Dec 26, 2013 — A section

Page 1

Local scholar

Deer down

Vermont’s Education Department tapped a VUHS senior for a special honor. See Page 2A.

Hunters took fewer deer locally during the recent hunting seasons than in past years. See Page 1B.

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT Vol. 67 No. 52

Middlebury, Vermont

â—†

Thursday, December 26, 2013 â—† 24 Pages

75¢

PSB  gives  its  OK  for  natural  gas  pipeline  in  county By  JOHN  FLOWERS and  ZACH  DESPART 0,''/(%85< ² 7KH 9HUPRQW 3XEOLF 6HUYLFH %RDUG RQ 0RQGD\ JDYH LWV FRQGLWLRQDO DSSURYDO WR DQG LVVXHG D &HUWLÂżFDWH RI 3XEOLF *RRG IRU 9HUPRQW *DV 6\VWHPVÂś SURSRVHG PLOH QDWXUDO JDV SLSHOLQH IURP &ROFKHVWHU WR 0LGGOHEXU\ DQG 9HU-­ gennes. 7KH PLOOLRQ SURMHFW FRXOG EH GHOLYHULQJ QDWXUDO JDV WR EXVLQHVVHV DORQJ 0LGGOHEXU\ÂśV ([FKDQJH 6WUHHW E\ ODWH QH[W \HDU IROORZHG E\ VHU-­ YLFH WR RWKHU DUHDV RI 0LGGOHEXU\ DQG 9HUJHQQHV DV ZHOO DV SRFNHWV RI FRQVXPHUV LQ 0RQNWRQ )HUULVEXUJK 1HZ +DYHQ %ULVWRO DQG (DVW 0LG-­ GOHEXU\ 7KH SURMHFW KDV GUDZQ SUDLVH from  some  who  favor  the  currently  ORZHU SULFH RI QDWXUDO JDV DQG VD\ it  will  spur  business  activity  in  the  UHJLRQ 2WKHUV DUH RSSRVHG EDVHG RQ FRQFHUQV DERXW LQGLYLGXDO SURS-­ HUW\ ULJKWV VDIHW\ DQG GDPDJH WR WKH environment,  particularly  through  GULOOLQJ SUDFWLFHV FDOOHG ÂłIUDFNLQJ ´ The  PSB’s  approval  relates  only  to  its  â€œPhase  Oneâ€?  plans.  Vermont  *DV KDV DQRWKHU DSSOLFDWLRQ SHQGLQJ

ZLWK WKH ERDUG IRU D 3KDVH ,, SURMHFW WKDW ZRXOG H[WHQG IURP 0LGGOHEXU\ WKURXJK &RUQZDOO DQG 6KRUHKDP XQGHU /DNH &KDPSODLQ WR WKH ,QWHU-­ QDWLRQDO 3DSHU 0LOO LQ 7LFRQGHURJD N.Y.  Ultimately,  Vermont  Gas  wants  WR H[WHQG LWV SLSHOLQH LQWR 5XWODQG County. ,Q LWœV SDJH GHFLVLRQ LVVXHV ODWH 0RQGD\ DIWHUQRRQ 'HF WKH 36% OLVWHG D VHULHV RI ¿QGLQJV ZKLOH laying  out  its  rationale  for  issuing  a  &HUWL¿FDWH RI 3XEOLF *RRG LQ VSLWH of  substantial  opposition  to  the  plan  E\ HQYLURQPHQWDOLVWV WRZQ RI¿FLDOV DQG SURSHUW\ RZQHUV ZLWKLQ WKH SURM-­ HFW URXWH VHH WKH HQWLUH GHFLVLRQ DW DGGLVRQLQGHSHQGHQW FRP -HQQLIHU %DNHU RI 0RQNWRQ ZDV QRW SOHDVHG ZLWK WKH 36%œV GHFLVLRQ ³7KH 36% KDV GLVPLVVHG WKH OH-­ gitimate  safety  concerns  of  many  UHVLGHQWV DORQJ WKH URXWH ´ VKH VDLG RQ 7XHVGD\ PRUQLQJ ³%\ TXRWLQJ WKH VDIHW\ VWDQGDUGV WKH\ VKRZ WKDW WKH\ DUH FRQIXVLQJ FRGH ZLWK ]RQLQJ Just  because  something  is  built  to  a  VWDQGDUG GRHVQœW PHDQ WKDW LWœV VLWHG correctly.  This  pipeline  is  too  close  WR VFKRROV DQG PDQ\ UHVLGHQFHV ´ (See  Pipeline,  Page  10A)

Joy  ride NELLA  BOWEN,  5,  of  New  Haven  takes  a  break  and  gets  a  spin  from  her  mom,  Jessica,  at  the  Memorial  Sports  Center  in  Middlebury  Monday  afternoon. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell

