Dec15

Page 1

MONDAY Â Â EDITION

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

Vol. 26 No. 40

Middlebury, Vermont

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Monday, December 15, 2014

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Police  urge  Scott  to  oppose  marijuana  law

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36 Pages

Lt. governor outlines his priorities for ’15 session

Welcoming the solstice

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TWINS  CHEYENNE,  LEFT,  and  Nadia  Burke  of  Middlebury  play  in  the  snow  during  last  Thursday’s  snow  day.  It  was  the  second  day  in  a  row  that  area  schools  closed  due  to  heavy  snowfall. Independent  photos/Trent  Campbell

Winter  storm  blankets  county Near-­record  number  lose  electricity,  schools  closed By  EVAN  JOHNSON  and  ZACH  DESPART ADDISON  COUNTY  â€”  After  a  pre-­Thanksgiving  storm  brought  heavy  snowfall  on  the  busiest  travel  day  of  the  year,  Addison  County  was  again  smacked  by  a  two-­day  storm.  This  past  Tuesday  and  Wednes-­ day  saw  more  than  a  foot  of  freezing  rain  and  heavy Â

snow  fall  on  Vermont,  knocking  out  power  for  thou-­ sands,  impeding  travel  and  prompting  cancelation  of  schools  for  two  or  three  days. In  Lincoln,  where  a  Gerry  Road  resident  recorded  two  feet  of  snow,  Fire  Chief  Dan  Ober  said  the  arrival  of  real  winter  weather  almost  two  weeks  before  the  season  pops  up  on  the  calendar  was  wearing  residents  down  by  Thursday  afternoon. “Some  people  are  beginning  to  feel  the  effect  of  no  (See  Storm,  Page  28)

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LINEMEN  WORK  LAST  Thursday  along  Route  116  in  Bristol  near  where  fallen  trees  brought  down  power  lines  in  Wednesday’s  storm.  More  than  9,000  customers  in  the  Addison  County  area  lost  power  due  to  the  storm.

By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â€”  Vermont  Lt.  Gov.  Phil  Scott  on  Tuesday  warned  that  the  2015  legislative  session  will  EH GRPLQDWHG E\ WRXJK ÂżQDQFLDO GH-­ cisions  and  he  sees  little  opportunity  for  debate  on  such  issues  as  the  le-­ galization  of  marijuana. Scott,  re-­elected  last  month  by  a  wide  margin  over  Progressive/ Democrat  challenger  Dean  Corren,  delivered  his  remarks  at  a  Dec.  11  gathering  of  the  Vermont  Chiefs  of  Police  and  Vermont  Sheriffs  As-­ sociation.  The  meeting,  held  at  the  Middlebury  Inn  and  chaired  by  as-­ sociation  President  and  Vergennes  Police  Chief  George  Merkel,  saw  a  veritable  who’s  who  of  Vermont  law  enforcement  compare  notes  on  crime  trends,  plan  legislative  strate-­ gy  and  voice  concerns  about  funding  and  equipment  issues. Scott  said  he’s  hopeful  the  major  parties  will  be  able  to  work  together  to  get  things  done  in  Montpelier  dur-­ (See  Lawmakers,  Page  34)

Ferrisburgh  selling land,  upset  by  the  Act  250  processs By  ANDY  KIRKALDY FERRISBURGH  â€”  After  a  sec-­ ond  potential  buyer  pulled  out,  the  Ferrisburgh  selectboard  has  put  the  town’s  34.91-­acre  parcel  next  to  Vergennes  back  on  the  market,  four  years  after  the  board  originally  sought  a  buyer.  7RZQ RIÂżFLDOV UHPDLQ XSVHW ZLWK the  Act  250  process  and  a  new  law  that  prompted  auto  dealer  Tom  Denecker  to  walk  away  from  a  $350,000  deal  to  buy  the  land. The  board  decided  on  Dec.  2  to  relist  the  property  for  sale  with  Bur-­ OLQJWRQ FRPPHUFLDO UHDO HVWDWH ÂżUP Redstone  and  broker  Duncan  Harris.  Board  Chairwoman  Loretta  Law-­ UHQFH FRQÂżUPHG WKLV ZHHN WKH DVNLQJ price  was  reset  at  $375,000,  as  it  had  been  before  Denecker  and  Ferris-­ burgh  struck  a  deal  about  a  year  ago.  Lawrence  said  Harris  remains  op-­ timistic  the  property  is  marketable  (See  Ferrisburgh,  Page  20)


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