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JANUARY 15, 2026
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
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WCS principal Parks announces retirement plans BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Williston’s Ellery Candon goes in for a layup during the Wildcat girls A team basketball win over Hinesburg Jan. 8 in Williston. See more photos from the game on page 10. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
Williston archery hunting season extended
State looks to control urban deer population BY JASON STARR Observer staff
The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is extending archery hunting season in urban areas in an effort to reduce the greater Burlington deer population and minimize human-deer conflicts. The extension adds 16 days to the standard archery season, starting Sept. 15 and leading into the traditional archery season that starts Oct. 1. The area
“This … came about because of the many complaints … about deer damage … as well as due to motor vehicle collisions with deer.” Jason Batchelder Commissioner Vermont Fish and Wildlife
of Williston north of Interstate 89, including Taft Corners,
Williston Village and Mountain View Road, are included in the extended season. “This … came about because of the many complaints we are receiving from property owners about deer damage to gardens and ornamental vegetation as well as due to motor vehicle collisions with deer,” Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jason Batchelder said. During the extended timeframe, Sept. 15-30, hunters will only be allowed to take female deer and young (antlerless) deer, which is generally not allowed see ARCHERY page 7
Williston Central School principal of 20 years, Jacqueline Parks, has announced plans to retire at the end of this school year. Parks made the announcement in last week’s edition of the school’s weekly digital newsletter, the Wildcat Buzz. A resident of Essex, Parks said she is looking forward to “moving south, gardening, traveling and exploring new activities. “A piece of my heart will always remain here,” she wrote. “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives and for the honor of leading this school.” Parks said she will support Williston Schools Lead Principal Greg Marino and Champlain Valley School District administrators in their search for her successor. Marino declined to comment on the hiring process or timeline, saying Tuesday that the district will share information with the community about that later this week. “This is bittersweet news,” CVSD Communications Manager Tyler Cohen said. “We’ll be sad to see Jackie go and are so grateful for her years of steadfast leadership.” Parks’ career in education began 38 years ago after her graduation from Trinity College of Vermont. She spent her early professional years in elementary schools overseas — teaching grades 3 and 4 in Damascus, Syria and Aruba. Upon returning to her native Vermont, Parks worked at
Jacqueline Parks
Manchester Elementary School, where she was promoted to principal. She held that job for 10 years before accepting the principalship at Williston Central in 2006. In her newsletter message, Parks noted the increasing complexity of public education in the era of social media, school consolidations, building renovations and the challenges of the pandemic. She thanked the students and staff for the inspiration their resilience and spirit provided. “My core mission has always remained the same: supporting teachers so they can support the growth and well-being of our students,” she wrote. “WCS is a rare and special place,” she continued. “I found a community of amazing students, a highly effective and dedicated staff, and families who were truly willing to be engaged and collaborative.” Williston Central School serves students in grades 3-8, feeding into Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg.
PASCOLOVT.COM
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Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
Williston Central School awarded for recycling progress
COMMUNITY
CALENDAR EMAIL EVENT LISTINGS TO EDITOR@WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM TUESDAY, JAN. 20
Williston Selectboard meeting. 7 p.m. Town Hall. Agenda at town.williston.vt.us. Champlain Valley School Board meeting. 6 p.m. CVU High School. Agenda at cvsdvt.org. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
Red Cross Blood Drive. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Williston Fire Station, 645 Talcott Road. Appointments at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS. WCS seventh grader Anna Claro and Rhonda Mace (“Recycle Rhonda”), center front, join other students celebrating the school’s “Changemaker Award” from the Chittenden Solid Waste District. OBSERVER CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Williston Central School won the Chittenden Solid Waste District’s “Changemaker Award” for its improvement in trash-recycling sorting accuracy this school year. The school achieved a 204% improvement in sorting accuracy over a five-week period in the fall. Seventh grader Anna Claro was recognized for leading the charge, educating classmates and staff about proper sorting and the importance of recycling and composting.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24
Book launch celebration. “Dangerous Characters: The Life and Crimes of Williston’s Notorious Outlaw Duo” by Elizabeth Allen. 1-2:15 p.m. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. MONDAY, JAN. 26
Williston
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Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Board of Trustees meeting. 7 p.m. at the library. Agenda at damlvt.org.
Enjoy lunch in the Conservatory! A unique dining experience surrounded by lush greenery. Serving a variety of homemade soups daily, along with our fresh, panini-grilled sandwiches and wraps.
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January 15, 2026
Around Town
Elise Polli
Red Cross names new board members The American Red Cross Northern New England Region welcomes Mark Levine, Elise Polli and Ryan Rothstein as new board members to the Vermont Chapter headquartered in Burlington. Red Cross board members typically serve one- to three-year terms in an advisory capacity. Levine is the former commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health. Rothstein is president and general manager of the WPTZ NBC5 television station. Polli is the owner and realtor for Polli Properties in Williston. A humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross provides free emergency assistance shelter, food, clothing and emotional support to people affected by disasters and empowers families and communities to
prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Friends of CVU raising funds for travel learning scholarships The Friends of CVU nonprofit group seeks to raise $20,000 by mid-February to support students with financial barriers who wish to participate in the high school’s domestic and international travel programs. The organization started a Travel Scholarship Fund last year, seeded by a $9,000 gift from the Class of 2025. A few of the trips planned for 2026 include a Habitat for Humanity trip to North Carolina, a Latin and Fine Arts trip to Italy, a sustainability and science trip to Mongolia, a trip to Washington, D.C.’s museums and monuments, and a culture and service trip to Morocco. Donate online at: www. paypal.com/donate?campaign_ id=V4LHA2JEGT2HQ, or by check to: Friends of CVU, ATTN: Travel Scholarship Fund, 369 CVU Road, Hinesburg VT 05461. Visit https://cvuhs.cvsdvt. org/students-de/travel-opportunities for more about the school’s travel learning opportunities.
The program offers four partial days of preschool per week for children who will be age 3 or older by Sept. 1. The program is publicly funded through Act 166. The application deadline is Feb. 5. The application is available online at https://sites.google.com /cvsdv t.org /cvsd- early-education/cvsdprek-options/ prek-enrollmentlottery. Contact early education director Erin Gagne for more information or paper application materials by email at egagne@cvsdvt.org.