Heating  fuel  help  down  this  year Â

Addison weighs  town  plan,  zoning

$YHUDJH EHQHÂżW LV reduced  by  $100 By  JOHN  FLOWERS $'',621 &2817< ² $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ÂśV ORZ LQFRPH KRXVHKROGV will  have  a  tougher  time  keeping  their  homes  warm  this  winter  in  OLJKW RI QHZ HOLJLELOLW\ VWDQGDUGV DQG WLJKWHU UHVRXUFHV IRU IHGHUDO IXHO DV-­ VLVWDQFH DFFRUGLQJ WR VWDWH DQG ORFDO KXPDQ VHUYLFHV DGYRFDWHV 5LFKDUG 0RIÂż IXHO SURJUDP FKLHI IRU WKH VWDWH RI 9HUPRQW VDLG FXUUHQW VLJQV SRLQW WR WKH *UHHQ 0RXQWDLQ 6WDWH UHFHLYLQJ DURXQG PLOOLRQ through  the  Low-­Income  Home  En-­ ergy  Assistance  Program  (LIHEAP).  That  is  approximately  5  percent  less  WKDQ WKH VWDWH UHFHLYHG ODVW ZLQWHU +H QRWHG VWDWH JRYHUQPHQW LV WU\-­ ing  to  mitigate  some  of  the  impacts Â

By  ANDY  KIRKALDY $'',621 ² 0HPEHUV RI WKH $GGLVRQ SODQQLQJ FRPPLVVLRQ DQG VHOHFWERDUG UHDFKHG DW OHDVW D WHQWD-­ tive  consensus  last  week  that  plan-­ QHUV VKRXOG WXUQ WKHLU DWWHQWLRQ DZD\ IURP XSGDWLQJ ]RQLQJ UHJXODWLRQV DQG WRZDUG XSGDWLQJ WKH WRZQ SODQ before  it  expires  late  next  summer. Planning  commission  chairman  )UDQN *DOJDQR VDLG DQG VHOHFWERDUG FKDLUPDQ -HII .DXIIPDQ FRQ¿UPHG WKDW WKH PHPEHUV RI WKH WZR ERDUGV at  a  Dec.  16  planning  meeting  also  DJUHHG WKDW WKH $GGLVRQ 'HYHORS-­ PHQW 5HYLHZ %RDUG VKRXOG LQ WKH PHDQWLPH UHO\ RQ WKH WRZQœV ]RQLQJ ODZV $QG WKH\ VDLG WKDW SODQQHUV ZRXOG FRQVLGHU GXULQJ WKH WRZQ SODQ DGRS-­ tion  process  last-­minute  changes  SURSRVHG E\ WKH VHOHFWERDUG WR SODQ-­ (See  Addison,  Page  14A)

Addison County

By the way

Many  people  in  Vermont  would  say  that  the  Green  Mountain  State  is  a  great  place  to  retire.  The  web-­ site  MoneyRates.com  put  some  numbers  behind  that  assumption  to  judge  it.  Using  a  mix  of  factors,  including  senior  population,  cost  of  living,  taxes,  crime  and  climate,  the  site  recently  ranked  each  of  the  50  states  as  retirement  destination  and  Vermont  came  out  â€Ś  No.  9.  It  is  the  only  state  in  the  Northeast  in  (See  By  the  way,  Page  10A)

Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVL¿HGV  ......................... 5B-­8B Service  Directory  .............. 6B-­8B Entertainment  ........................ 12A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ........ 8A-­9A Sports  ................................ 1B-­3B

RI WKDW FXW E\ RIIHULQJ D FRPELQHG WR-­ 0RIÂż LV WKH *UHHQ 0RXQWDLQ 3RZHU WDO RI PLOOLRQ LQ IXHO DVVLVWDQFH energy  assistance  program  that  ex-­ $OO WROG 9HUPRQW H[SHFWV WR KDYH WHQGV D TXDOLI\LQJ KRXVHKROGV D DURXQG PLOOLRQ OHVV WR JLYH RXW SHUFHQW GLVFRXQW RII WKH PRQWKO\ in  fuel  grants  this  winter  FKDUJH IRU WKH ÂżUVW WKDQ LW GLG ODVW \HDU “We are also kilowatt  hours  of  energy  But  the  bottom  line,  ac-­ WKH\ XVH 7KLV FRXOG VDYH FRUGLQJ WR 0RIÂż LV WKDW telling people participating  families  up  the  average  fuel  assis-­ to keep an WR D \HDU DFFRUGLQJ WDQFH EHQHÂżW IRU TXDOLI\-­ eye on their WR *03 RIÂżFLDOV LQJ KRXVHKROGV WKLV ZLQWHU Âł7KDWÂśV DERXW SHU ZLOO EH GRZQ IURP thermostat.â€? PRQWK ´ 0RIÂż VDLG Âł,I — CVOEO’s \RX DUH RQ D Âż[HG LQ-­ WKH DYHUDJH EHQHÂżW Karen Haury come,  your  Social  Se-­ ODVW ZLQWHU 6WDWH RIÂżFLDOV KDYH WKXV IDU LVVXHG IXHO FXULW\ FKHFN LV DURXQG EHQHÂżWV WR KRXVHKROGV DF-­ SHU PRQWK 6R SHU PRQWK FRUGLQJ WR 0RIÂż ,WÂśV H[SHFWHG WKDW D LV D QLFH FKXQN LI \RX DUH RQ D Âż[HG WRWDO RI WR KRXVHKROGV income.â€? ZLOO EH VHUYHG WKURXJKRXW WKLV ZLQWHU $ IDPLO\ FDQ HDUQ XS WR SHU 0RIÂż LV KRSLQJ FDVK VWUDSSHG PRQWK WR TXDOLI\ IRU WKH *03 GLV-­ 9HUPRQWHUV WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI HYHU\ count. fuel  savings  opportunity  that  comes  .DUHQ +DXU\ LV GLUHFWRU RI WKH $G-­ WKHLU ZD\ $PRQJ WKHP DFFRUGLQJ WR (See  Assistance,  Page  14A)

