May 17, 2014
Five vehicles in New Haven accident NEW HAVEN Ñ At 7:30 a.m. on May 2, Vermont State Police, Vergennes Police Department, Vergennes Rescue and New Haven Fire Department responded to a five vehicle Ò pile-upÓ that resulted in two vehicles leaving the roadway and one person transported to Porter Hospital with possible injuries. Vermont State Police are looking for assistance locating and identifying two of the five cars that left the scene before police arrival. The vehicles are described as a green Subaru and a white Jeep Cherokee, the Cherokee has fender damage and left a fender roadside. Investigation suggests that a school bus picking up children caused a delay in normal north bound traffic on U.S. Route 7. When traffic slowed and created a slight back up, several operators did not leave sufficient space between vehicles and an accordion of collisions occurred. According to witness statements the two front vehicles sustained minor damage and left the scene. The third vehicle was forced off the road by the driver to their rear and hit the edge of a guard rail causing significant front end damage. The fourth vehicle was observed to have slight front and rear end damage and the fifth vehicle was unable to avoid the collision and drove through the already bent guard rail and into the adjacent field next to the third vehicle. The operator of the third vehicle was transported to Porter hospital for a possible neck injury which was reported as non life threatening. It is estimated that serious injury was avoided because all parties were seatbelted properly. Anyone with information on the identity of the green Subaru or the White Jeep is asked to contact Trooper Kaitlyn Armstrong at the New Haven State Police Barracks at 802-388-4919.
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Gun confiscation SEE YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE bill: a solution in search of a problem By Bruce Parker Special to the Eagle
MONTPELIER Ñ After more than 30 years in law enforcement, Mark Donka says he can’t remember a single instance in which a firearm was involved in a domestic dispute. And the statistics mirror DonkaÕ s experience: gun crime is rare in Vermont. A controversial bill in Montpelier would require police to seize guns and ammo when they issue a restraining order over domestic disputes. But that hasn’t stopped an on-going effort in Montpelier to confiscate guns from alleged domestic abusers. To hear the Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence tell it, VermontÕ s domestic violence problem has become so serious the time has come for police to confiscate weapons from alleged domestic abusers. The group is the chief proponent of H.735, a Ò must passÓ fees bill that mandates the seizure and storage of guns and ammo in domestic abuse cases. On Friday the Senate easily passed H.735 by a vote of 21-6. Donka is one of many observers questioning the controversial legislation. Ò IÕ m all for protecting victims of domestic violence, and IÕ ve been called to many of these incidents over the years — but as far as firearms being involved, I don’t remember any involving firearms,” he said. Donka, who attended a recent hearing on H.735, said homicide numbers proposed by the domestic violence group are grossly inaccurate. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
A tractor- trailer overturned on U.S. Route 7 in Pittsford May 7 after the driver took the sharp turn, at the town’s center, too fast. Driver Wilbert Garner was carrying 17,000 pounds of Green Mountain Coffee K-Cups on his way to Tennessee when the accident occured. Garner was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released for his minor injuries. Photo by Elicia Mailhiot
Visit vineyards, wineries this season By Lou Varricchio lou@addison-eagle.com
Hannah Swanson serves up award-winning Vermont wines to Massachusetts tourists Mark Straten and Eric Schneck at the Shelburne Vineyard tasting bar on Shelburne Road (U.S. Route 7). The 2014 Vermont Winery Passport is a fun entree to Vermont Grape & Wine Council participants. Photo by Lou Varricchio
MIDDLEBURY Ñ Who knew that Vermont was on the fast track to becoming a new Finger Lakes wine region? WeÕ re sure that Bacchus, the ancient Roman god of the grape harvest, is smiling down on us from his remote hilltop vineyard, somewhere beyond the rainbowÕ s end. Since the 1800s, the agricultural landscape of the Green Mountain State has changed from supporting sheep to cattle to organic vegetables. And while traditional dairy operations are in decline here, there are surprising bright spots on the stateÕ s gentrifying agribusiness horizon; these bright spots point to a future with more sustainable uses of the land. One of the bright spots is the growing of a new breed of cold-hardy wine grape in Vermont. New, northern-born grape varietiesÑ crosses between rugged American (Vitis riparia) and tasty European (Vitis vinifera) grapesÑ are transforming some former farmscapes into vineyards, with wineries springing up amid the vines. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14