Community walkability report released The Town of Williston, working with Net Zero Vermont and AARP-VT, among other state and regional partners, conducted a walking audit of the Finney Crossing and Blair Park neighborhoods during the summer and fall of 2025. The audit involved workshops and a neighborhood walk with residents to document current conditions and discuss safety
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Residents participate in the Williston Walks assessment of pedestrian conditions at Finney Crossing last fall. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO
and overall walkability. The report was recently released for public review and comment. Topics such as sidewalks, road crossings, traffic speeds, lighting, winter maintenance, and access for people of all ages and abilities were discussed during the audit and are reflected in the report. The public comment period is open through Jan. 31. Findings will underpin decisions about ways to improve walkability in the neighborhoods. “The report is intended to
serve as a planning tool — helping the town and partners prioritize future improvements and align them with community needs,” said Deb Sachs, executive director of Net Zero Vermont. Comments received by Jan. 31 will be used to refine the final version of the assessment, expected to be released in February. The report and comment portal is available at town.williston.vt.us (search “Williston Walks”). Contact Sachs for more information at deb@netzerovt.org.
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Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
Protest and placards Protesters take to the sidewalks in front of the Williston Federated Church last Saturday in response to recent events. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
PROPERTY TRANSFERS - DEC. 2025
Dream BIG! At Rice, we’re proud to be a school where students can achieve their God-given potential and pursue
their dreams. Whether that dream is skiing, playing a college sport, studying abroad, serving their community, or pursuing an
academic goal, we work hard to
give students the flexibility they
need while also still holding them to high standards. Seamus O’Neill, Class of 2026 Training for the Junior Freeride Skiing World Championship Read His Story
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Did you know? 40% of Rice students qualify for financial aid!
Actively enrolling for ‘26-’27 school year, schedule a tour or shadow day online! bessette@rmhsvt.org 802-862-6521x2246 rmhsvt.org
• The Karp Living Trust bought a condominium on Michael Lane from Lorraine Martel for $695,000. • Justin Armell bought a mobile home on Porterwood Drive from Margaret Primm for $289,900. • Deborah Pettengill bought a condominium on Chelsea Place from Donald Mersereau for $430,000. • Shawn May bought a home on Alpine Drive from The Snyder Williston Properties LLC for $618,475.
• Richard Young bought a condominium on Chelsea Place from the Aimee D. Gale Revocable Trust for $540,000. • Gaston Boisvert bought a home on 6 acres on Mountain View Road from the Estate of Laurette Boisvert for $482,000.
• Joseph Paquette bought a home on Chelsea Place from Michael Petters for $495,000.
• The Leslie C. Pike Revocable Trust bought a seasonal home on Beebe Lane from the Morris D. Pike Revocable Trust for $129,010. • Vikki Monroe bought a condominium on Bittersweet Circle from Albert Monroe for $200,000. • Jeffrey Meyers bought a home on 11 acres on South Road from Jerry Greenfield for $920,000. • Anthony Martin bought a condominium on Bittersweet Circle from the Estate of Jacquelynne P. Utton for $487,500.
• Deborah Ingram bought a mobile home on South Road from Beans Mobile Homes for $83,951. • Green Kayak LLC bought a home on South Brownell Road from Wende Elliott-Rose for $530,000. • The Champlain Housing Trust Inc. bought a home on Porterwood Drive from Victoria Raymond for $140,375.
• John Kucklick bought a home on Tuttle Pond Road from Mary Flegenheimer for $949,000. • Ashely McDonough bought a home on Shirley Circle from Kathryn Nurnberger for $520,000. • Kyle Eddy bought 7 acres of open land on Mountain View Road from Trinity Baptist Church for $180,000.
• Casey Julianelle bought a condominium on Zephyr Road from Scott Stewart for $525,000.
• Level 7 Holdings LLC bought office buildings on Commerce Street from HNH Holdings LLC for $850,000.
• Miah Investments LLC bought office buildings on Knight Lane from Lewis Realty Trust LLC for $1.4 million.
January 15, 2026
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Williston Observer •
2026 Rebates for Your Home If you’re planning on improving the efficiency of your home this year, take a look at Efficiency Vermont’s offers, including:
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All rebates are subject to availability and eligibility. For the most up-to-date information, visit: www.efficiencyvermont.com/rebates
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Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
GUEST COLUMN
An unwavering commitment to evidence-based medicine This column was submitted by Breena Holmes, the president of the Vermont chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Michelle Dorwart, the president of the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians; and Naiim Ali, the president of the Vermont Medical Society. Vermont’s physicians and other medical professionals reaffirm our unwavering commitment to evidence-based preventive care for children and adolescents in response to recent changes to the national childhood immunization schedule. On Jan. 5, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced revisions to the federal childhood vaccine recommendations. These changes reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children and shift
several immunizations — including those for influenza, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others — to categories of “shared clinical decision-making” or recommendations limited to specific high-risk populations. Clear, nationally consistent immunization recommendations have been a cornerstone of pediatric public health for decades. Routine childhood vaccines have dramatically reduced illness, disability and death from serious infectious diseases, preventing millions of cases of disease and tens of thousands of hospitalizations among U.S. children. These recommendations support high vaccination coverage, equitable access and public confidence in preventive care. The benefits of routine immunization are well established across the childhood vaccination schedule. Influenza vaccination reduces hospitalizations and
Clear, nationally consistent immunization recommendations have been a cornerstone of pediatric public health for decades. deaths each year. Rotavirus vaccination has sharply reduced severe diarrheal illness in infants. Hepatitis A and B vaccines have led to sustained declines in liver disease and community transmission. Meningococcal vaccination protects against rare but life-threatening invasive infections. RSV immunization provides significant protection against serious disease in infants with dramatic decreases in
hospitalizations. In Vermont, where rural geography, limited pediatric inpatient capacity, and seasonal respiratory surges strain the health care system, preventing vaccine-preventable disease has an outsized impact on families, clinicians and communities. Moving away from clear, routine immunization guidance risks increasing preventable illness, avoidable hospitalizations
and health inequities. Our position is clear: — Routine, evidence-based immunization recommendations are essential to protecting the health of children and communities. On-time vaccination safeguards individual children and reduces the spread of contagious diseases. — National pediatric and family medicine organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians, continue to support immunization schedules grounded in the best available scientific evidence and clinical data. The AAP’s current see MEDICINE page 7
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January 15, 2026
Medicine
vaccine recommendations and coverage, and our organizations support its passage.
