Cold comfort
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ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT Vol. 68 No. 6
Middlebury, Vermont
â—†
Thursday, February 6, 2014
32 Pages
â—†
75¢
Porter,  CSAC  plan  suboxone  clinic  to  assist  addicts Few  treatment  options  exist  in  county By  JOHN  FLOWERS drug  of  choice  among  the  criminal  ADDISON  COUNTY  —  Porter  element.  But  these  days,  police  are  Medical  Center  and  the  Counseling  encountering  more  heroin  and  pre- Service  of  Addison  County  are  in  scription  drug  users. discussions  to  collaborate  on  a  clinic  And  young  people  are  getting  an  to  provide  suboxone,  a  drug  de- earlier  initiation  to  prescription  drugs,  signed  to  help  a  growing  number  of  according  to  the  Vermont  Department  Addison  County  addicts  break  their  of  Health.  The  department  every  other  dependence  on  opiates. year  administers  a  Youth  Risk  Behav- “Porter  and  the  Counseling  Ser- ior  Survey  to  high  school  students.  vice  have  been  trying  really  hard  to  That  survey  polls  students  on  risky  ¿JXUH RXW VRPH FRO- behavior  ranging  laborative  approach  from  binge  drinking  to  address  this  to  drug  abuse.  The  very  serious  public  most  recent  survey  health  issue,â€?  Por- statistics,  from  2011,  ter  spokesman  Ron  indicate  12  percent  Hallman  said.  “We  of  Middlebury-Âarea  both  identify  it  as  a  By  JOHN  FLOWERS students  in  grades  ADDISON  COUNTY  —  9-Â12  reported  hav- huge  public  health  issue  that’s  getting  As  area  counselors,  police  ing  misused  pre- and  health  care  profession- worse.â€? scription  drugs.  The  Addison  County  als  see  a  drug  problem  that  report  indicated  an  they  said  is  getting  worse  emergency  room  law  enforcement  of- ¿FLDOV VDLG WKH\ DUH (see  story,  Page  1A)  some  discharge  rate  (in  dealing  with  more  authorities  said  the  drug  2009)  of  roughly  drug-Ârelated  cases  problem  is  bringing  a  dif- 102  individuals  (per  ferent  kind  of  misery  and  10,000  population)  than  ever  before. tragedy  to  the  county. “There  is  a  con- aged  18-Â24  follow- Vermont  State  Police  ing  treatment  for  sistent  undercurrent  in  Addison  County  Det.  Cpl.  Chris  Campbell  prescription  drug  and  the  state  —  and  Det.  Sgt.  Ruth  Whit- abuse. everything  we  are  ney,  leader  of  the  Addison  “Obviously,  it’s  encountering  has  County  Unit  for  Special  In- very  disturbing,â€?  some  sort  of  drug  vestigations,  said  they  are  Barbara  Cimaglio,  component  to  it,â€?  alarmed  at  the  increasing  deputy  commis- role  prescription  drugs  are  sioner  for  Alcohol  Vermont  State  Po- lice  Det.  Cpl.  Chris  playing  in  sex  crimes  in- &  Drug  Abuse  Pro- Campbell  said  in  (See  Drugs,  sex,  Page  14A) grams  for  the  state  alluding  to  the  of  Vermont,  said  of  various  burglaries,  untimely  deaths,  the  Addison  County  and  statewide  property  crimes  and  domestic  abuse  substance-Âabuse  trends. cases  to  which  authorities  have  been  Some  of  those  trends  are  outlined  responding. in  a  report  on  opioid  addiction  treat- And  Det.  Sgt.  Ruth  Whitney,  lead- ment  programs  that  Vermont  Health  er  of  the  Addison  County  Unit  for  Commissioner  Harry  Chen  made  Special  Investigations,  said  the  illicit  to  the  state  Legislature  on  Dec.  15,  drug  use  they  are  seeing  is  different  2013. than  a  few  decades  ago.  Back  then,  Chen  reported,  among  other  Whitney  said,  marijuana  was  the  (See  Growing  problem,  Page  14A)
Drug abuse tied to sex crimes, assault cases
SEN.  PATRICK  LEAHY,  center,  presides  over  a  recent  Senate  Judiciary  Committee  meeting  focused  on  prison  sentencing  reform.  Leahy,  the  FKDLUPDQ RI WKH SRZHUIXO 6HQDWH FRPPLWWHH LV ÀDQNHG E\ UDQNLQJ PHPEHU 6HQ &KXFN *UDVVOH\ 5 ,RZD DQG 6HQ 'LDQH )HLQVWHLQ ' &DOLI Independent  photo/Zach  Despart
Leahy remains a workhorse after four decades Uses his power to build consensus Editor’s  note:  Democrat  Pat- rick  Leahy,  now  73,  was  the  state’s  attorney  for  Chittenden  County  when  he  was  elected  to  repre- sent  Vermont  in  the  U.S.  Senate  in  1974.  Now  the  longest-Âserving  active  senator,  he  has  the  perspec- tive,  the  connections  and  the  pow- er  to  accomplish  a  lot  for  his  state  and  his  country.  Our  reporter  spent  a  day  with  Sen.  Leahy  last  week,  watching  the  veteran  politi- cian  hard  at  work  in  the  nation’s  capital.
