding mission” for the selectboard, whose members were there to listen. On April 17 the selectboard asked Bristol Police Chief Kevin Gibbs to look at similar ordinances in other towns and draft a proposed ordinance, which led to the public hearing. This was after a number of residents brought concerns to the selectboard in the spring about incidents in which persons discharged firearms close to homes. The residents expressed concern for their safety and said law enforcement had told them there was little that could be done in the absence of a town ordinance. In general, the ordinance prohibits discharging firearms within a 500-foot safety zone around someone else’s property. The chief of police could grant permits for discharging firearms within the 500-foot safety zone, after (See Gun ordinance, Page 14A)

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Statewide group recognizes four local firefighters Ferrisburgh, Middlebury & Bristol departments shine

BRISTOL RESIDENT FRED Schroeder holds up a bow and voices his displeasure with Bristol’s proposed gun ordinance during a public hearing in Holley Hall Monday night. Independent photo/Trent Campbell

By WILL DiGRAVIO ADDISON COUNTY — When a fire destroyed the Blue Spruce Motel in Middlebury on July 12, volunteers from seven area fire departments responded with many firefighters going beyond the call of duty. The Addison County fire service was working like a well-oiled machine to ensure that citizens were safe and property damage was kept to a minimum. It was this type of selfless hard work that earned four county firefighters from three departments recognition from a statewide organization earlier this month. Middlebury’s Donald Patterson was named Vermont Firefighter of the Year by the Vermont State Firefighters Association at its annual convention in Rutland on July 8. Also tapped for honors by the VSFA were Bob Jenkins, a former Ferrisburgh fire chief who was named the Senior Firefighter of the Year, and Bristol’s Eric Forand (named Robert King Fire Chief of the Year) and Anthony Robideau (Captain Charles Taylor Youth Firefighter of the Year). (See Firefighters, Page 1A)

Middlebury earns federal permission for rail bridges fix

IN THE DAYS after the Main Street rail bridge in downtown Middlebury was demolished, the Federal Highway Administration issued an environmental assessment finding that paves the way for the rail bridges project to continue full speed ahead next spring. A temporary bridge should be open in a little more than a week. See more photos on Page 12A. Independent photo/Trent Campbell

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has determined that a planned $52 million replacement of Middlebury’s two downtown rail bridges will have “no significant impact” on local residents, wildlife and the environment. That gives the green light for the project to proceed as scheduled next spring. FHWA Environmental Program Manager Kenneth Sikora Jr. rendered a “Finding Of No Significant Impact” based on his review of an Environmental Assessment report on the project site spearheaded by the Vermont Agency of Transportation. That document listed a series of potential steps to address the expected environmental, noise, traffic and other impacts of the plan to replace the deteriorating brides over the railroad at Main Street and Merchants Row with a 360-foot tunnel. The Environmental Assessment specifically examined 17 potential categories of impacts within what is

a 6.1-acre construction area, much of it involving rail bed that will be lowered and replaced to allow for at least 21 feet of clearance for future train traffic. Middlebury residents in early May packed the Town Hall Theater to comment on a draft of the Environmental Assessment report, with many expressing concerns the document did not adequately address public safety and the hardships the project would impose on historical buildings, the nearby Otter Creek, and downtown merchants. Those storeowners are currently getting a sneak preview of construction disruption with the demolition of the deteriorating Main Street and Merchants Row bridges and installation of temporary spans at those two locations. That work — triggered by an emergency order this past March from VTrans — is expected to conclude on Aug. 12. Meanwhile, Middlebury officials, residents and business leaders have been waiting for FHWA’s verdict on (See Approval, Page 11A)

CLiF gives away books to combat ‘summer slide’ By the way A reminder to anyone who is planning to travel between Middlebury and Hancock this weekend: Route 125 west of Hancock village will be closed to through traffic, so look for a different route. VTrans will replace a culvert on Route 125 (See By the way, Page 13A)

Index Obituaries................................. 6A Classifieds.......................... 4B-8B Service Directory............... 5B-6B Entertainment.........Arts + Leisure Community Calendar......... 8A-9A Arts Calendar.........Arts + Leisure Sports................................. 1B-3B

By WILL DiGRAVIO reading materials accessible to them VERGENNES — Dozens of in the summer often lose two or more children were grinning ear-to-ear months worth of reading skills over recently as they perused stacks of the summer, so they tend to regress,” glistening new books the Children’s McDougall said. Literacy Foundation, or CLiF, was He said the summer slide means giving away for free in Middlebury, that students can fall behind by one Vergennes and Bristol. to two years’ worth of That’s right, free. reading levels by the “There’s a ton of As part of CLiF’s time they finish school. commitment to research showing “What we try to do encourage summer that when kids in the summertime is reading, on Monday, get to choose the reach out to kids who July 24, the nonprofit books they want, might not have easy held storytelling and 80 to 90 percent access to (books), and book giveaways at we talk to them about of them prefer community hubs in the the power and the joy county’s three largest those books and of reading, writing and are more likely to books,” McDougall population centers. CLiF’s mission is read and continue said. to nurture a love of reading.” At each event, reading and writing — Duncan McDougall McDougall, or one among low-income, of the organization’s at-risk, and rural kids 60 other presenters, up to age 12 throughout Vermont will discuss with children the and New Hampshire. According to different book genres that are CLiF Executive Director Duncan available to them. They’ll also read McDougall, the organization’s a story together. At the end of the summer reading initiative is designed presentation, each child is allowed to combat what is referred to as the to select two free books that, as “summer slide.” McDougall emphasized during “Kids who don’t have books and (See Summer reading, Page 13A)

CHILDREN SELECT TWO free books as part of a Children’s Literacy Foundation summer reading program at St. Peter’s Parish Hall in Vergennes on Monday.

Independent Photo/Will DiGravio


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