recommendations affirm the importance of routine childhood immunizations as being in the best interest of child health. — The safety and effectiveness of recommended childhood vaccines are well established, supported by decades of rigorous research, ongoing safety monitoring and real-world outcomes. — We support strong vaccine coverage policies, clear communication and equitable access for all families, particularly those at increased risk for severe disease. Legislation such as H.545 would allow Vermont to maintain evidence-based
We encourage families with questions about vaccines, whether regarding routine childhood immunizations or age-specific recommendations, to speak with their primary care clinician. The Vermont Department of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics continue to provide reliable and accurate online resources for families. Immunization decisions should be grounded in science, clinical judgment and the shared goal of protecting the health and well-being of Vermont’s children and communities.
Archery
Fortin said. “The equipment is a little more complicated and there’s maybe a little more practice required, but the seasons are much longer, and you can take (antlerless) deer, so your chances of success are quite a bit higher.” Archery hunting is also more compatible with the urban areas that are included in the extended season. In addition to the north side of Williston, areas of Shelburne, Essex and Colchester are also included. But in the most urban areas of Chittenden County — Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski — local ordinances prohibit the discharge of archery equipment. The extension also applies to areas of Bennington, Brattleboro, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland and St. Johnsbury. “Most of these areas are fairly developed areas where we really can’t manage deer with firearms,” Fortin said. “Archery hunting is a lot safer in these areas.”
continued from page 6
continued from page 1
during firearms hunting season. “You need to take female deer to impact the population,” Vermont Wildlife Biologist Nick Fortin said. Archery hunting is increasing in popularity as an alternative to firearms, said Fortin. The Fish and Wildlife Department requires people to pass a bowhunter safety course in order to be eligible for an archery hunting license. About five years ago, the department began allowing use of crossbows — considered easier than standard bows to operate — in an attempt to increase archery hunting participation. “Some people just aren’t super comfortable with firearms and would rather not own a firearm, so archery is a good alternative,”
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Vermont taxpayer squeeze continues It’s happening again. Surprise, surprise. The Vermont Tax Department’s annual yield letter projects property taxes will increase by an average of 12 percent this year. With this property tax hike, Vermont taxpayers will see an unbelievable 41 percent tax increase over the last five years. Tax Commissioner Bill Shouldice warns: “If we allow this landscape to persist, we cannot seriously expect young and growing families to buy homes and settle in Vermont; local voters to approve budgets; or seniors on fixed incomes to retire comfortably in Vermont.” This is unbelievable, and painful. Vermonters already suffer the third highest tax burden of all U.S. states. And now Vermont ranks last in economic momentum. For the 2024 legislative session, Tax Commissioner Craig Bolio rang the warning bell, writing: “For Vermonters and policymakers concerned about property taxes, housing affordability, or overall tax burden, this letter should sound a major alarm.” Yet, here we are, two years and an election cycle later. Our Montpelier representatives aren’t getting the message. A decade of spend-and-tax policies is
failing and has taken Vermont to an economic cliff. A declining tax base is exacting a toll as prime earners and young workers leave the state, and our population demographic ages. Fiscal responsibility and affordability for all Vermonters must be the top priorities. Our current Legislature seems to have no problem in “raising revenue” by taxing Vermonters more each year to match spending increases. We have a spending problem. In 2024, when school budgets were rejected throughout the state, taxpayer frustration was evident, but then promptly ignored despite reassurance from incumbent legislative leaders that they “got the message.” Apparently, it is not only about voting yes or no on local budgets. A deeper, focused message is required to get a lasting response. We must change attitudes and approaches and demand real action and strong leadership in our Legislature. Isn’t it time to cut up the Vermont General Assembly’s credit card and place a fiscally conservative majority in the Vermont Legislature? No more excuses like “it’s too hard, too complicated or too fast.” Rather, it’s too important. Enough is enough. Bruce Roy Williston
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Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
How Vermont pays for schools — and how it might change BY VTDIGGER
Vermont’s education funding system is notoriously complicated and totally unique. Following years of rising property taxes — and a watershed 2024 election animated, in part, by a debate over how the state pays for its schools — lawmakers entered the 2025 legislative session poised to consider major changes. And while the Legislature began to transform how public school is paid for in 2025, the debate is slated to continue in 2026. To understand where we’re going, it’s important to understand where we’ve been. Here’s how the system has worked in recent years. Vermont pays for education on a statewide basis, meaning property taxes from across the state are pooled and then redistributed. As a result of the state’s complex funding system, budget decisions in individual communities impact tax rates across the state. School district budgets are built by local school boards in consultation with district officials and voted on at the local level, often on Town Meeting Day in March. What voters approve is what the state will fund, and property tax rates are set at a per-$100-of-property-value rate to pay for it. Roughly two-thirds of the entire state’s education budget
is paid for with property taxes. The remainder is covered through the sales tax and portions of other taxes — such as rooms, meals, purchase and use — as well as state lottery proceeds and federal and state Medicaid money. Every year, the Legislature passes the “yield bill,” which helps set homestead, non-homestead, and income-sensitized property tax rates in order to fund the voter-approved budgets in each school district. Homestead property refers to primary residences. Nonhomestead property includes everything else, from second homes and apartments to businesses and camps. The annual non-homestead tax rate is uniform statewide. Homestead property tax rates, however, are impacted by local school spending decisions. A resident’s homestead property tax rates go up and down based on how the school district’s per-pupil spending compares to a state average. Per-pupil spending is a technical term that, in short, refers to the amount of money spent by a school district divided by the number of students in the district. But not every student is counted equally. Like other states, Vermont uses student weights to adjust for those who are more expensive to teach, including English learners and economically disadvantaged
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students. Those students are weighted as more than one stu-
state Department of Taxes, is added to the equation. Historically, the common level of appraisal, expressed as a percentage, reflects the difference between a town’s appraised property values and what the department considers to be fair market value. For example, if the property in a town is found to be appraised on average at 85% of market value, the common level of appraisal would be 85%. To come up with a property owner’s education property tax rate, the base rate — set by the Legislature only for non-homestead property, adjusted by school district per-pupil spending for homestead property — is divided by a town’s common level of appraisal. This can lead to towns within the same school district having very different property tax rates. Since July 2025, the common level of appraisal has worked slightly differently, though the formula is not any less complex. The percentage reflects the difference between a town’s appraised property values and the statewide average appraised value as both compare to fair market value. For example, if statewide property values are at 95% of fair market value, the new appraisal level of the town in the example above would be 85% divided by 95%, or 89%. Much of how Vermont pays for education could change because of the passage in 2025 of Act 73. The new law