By  ZACH  DESPART an  undisclosed  location,  surrounded  WASHINGTON,  D.C.  —  When  by  Secret  Service  and  military  per- President  Obama  walked  down  the  sonnel.  aisle  of  the  House  of  Leahy,  the  Presi- Representatives  to  de- ´, KDYH WKH YRWHV dent  Pro  Tempore  of  liver  his  annual  State  WR VWRS DQ\ ELOO the  Senate,  is  third  in  of  the  Union  address  the  line  of  presiden- EXW ,¡G UDWKHU last  week,  he  was  tial  succession,  after  ÀDQNHG E\ WKH OHDGHU- SDVV ELOOV WKDQ the  Vice  President  ship  of  the  Senate  and  VWRS WKHP DQG LW and  Speaker  of  the  House. ZRUNHG RXW SUHWW\ House.  Yet  one  senior  legis- ZHOO Âľ “They  put  me  in  an  lator  was  conspicuous- ³ 6HQ /HDK\ extraordinarily  secure  ly  absent  —  Vermont’s  area,  with  a  whole  senior  senator,  Patrick  Leahy.  For  presidential  team  of  intelligence  to  WKH ÂżUVW WLPH LQ \HDUV /HDK\ ZDV military  to  Secret  Service,â€?  Leahy  absent  from  the  State  of  the  Union.  recounted  later  in  an  interview  with  Instead,  he  watched  the  speech  from  the  Independent.  “It  was  of  the  few Â
times  you  realize  the  real  potential  (of  becoming  president),  though  you  never  want  it  to  happen.â€? Leahy  said  there  were  some  perks  about  watching  the  speech  on  tele- vision. “I  could  actually  watch  it  without  having  to  even  wear  a  tie,â€?  Leahy  said.  “I  was  happy  to  go  home,  read  my  newspapers  and  go  to  bed.â€? But  perhaps  the  change  of  venue  ZDV EHÂżWWLQJ RI /HDK\ ZKR KDV QHY- er  sought  the  spotlight.  Despite  his  VWDWXUH /HDK\ NHHSV D ORZ SURÂżOH —  he  doesn’t  often  appear  on  talk  shows,  rarely  holds  press  confer- ences  and  hasn’t  authored  a  memoir. (See  Workhorse,  Page  12A)
Shoreland  bill  continues  By the way to  generate  controversy If  you  hear  some  singing  coming  IURP WKH RWKHU VLGH RI WKH RIÂżFH QH[W Friday,  fear  not;Íž  it  is  probably  the  Maiden  Vermont   women’s  chorus  lighting  up  someone’s  Valentine’s  Day.  Small  groups  from  the  chorus  will  deliver  singing  Valentines  on  Feb.  14  between  9  a.m.  and  6:30  p.m.  They  will  offer  in-Âperson  ser- enades  within  a  20-Âminute  drive  of  Middlebury  ($35  includes  photo,  rose  and  chocolate)  or  by  phone  ($10).  Contact  Sonia  at  802-Â989- 1915  or  maiden.vermont.chorus@ gmail.com  by  Feb.  13  to  make  ar- rangements. The  folks  at  the  Middlebury  College  Sports  Information  Department  were  MXVWLÂżDEO\ TXLFN WR SRLQW RXW WKLV ZHHN that  former  Panther  placekicker  Steven  Hauschka,  a  2007  graduate,  was  the  (See  By  the  way,  Page  2A)
Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVLÂżHGV  ......................... 6B-Â9B Service  Directory  .............. 7B-Â8B Entertainment  ........................ 18A Community  Calendar  ...... 8A-Â10A Sports  ................................ 1B-Â4B
By  JOHN  FLOWERS erty  owners  who  fear  the  bill  would  BRIDPORT  —  Health  care  re- limit  their  ability  to  develop  or  sell  IRUP HGXFDWLRQ ÂżQDQFLQJ DQG EXG- their  land. get  matters  are  making  most  of  the  The  Senate  has  drafted  its  version  headlines  in  the  Vermont  Statehouse  of  H.526  that  is  spurring  new  contro- these  days,  but  Addison  County  resi- versy  among  some  property  owners.  dents  reminded  lawmakers  on  Mon- The  bill  calls  for  affected  landown- day  of  another  issue  they  will  follow  ers  to,  among  other  things,  maintain  intently  this  legislative  session:  A  a  “buffer  strip  of  vegetationâ€?  within  proposed  law  that  would  regulate  the  75  feet  of  a  lake,  and  that  all  new  manner  in  which  shoreland  proper- structures  be  set  back  at  least  75  feet.  ties  can  be  developed. The  bill  prescribes  a  point  system  “This  would  have  been  based  on  the  diameter  of  a  wonderful  bill  back  “Our lakes trees  located  within  the  in  1950,â€?  