‘Recess’ is entrepreneur’s business (GLWRUÂśV QRWH 7KLV LV WKH ODWHVW LQ D VHULHV RI SURÂżOHV RI the  new  businesses  being  developed  at  the  Vermont  Cen-­ ter  for  Emerging  Technologies  incubator  in  Middlebury. By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² ,WÂśV DQ RIW UHSHDWHG MRNH WKDW VWLOO JHWV D FKXFNOH RU WZR Âł'LG \RX KHDU DERXW place  name  of  butt  of  joke  here " +LV IDYRULWH VXEMHFW DW VFKRRO ZDV recess!â€?

Coated

:HOO $OH[ &RQVDOYRœV IDYRULWH VXEMHFW WKHVH GD\V LV DQ HQWHUSULVH FDOOHG ³5HFHVV ´ DQG KH DQG EXVLQHVV SDUWQHU :DUG :ROII DUH KRSLQJ WR VPLOH DOO WKH ZD\ WR WKH EDQN 5HFHVV LV D FRPSXWHUL]HG VFKHGXOLQJ V\VWHP WKDW FRQQHFWV SHRSOH WR YDULRXV DWKOHWLF DFWLYLWLHV DQG RWKHU HYHQWV LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH ZRUNGD\ 5HFHVV FRRUGLQDWHV activities  for  those  who  have  a  lunch  break  for  an  hour  or  (See  Recess,  Page  7A)

THE  BRANCHES  OF  a  small  bush  in  Middlebury  stand  up  to  a  coating  of  ice  after  Sunday’s  ice  storm. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell

%ULVWRO ERDUG DJUHHV WR IXQG QHZ ÂżUHÂżJKWHU JHDU By  ZACH  DESPART BRISTOL  â€”  The  Bristol  select-­ ERDUG RQ 'HF DSSURYHG IXQGLQJ for  the  Bristol  Fire  Department  to  purchase  six  new  vehicle  extrication  coveralls. %UHWW /D5RVH WKH ÂżUVW DVVLVWDQW FKLHI RI WKH GHSDUWPHQW VDLG WKDW WKH ÂżUH GHSDUWPHQW KDG SUHYLRXVO\ SXU-­ FKDVHG VXLWV EXW VRPH KDYH EHHQ UHPRYHG IURP VHUYLFH GXH WR ZHDU DQG WHDU /D5RVH VDLG WKDW KH VSRNH ZLWK VHYHUDO YHQGRUV DQG WKH EHVW TXRWH KH UHFHLYHG IRU WKH FRYHUDOOV ZDV 7KH VHOHFWERDUG DSSURYHG DQ appropriation  in  that  amount. ([WULFDWLRQ FRYHUDOOV DUH GLIIHU-­ HQW IURP WKH JHDU ÂżUHÂżJKWHUV XVXDOO\ wear,  as  it  is  necessary  for  personnel Â

to  move  freely  in  tight  spaces. ³7KH FRYHUDOOV SURYLGH YHUVDWLOLW\ DQG PRELOLW\ ´ /D5RVH VDLG ³7KH WUDGLWLRQDO JHDU ² SXII\ FRDWV DQG SDQWV ² LV EXON\ DQG GLI¿FXOW WR PRYH DURXQG LQ ZKHQ \RXœUH ZRUN-­ LQJ ZLWK FUXVKHG FDUV ´ /D5RVH DGGHG WKDW WKH FRYHUDOOV LPPHGLDWHO\ LGHQWLI\ ZKR LV D FHUWL-­ ¿HG H[WUDFWLRQ WHFKQLFLDQ DW D KHF-­ WLF FUDVK VFHQH 7KH\ DUH GHVLJQHG WR ODVW \HDUV EXW WKHLU ORQJHYLW\ GHSHQGV RQ KRZ RIWHQ WKH\ DUH XVHG /D5RVH VDLG 9HKLFOH H[WULFDWLRQ LV D GHOLFDWH SURFHVV WKDW UHTXLUHV DGGLWLRQDO training. ³7R EH LQ WKH ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW \RX GRQœW QHHG WKH H[WULFDWLRQ WUDLQLQJ ´ (See  Bristol,  Page  7A)

$/(; &216$/92 ,6 FR IRXQGHU RI ³5HFHVV ´ D QHZ EXVLQHVV WKDW ZLOO FRQQHFW QLQH WR ¿YH ZRUNHUV ZLWK area  recreation  and  other  activities  during  their  lunch  breaks. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell


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