Used by most states in the country, a foundation formula would provide each school district with a set amount of money based on the number of students enrolled, with additional weights to account for the increased costs of educating certain students, such as English learners and students with disabilities. dent in the calculation. A majority of homestead property tax payers receive some discount based on their income. These taxpayers are sometimes referred to as “income-sensitized,” and Vermont uses a property tax credit system to support income-sensitized taxpayers. Yet another layer of complexity is added when the so-called common level of appraisal, set annually for each town by the
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envisions a major departure from Vermont’s current system by shifting budget decisions away from school districts and their communities and to the state via a foundation formula. Used by most states in the country, a foundation formula would provide each school district with a set amount of money based on the number of students enrolled, with additional weights to account for the increased costs of educating certain students, such as English learners and students with disabilities. School districts’ governing boards could still set their budgets and choose how to spend that money but would have to operate within the confines of the set amount the formula allocates. Districts would be able to choose to spend more than what the formula provides by raising funds from local property taxpayers with voter approval. But that spending, called supplemental spending, would be capped at 10% of a district’s budget. That cap would be ratcheted down every year until the cap hits 5%. However, the new formula is dependent on lawmakers first agreeing to a new map of consolidated school districts this legislative session. The formula would then be phased in over a five-year period and would not go into effect until 2028.
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January 15, 2026
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The rise, fall and rise of Vermont-schooled skier Mikaela Shiffrin
That’s when Shiffrin slipped, struck two gates, lost a ski, slammed into a fence and went scarily still — all in five seconds. “Nobody knew how bad it was,” Booker remembers of the sudden hush. Medics transported Shiffrin about 15 miles west to Rutland Regional Medical Center, where hospital spokespeople maintained patient confidentiality even as the athlete and her crew set up cameras in the emergency room. Shiffrin posted on social media that night, then appeared on NBC from Killington the next day. “We’re just not totally sure how I got punctured,” she told viewers of the stab wound that missed perforating her colon by millimeters. “Very lucky to not have worse injuries.” But Shiffrin added that it hurt to breathe, let alone move — similar to how she felt after the accidental death of her 65-year-old father in 2020 and her failure to medal after three falls in the 2022 Olympics. After Killington, some would sit out the rest of the season, especially with the concluding world championships less than 10 weeks away. But Shiffrin was
Burke Mountain grad is ascending again as Olympics approach BY KEVIN O’CONNOR VTDigger
The last time many Vermonters saw Mikaela Shiffrin, the Alpine ski racer was standing atop Killington’s Superstar trail, seemingly a minute away from scoring an unprecedented 100th World Cup win. Then, figuratively and literally, she went downhill fast. The Burke Mountain Academy graduate had snagged the lead in the first of two giant slalom runs on Nov. 30, 2024, only to follow up by slipping, somersaulting and slamming into a fence 12 seconds from the finish line. Some 20,000 spectators went silent as the two-time Olympic gold medalist was rushed away on a rescue sled. They and 2 million national television viewers wouldn’t learn more until the skier took Vermont-schooled Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates a successful World Cup run at Killington Ski Resort. to Instagram at dusk from the nearby PHOTO BY ANDREW SHINN Rutland Regional Medical Center. “She’s nervous, she’s a little bit stiff, “I am so sorry to scare everybody,” on to the Olympics, she scored slalom gold in 2014 and giant slalom gold and Alpine and why would you not be?” commentator Shiffrin said in a selfie video as she recombined silver in 2018. A year later, she Picabo Street said on air. “But she’s forvealed an abdominal wound with a playful became the first skier to claim World Cup ward, she’s leaning into it.” “ay, ay, ay.” victories in all six disciplines — slalom, Fourteen months later, the 30-yearold is again on the rise in advance of giant slalom, parallel slalom, alpine comnext month’s Winter Olympics in Italy. bined, super-G and downhill. Booker, a onetime competitor himCommentators point to her opening fiveself, was at Killington on the 2024 race winning streak this World Cup seaThanksgiving weekend when Shiffrin son. People with closer ties add that just rocketed through the first of two runs returning to competition was a feat in of the giant slalom — a race down and itself. around a series of gates — sparking the “She’s been the best in the world for a crowd to buzz about a potential new peak: long time, but given everything that has Essex - $729,900 a never-before-seen 100th World Cup win. happened, to stay there is one of her most “It was amazing, building towards impressive accomplishments,” says Willy this crescendo,” Booker recalls of the Booker, head of Shiffrin’s alma mater in anticipation. the Northeast Kingdom. Come the second round, NBC sportsShiffrin graduated from the grade 8-12 casters spoke of especially icy course conski school in 2013, the same year she beditions just before Shiffrin launched from came the youngest U.S. woman (at 17) to the start at 50 mph. win a slalom world championship. Moving
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Williston Observer •
January 15, 2026
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SPORTS Shiffrin
continued from page 9
determined to return, even after fluid buildup and infection-signaling fever and chills forced her into surgery two weeks later. Developing a step-by-step rehabilitation plan, the skier focused first on simply standing, then walking, then easy exercises and, after four weeks, stepping into ski boots and snow. Two months after her crash, Shiffrin raced the World Cup slalom in Courchevel, France, on Jan. 30, 2025, finishing a seemingly confidence-building 10th. But she continued to struggle off the course, seeing occasional flashes of imagined stumbles and spills. A therapist viewed the visions as signs of post-traumatic stress disorder before sharing words from the late children’s television star Mister Rogers: “What’s mentionable is manageable.” And so Shiffrin expanded her recovery efforts from body to mind. “A lot of it is trust that with time and practice and exposure, clarity will come back,” the athlete recalled in a recent self-produced video series, “Moving Right Along,” on her YouTube channel. Shiffrin went on to ski at the February world championships in Saalbach, Austria, placing fifth in the slalom and helping the U.S. team win a combined event. She capped the month a week later in Sestriere, Italy, by finally scoring her 100th World Cup victory. Since then, Shiffrin has increased her World Cup total to 106. Students and staff at Burke Mountain Academy are set to watch her attempt to add to her medal count at next month’s Olympics. “There is a huge amount of pride,” Booker says. “They go to the same school as the greatest ski racer of all time.” One who has little else to prove — yet, in her estimation, still more to gain. “I’ve been doing this for a while, but I’m still learning new things,” Shiffrin concluded in her video series. “There’s new exciting adventures always just around the corner, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.”