said  Bridport  are already vegetation  buffer  strip.  resident  Ed  Payne  on  VLJQLĂ€FDQWO\ Landowners  with  heftier  Monday  morning  at  the  degraded buffer  strips  may  pare  Legislative  Breakfast  at  FRPSDUHG WR down  that  vegetation  to  a  the  Bridport  Grange  Hall.  point  where  it  conforms  “But  the  shoreline  is  built  RWKHU ODNHV LQ to  a  minimum  number  of  up,  and  now  we  are  play- New England. points  decided  upon  by  ing  catch-Âup.â€? the  state. 'R ZH ZDQW The  House  last  ses- WR ZDLW"Âľ Some  participants  at  sion  voted  105-Â42  to  pass  Monday’s  season-Âopen- — Heidi Willis H.526,  the  controver- ing  Legislative  Breakfast  sial  Shorelands  Protection  Bill  that  in  Bridport  objected  to  the  proposed  would  among  other  things  require  shoreland  rules,  calling  them  unnec- that  a  property  owner  obtain  a  permit  essary  and  an  infringement  on  pri- from  the  Vermont  Agency  of  Natural  vate  property  rights. Resources  (ANR)  prior  to  new  con- “It  seems  like  a  rather  draconian  struction  within  250  feet  of  a  major  thing,â€?  Payne  said  of  the  shorelands  pond  or  lake  as  a  means  of  stemming  legislation. soil  erosion  along  waterways.  Rep.  Warren  Van  Wyck,  R-ÂFerris- But  last  spring  the  Senate  tabled  burgh,  said  he  did  not  vote  for  H.526  action  on  the  bill  in  order  to  gain  in  the  House  and  is  not  liking  the  more  feedback  from  Vermonters.  A  Senate  version,  thus  far. Shoreland  Protection  Commission  He  called  the  Senate  version  “a  held  meetings  throughout  the  state  bureaucrat’s  dreamâ€?  that  could  foist  —  including  Middlebury  —  this  past  a  “huge  burdenâ€?  on  property  owners. summer  to  answer  questions  and  Van  Wyck  added  he  was  not  a  fan  gauge  public  sentiment  on  the  legis- of  the  manner  in  which  the  shore- lation,  which  has  received  applause  lands  commission  conducted  its  pub- from  environmentalists  but  has  been  lic  meetings  last  year.  He  noted  the  excoriated  by  some  lakeshore  prop- (See  Shoreline,  Page  20A)
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Donahue  eyes  Addison-Â1  seat By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Donna  Dona- hue  has  spent  almost  a  decade  work- ing  on  grassroots  efforts  to  make  Middlebury  a  more  popular  destina- tion  for  entrepreneurs,  shoppers  and  tourists. She  would  now  like  to  continue  that  work  in  the  Vermont  House,  as  one  of  Middleburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  two  state  repre- sentatives. 'RQDKXH FRQÂżUPHG RQ 0RQ- day  she  will  run  this  November  in  the  Addison-Â1  district,  which  is  cur-Â
rently  represented  by  Democrats  Paul  Ralston  and  Betty  Nuovo.  Ralston  has  announced  he  will  not  VHHN DQRWKHU WZR \HDU WHUP LQ RIÂżFH a  declaration  that  has  spurred  early  interest  among  prospective  candi- GDWHV 1XRYR FRQÂżUPHG RQ 0RQGD\ she  will  run  for  re-Âelection  and  resi- dent  Amy  Sheldon  has  also  said  she  will  throw  her  hat  into  the  ring.  This  sets  the  stage  for  a  Democrat- ic  primary  runoff  between  Nuovo,  Sheldon  and  Donahue  for  two  spots  on  the  Nov.  4  ballot.  And  thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  still Â
plenty  of  time  for  other  candidates  to  step  forward. A  marketing  professional  with  the  National  Bank  of  Middlebury,  Dona- hue  is  former  president  of  the  Better  Middlebury  Partnership,  an  organi- zation  that  promotes  Addison  Coun- tyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  shire  town  as  a  place  to  shop,  dine  and  do  business.  She  stepped  down  as  BMP  president  a  year  ago  after  a  successful  stint  that  saw  the  group,  among  other  things,  organize  signature  annual  community  events  (See  Donahue,  Page  19A)