Blackout
Autumn harvest
Bill seeks to repeal ban on incandescent bulbs.
All the things to do in your garden now that summer is over.
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Serving Addison and Chittenden Counties
September 25, 2010
Stimulus funds at work along U.S. Route 7 By Lou Varricchio newmarketpress@denpubs.com Motorists are likely to remember the late, great summer of 2010 as much by its soaring temperatures over 90 degrees as by its tortoise-like highway traffic patterns. In the case of stop-and-go traffic, blame it on several high-profile highway and bridge construction projects around the region. While the Lake Champlain Bridge project may have received the most coverage by news media, there are other transportation-related construction jobs—such as the U.S. Route 7 Pittsford-Brandon corridor and the Route 125/Green Mountain National Forest projects—that likely affected a larger volume of local drivers. For commuters along U.S. Route 7 in northern Rutland County, the summer just ended was a silly season of traffic delays and clouds of dust along the northern Rutland County corridor. The project, still underway, was designed to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety as well as to enhance mobility along Route 7 through Pittsford and Brandon. According to VTrans, the work area encompasses rural and town settings from Pittsford to approximately 0.1 mile south of the Brandon town line. The total project length is nearly 12 miles. While millions are being spent on Route 7 alone this year, the highway never seems to get the kinds of upgrades most daily drivers would like to see—that is, extended passing lanes, increased highway speeds, and bypasses around congested downtown areas. We asked John Zicconi, director of planning, outreach, and community affairs for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, several questions about the financing and progress of the Brandon project as well as the future viability of Route 7. Eagle: What is the estimated total cost of the Brandon/Route 7 phase of the project? When will it be completed?
See ROUTE 7, page 13
Vermont librarian David Clark believes public libraries can help raise awareness about the ever present danger of censorship through national Banned Books Week, Sept. 25-Oct. 1. See full story on page 7. Photo by Lou Varricchio
Pumpkin cider? Yes and only in Vermont! By Lou Varricchio newmarketpress@denpubs.com Rachel Carter, owner of a Charlotte, Vt.-based public relations firm, believes American tastes are changing, at least when it comes to Vermontmade hard ciders. Carter ’s company, Rachel Carter, PR, represents Middlebury’s Green Mountain Beverage, makers of Woodchuck Cider. The successful cider-making company almost singlehanded-
ly put Vermont-made hard apple cider on the map a few years back. That tasty adult beverage has always been a staple among rock-ribbed New England farmers, but the beautiful people tended shied away from blue-collar apple jack. But that has all changed. Hard cider isn’t just for farmers anymore—it is a beverage whose time has finally come. Just when we’re all getting used to delicious hard apple
See CIDER, page 11
During Earth Week this year, Woodchuck Draft Cider launched a Facebook Global ReLeaf campaign. Collaborating with their nationwide, eco-friendly fan base, Woodchuck donated a tree for every Facebook fan. Nearly 2,000 fans joined existing fans on Facebook to help with the campaign. Now the Middlebury company is making its first-ever pumpkin cider.
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