Winning Wildcats The Williston Wildcat girls basketball B team (top) huddles at half time of their win over Hinesburg on Jan. 8 in Williston. Williston’s Natalie Devine (middle left) gets into the paint for a bucket. Williston’s Saorise Weppler (middle right) drives the ball up the floor. Harper Botala (bottom) puts up a runner. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
January 15, 2026
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Williston Observer • Page 11
SPORTS
Redhawks avoid Hornets’ sting CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s Leigh Cullen makes good from the charity stripe during the Redhawks’ 60-43 win over the Essex Hornets on Friday in Hinesburg. Mireille Howatt-Walker makes an uncontested bucket. Addie Thomas gets a step on Essex’s Emma Hodgson. Sophia Zada-Silva drives past Zoe Papaseraphim. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
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Williston Observer •
January 15, 2026
BLUE BTV offers cash to cut stormwater runoff BLUE in Williston
The BLUE Williston stormwater assessment program conducted 20 residential assessments in 2025 in Williston. The program will resume in the spring. Email lcicchetti@willistonvt.org at the town offices or call 802-878-1239 x182 for more information.
BY MAX HANDELMAN Community News Service
A local organization is helping property owners install measures that reduce stormwater runoff — one of the leading pollutants in Lake Champlain. BLUE BTV, an organization dedicated to stormwater mitigation, is partnering with the City of Burlington to offer residents up to $2,000 to implement rain gardens, permeable driveways
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and other projects that absorb stormwater before it reaches Lake Champlain. The organization was founded in 2017 as a partnership between the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the University of Vermont and other organizations with a shared mission to protect the lake from cyanobacteria. Also known as blue-green algae, cyanobacteria releases toxins that are harmful to the lake and people alike. “When water doesn’t infiltrate the soil, it can’t filter out pollutants,” said Klara Whalley, a UVM student that works for BLUE. “That’s a big problem for Lake Champlain because it provides drinking water for around 200,000 people, and the increased nutrients are going to fuel cyanobacteria blooms.” Such blooms are caused by excess phosphorus, and can lead to skin irritations and gastrointestinal issues. Runoff from developed land is responsible for 16% of that excess phosphorus, with Burlington being the largest contributor, according to Michelle Lockhart, coordinator of BLUE BTV. Stormwater rinses phosphorus-laden sediment from roads and lawns sprayed with fertilizers containing phosphorus, Lockhart said. Those waterproof surfaces prevent absorption, forcing that water to slick down the street and into the lake. Additionally, Burlington’s combined sewer system — pipes that carry stormwater and household wastewater to a treatment location — can overflow during seasons with more rainfall. That overflow leaves untreated water behind that can then seep into the lake, too. “We’ve already completed a lot of the low-hanging fruit projects, so the remaining work is more complex,” said Seth Kuchenbaker, Burlington’s stormwater project manager. “We have to keep in mind the costs to properly maintain any new infrastructure we install.” That’s why BLUE BTV is targeting private homeowners to address stormwater issues on a local level. Residents can ask for an evaluation, and BLUE will send an expert to assess their property. After the evaluation, BLUE returns a report with what projects
A native garden is planted in Burlington to sustainably mitigate stormwater runoff. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO
they recommend and a list of contractors that residents may use for installation. The rebate — which is capped at $2,000 — will cover most of the process, but residents may have to contribute some form of payment, Lockhart said. To expand their reach, BLUE collaborates with local businesses, and Whalley’s team posts flyers at Fletcher Library, City Market and the Intervale Center to inform residents about BLUE and the dangers of stormwater runoff. Her team is developing a stormwater education toolkit to this end, too. The toolkit is a guide for alternatives to traditional lawns and environmentally conscious options like native planting and erosion control that residents can integrate to combat runoff, Whalley said. “Homeowners are coming from different situations in different areas of Burlington, with different economic incentives,” Whalley said. “This is a good way
to reach people, educate them on what BLUE does, what stormwater is, and what it means to the community.” So far, BLUE has awarded over $39,000 for the installation of 38 projects across 28,514 feet of surface area, according to Whalley. Kuchenbecker said that Burlington still faces challenges because the city, “is limited to working only within the public right-of-way.” But BLUE’s empowerment of residents is opening up new areas of improvement. “Residents recognize the importance of protecting Lake Champlain,” Kuchenbecker said. “With continued program development, new infrastructure projects and stormwater-minded requirements for new development, I think we’re moving in the right direction.” Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship.
Vermonters reimagine solar farms January 15, 2026
The field of agrivoltaics expands with adoption of solar technology BY MAEVE FAIRFAX Community News Service On solar farms, the ground beneath solar panels is often planted with turf grass and left alone. But some Vermonters are experimenting with productive ways to use that land: grazing livestock, growing crops and creating habitat for threatened pollinators and birds. The practice is called agrivoltaics — the dual use of land on solar farms for agriculture. Lewis Fox is a sheep farmer in Leicester, Vt. With his wife, Niko Kochendoerfer, he runs a business called Agrivoltaic Solutions. They are hired by solar companies to manage the vegetation on solar farms. “We’re in charge of keeping the vegetation within certain limits, and the sheep are the tools that we use to do it,” Fox said. Sheep are ready-made for solar farms. “They’re pretty short in stature, so they can really fit into nooks and crannies,” Fox said. “They’re also not really interested in chewing on wires or jumping on panels.” The panels provide the sheep with protection from the elements and shade, which means that the sheep don’t need to drink as much water on hot days. Fox and Kochendoerfer work with farmers from Buffalo, N.Y., to Bangor, Maine,
ays Tuesd s, ng $1 wi ers ch $5 pit
Sheep are let out to graze on a solar farm in Colchester in October. PHOTO BY MAEVE FAIRFAX
helping them learn the ropes of solar grazing. Fox is also a founding member of the American Solar Grazing Association, an organization that promotes solar grazing and provides educational materials for farmers who want to get into it. In the winter, when there is no grazing to be done, Fox and Kochendoerfer breed the sheep and sell grass-fed lamb. Fox said that the additional revenue they earn from agrivoltaics is a huge help financially. “For us as livestock producers, being able to use the animals in another way is
very significant in terms of farm viability,” he said. Solar grazing has exploded in recent years. There are currently about 130,000 acres of solar arrays in the United States grazed by sheep.
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Williston Observer •
Page 13
“We think it’s got a bright future,” Fox said. Sheep aren’t the only animals that can find food on a solar farm. The Weybridge-based nonprofit Bee the Change is turning solar fields into habitat for bees and other pollinators. Since 2015, they’ve created habitat on 30 solar sites. Mike Kiernan is a co-founder of Bee the Change. He said one of the organization’s main goals is to support Vermont’s native bees, many of which are threatened by loss of habitat, disease or pesticides. Kiernan said that although some invasive plant species can be helpful to pollinators, the team at Bee the Change tries to plant native species. “Our goal is to get the highest percentage possible of native plants, because they have the longest relationship with these species,” Kiernan said. And their efforts are working. Through careful monitoring, the leaders at Bee the Change have seen pollinator populations on their sites increase dramatically in both number and diversity. Supporting pollinators also helps support the plants they pollinate, which helps see AGRIVOLTAICS page 14
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January 15, 2026
Agrivoltaics
continued from page 13
“What we’re able
people, too. “We’re all actually connected, and our survival is connected,” said Kiernan. “And when people see a habitat that is enriched with pollinators, they are appreciative.” Encore Renewable Energy, a Vermont-based B Corp, has hired both Kiernan and Fox to manage the vegetation on its solar sites. The company specializes in community-scale solar projects. Chad Farrell is the co-CEO of Encore Renewable Energy. He said the company prioritizes using agrivoltaics because it’s good for local economies and good for the environment. Solar grazing is often cheaper than mowing, and it cuts down on emissions because mowers, most of which run on fossil fuels, are not needed as often. Planting native plants to build pollinator habitat can increase the soil’s
to do is have solar production coexist with agriculture. And it’s not just window dressing. It’s real agriculture.” Lewis Fox Agrivoltaic Solutions
potential to store carbon and pave the way for future agriculture on the land. “At the end of the useful life of the project, we’re actually able to return that land in a better condition than what we found,” Farrell said. Some Vermonters don’t like to see agricultural land repurposed for energy production, but agrivoltaics can help alleviate this
Asters are planted on a solar farm managed by Bee the Change in Stowe.
tension. “Everybody loves driving by one of our projects and seeing a bunch of sheep out there doing their thing,” Farrell said. Fox, the sheep farmer, agrees. “It’s often difficult for people
to see solar being built on ag land, for various reasons, and I think you could argue the merits either way,” he said. “But we can help bridge the gap in that. What we’re able to do is have solar production coexist with agriculture. And it’s
PHOTO BY MAEVE FAIRFAX
not just window dressing. It’s real agriculture.” Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, in partnership with Vermont Public.
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Page 15
Quiescense and the challenges of winter plant care BY DEBRA HELEBA Special to the Observer Mid-winter brings unique challenges in caring for houseplants. At this time of year, we experience less intense and fewer hours of sunlight. For most indoor plants, the lack of daylight signals a special kind of dormancy called quiescence. During this period, plants conserve their energy and enter a resting period. For most houseplants, quiescence means that their growth slows considerably. Some plants, like alocasias and caladiums, may even lose their leaves during this period. This is completely normal, and they should rebound in the spring. Some varieties of cacti and succulents may experience a deeper dormancy to protect themselves from the stress of shorter daylight hours. For all houseplants, winter care starts with reducing water. UVM Extension Master Gardener volunteer Judy Mirro, affectionately known as the Houseplant Hero, says we tend to over-love our plants by giving them too much water. This is especially true in the winter. We need to hold off watering our houseplants until the potting media is truly dry. A moisture meter is a helpful tool to gauge when to water plants. It measures the moisture of the soil so you can tell when it’s dry and plants need to be watered. An inexpensive alternative is a chopstick. Insert it into the soil. If soil sticks to the chopstick, the soil is moist, and the plant doesn’t need to be watered. If no soil sticks, it is time to water. While plants need less water during the winter, many need increased humidity. The colder temperatures and indoor heating we experience during Vermont winters mean that humidity levels drop. Tropical plants will especially benefit from boosting humidity from a humidifier, or grouping plants together. Alternatively, use pebble trays filled with water under the plants and avoid placing plants near heat sources, such as a woodstove and vents. You will also want to place plants away from drafty spots. Houseplants thrive best in consistent temperatures, so avoid placing them too close to windows. Because houseplants are in a resting state, winter is also a time to refrain from fertilizing and transplanting unless absolutely necessary. It’s best to wait to renovate plants until spring. However, one important winter care practice is cleaning leaves. Use a damp cloth to wipe any dust from houseplant leaves to maximize sunlight absorption during winter’s low light conditions. You can also give them a gentle, lukewarm shower, ensuring that all water drains from their pots. Cleaning leaves is also a great time to scout for pests on houseplants. Spider mites
Houseplant care in the winter requires less watering and extra attention on light, plant placement and humidity. PHOTO BY DEBRA HELEBA
are a common foe in the winter as they thrive in low-humidity conditions. Fungus gnats are also common winter houseplant pests and become problematic with overwatering. Keep an eye out for symptoms like the webbing of spider mites, sticky honeydew left by aphids, white cottony mealybugs, and bumps along stems that may be scale. You can also use yellow sticky traps to monitor for fungus gnats. If you note any of these or other symptoms of decline with your houseplants, feel free to contact the UVM Extension Master Gardener helpline at: https://go.uvm.edu/ gardenhelpline, where you can upload a photo or two of the issue. Extension Master Gardener volunteers will help you navigate your houseplant woes. With a little extra attention to light, placement and humidity, but not too much love in the form of water, your houseplants will survive the winter and be ready to thrive when spring returns. Debra Heleba is the statewide outreach and education program manager for the UVM Extension Community Horticulture program and leads the Extension Master Gardener and Vermont Master Composter programs.
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Williston Observer •
January 15, 2026
Vermont lawmakers propose restrictions on ICE BY ETHAN WEINSTEIN VTDigger
Can Vermont lawmakers restrict how federal immigration authorities operate in the state? Democrats are poised to try this session, mulling legislation that would limit where civil immigration arrests can occur and would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks in most cases. Vermonters should be able to visit sensitive locations “without fear of being snatched,” Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/DChittenden Central, a sponsor of two bills addressing immigration agents’ actions, told her colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bills were introduced in the Senate this week. S.209 would prevent civil arrests at schools, government buildings, health care facilities and what the bill calls community-based shelters (severe weather shelters and emergency housing). Meanwhile, S.208, largely
restricts when law enforcement officers can wear masks and requires officers to identify themselves verbally or by badge. Federal courts have met similar policies elsewhere in the country with mixed reactions, and President Donald Trump’s administration continues to challenge states’ attempts to regulate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, such as in California, where lawmakers have sought to generally ban federal agents from wearing masks. Both pieces of legislation in Vermont cite the 10th Amendment, which gives states powers not specifically granted to the federal government. But legislative attorneys cautioned Vermont’s Senate Judiciary Committee that the potential legality of restricting ICE in Vermont would depend on a tangled web of federal laws, case law and active court cases. Rik Sehgal, a lawyer for the Legislature, told lawmakers that federal courts have for the most
Sen. Phil Baruth backs bills in the Vermont Senate to limit federal immigration operations in Vermont. FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
part found that limited arrests by immigration authorities at courthouses is “approved by the 10th Amendment.” Whether states can restrict immigration arrests in more locations is “a little bit gray,” he said. And regarding the federal laws potentially restricting Vermont’s ability to limit federal
agents from wearing masks, Sophie Zdatny, a lawyer for the Legislature, told lawmakers that “the Supreme Court has really not addressed this particular immunity for over a century.” There’s no federal law, policy or rule that explicitly authorizes masking for law enforcement, Zsatny said, though U.S. Department of Homeland
Security leaders have said officers have discretion to wear masks. Both bills have strong support from Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/PChittenden Central, who sits on the judiciary committee. In an interview last Thursday, he pointed to the increasing presence of ICE in Minneapolis, where an immigration agent shot and killed a woman, as a reason why the bills are necessary. “We have to be proactive about that, because I will bet you every cent I have that within the year, Burlington and Winooski will see raids,” Baruth said, adding that he was comfortable supporting bills the Trump administration might challenge in court. “We’re kind of fighting with our backs to the wall as states.” In Vermont, federal immigration agents have conducted arrests wearing masks. Mohsen Mahdawi, a Vermonter and Palestinian activist, was see ICE page 17
January 15, 2026 BABY TIME
ADULT WINTER BOOK BINGO
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10:3011 a.m. Suggested ages 0-18 months. Enjoy gentle literacy, bonding and socializing activities with your little one.
From Jan. 2 to Feb. 20, stop in at the front desk and get a book bingo card or download one from the library website. Read your way to bingo, fill out the card, and bring it back before Feb. 20 to be eligible for some fun prizes. This is a great way to spend the snowy months!
AFTER SCHOOL CRAFT: NAME COLLAGE
Library hours: • Monday and Wednesday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. • Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. • Saturday: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Visit www.damlvt.org to apply for a library card and register for programs. Need help? Call 878-4918 or email daml@ damlvt.org. Please note, the library will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19.
YOUTH PROGRAMS Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age. ELEMENTARY DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
Saturday, Jan. 17, 1-2 p.m. A mini session of Dungeons & Dragons for children ages 7-10. No prior experience required. Register each individual child who plans to participate. Adults should stay and help their campaigner.
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2-3 p.m. Use an assortment of craft supplies to create a name collage.
SPANISH CONVERSATION (ONLINE)
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 5-6 p.m. Brush up on your language skills. All levels welcome. 10 SURPRISING THINGS ABOUT NAMES
Thursday, Jan. 22, 3-4 p.m. Build something exciting with the Library’s LEGO collection.
Friday, Jan. 16, 12-12:30 p.m. Join our guided meditation to relax and recenter.
Saturday, Jan. 24, 12-1 p.m. From the psychology of identity to human rights, from name clubs to pronunciation etiquette, discover surprising facts about something we all have but rarely think deeply about. For teens and adults and anyone who has a name! Given by Kaomi Taylor from www.museumofnames. com.
AFTER SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY
MAH-JONGG
READER’S ROUNDTABLE
PUZZLE SWAP
Thursdays, Jan. 22 and 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Drop in for Linda Bassick’s music, and stay to play.
Bring in your gently used puzzles 300-1,000 piece puzzles and swap for something new to you. Please only bring puzzles in good condition with all the pieces.
LEGO TIME
ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)
MUSIC AND PLAYTIME
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 3:154 p.m. Learn new STEAM concepts with hands-on activities.
MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS GIVING TREE
Honor a teacher, friend or family member with a gift to the library through our annual Giving Tree! Choose a tag from one of the in-house trees with a program or collection you’d like to contribute to. Fill out the information on the inside and return it to a librarian. Payments of any amount can be made by cash, check or online.
ADULT PROGRAMS
STORYTIME
Tuesdays, Jan. 20 and 27. Drop in for stories, songs and fun.
Join us for a potluck as we explore the cookbook “Good Things” by Samin Nosrat.
For online programs or to join a book club, email daml@damlvt.org.
Friday, Jan. 16 and 23, 1-3 p.m. All skill levels welcome. BOOK CLUB BUFFET (ONLINE)
Tuesday, Jan. 20, 12:301:30 p.m. “The Light Pirate” by Lily Brooks Dalton. SEATED TAI CHI WITH ADINA (ONLINE)
Thursdays, 1-2 p.m. Learn Tai Chi done entirely in a seated posture, and do it from your own home. Email daml@damlvt.org for more information or to sign up for the class link. COOK THE BOOK
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 12-1 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 12:301:30 p.m. “Chances Are” by Richard Russo. CURRENT EVENTS SPECIAL: AI AND SOCIETY
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 10:3011:30 a.m. Brandon Tieso, our presenter, will explore artificial intelligence’s profound impact on work, culture and society, examining both opportunities and challenges as these tools reshape our world. Anyone who is curious about how AI will change our society will want to attend this discussion.
•
Williston Observer •
ICE
continued from page 16
detained by masked officers in Colchester following an interview regarding his citizenship. In 2022, Vermont lawmakers restricted immigration arrests in and around courthouses, a protection other states have attempted to enshrine as well. In
“I will bet you every cent I have that within the year, Burlington and Winooski will see (ICE) raids.” Sen. Phil Baruth
other states, ICE has made a practice of arresting immigrants in and around courthouses. Last November, a federal judge upheld a New York law preventing immigration arrests at state courts. Rep. Martin LaLonde, D-South Burlington, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said he intended to take up the Senate’s ICE bills should they reach his committee later this year.
Let it snow!
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Page 17
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Page 18 • dates: Williston Observer release Jan. 17-23, 2026 • January 15, 2026
03 (26)
Next Week: The Olympic Games
Issue 03, 2026
Founded by Betty Debnam
Benvenuto in Italia!*
Italians you may know
Mini Fact:
• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an important artist of the Italian Renaissance. He was a sculptor, architect and engineer as well as a great painter. He is the creator of the famous paintings “The Leonardo da Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa.” Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper” is in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan.
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin on Feb. 6 in Italy. This week, The Mini Page learns more about this country of western Europe.
Caesar was a powerful ruler of ancient Rome. Around the beginning of the 14th century, Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance (REHN-uh-zahnce), a time of art exploration, discovery and innovation.
Hosting the Games
The XXV* • Winter Olympic Cortina • Games are the Milan first to be hosted in multiple cities. ITALY Most events will take place near Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy. Italy is shaped like a boot. It is a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea. In the north, it is bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Italy is a member of the European Union, a group of countries that join together for better trade. The currency, or money, used there is the euro. About 59 million Italians live there, with many of them living in and around Rome, the capital.
Living in Italia
photo lafiguradelpadre Congreso
The country is noted for its manufacturing, especially in the north, including making cars such as Fiats and Maseratis. On farms, people raise grain, olives, grapes for wine and citrus crops. The country is the world’s largest producer of wines. Tourism is also important; Rome, Venice and Florence are favorite destinations for travelers. Many visitors are drawn to Vatican City, the home of the Catholic Church. Although A nighttime view of Vatican City in Rome. the Vatican is surrounded by Rome, it is a sovereign, or independent, city-state ruled by the pope. It is the smallest city-state in the world. Both Italians and tourists enjoy the delicious foods of the country. Pasta, fish, cheeses, meats, fruits and vegetables are on the menu throughout the country, although favorites vary by region. Gelato, an Italian ice cream, is a popular treat.
Italy’s history
More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Rome was the center of the Roman Empire, which controlled many parts of western Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. Julius * Do you know your Roman numerals? If X = 10 and V = 5, can you figure out what XXV means?
(XXV = 25)
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
• Galileo Galilei (15641642) is known as the father of astronomy. Galileo built a telescope with which he observed the Milky Way galaxy, Saturn’s rings, lunar Galileo craters and sunspots. • Television star and chef Giada De Laurentiis was born in Rome in 1970. She has a show called “Giada in My Kitchen,” writes books, develops restaurants and creates products for cooks.
photo by kennejima
* Welcome to Italy!
Giada De Laurentiis
• Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo) (14511506) was the first known European explorer to make contact with people of Central and South America.
Christopher Columbus
Resources On the Web:
• bit.ly/43DVMow • bit.ly/3LK5zmV
At the library:
• “Explore Ancient Rome” by Zelda Wagner
Try ’n’ Find Observer rack locations Mini Jokes
Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd) Essex/Essex Jct. Price Chopper Essex Automotive Quality Bake Shop Sophia: What do you call a Five Corner Variety fake Italian? River Road Beverage Island Homemade Ice Cream Sonesta Chef’s Corner Hannaford Isabella: An impasta! Richmond Sunoco Station Korner Kwik Stop Dorothy Alling Memorial Inn at Essex Cumberland Farms CAESAR, COLUMBUS, G E M P I R E V W I N T E R R Nico: What famous Roman always had a Town of Williston Offices Marriott Courtyard Library Mac’s Market Richmond Free Library CORTINA, CURRENCY, cold? A N A C O R T I N A I T A L Y UPS Store Men At Wok Fairfield Inn Martone’s Deli Matteo: Julius Sneezer!Richmond Market DA VINCI, EMPIRE, R G I A D A O L Y M P I C S G Call Rick Cote at ail Vermont Meat & Seafood M&T Bank Folino’s Pizza em or GAMES, ) 373-2136 A S T A V A T I C A N Y (802GALILEO, Williston r.com Gardener’s Supply S O PRamunto’s Williston Coffee Shop illistonObserveGIADA, Rick@WGELATO, ITALY, G A M E S V P E N I N S U L A es pi co e lik Rehab Gym Green Mountain Bagel if you would n Hannaford
Williston
Words that remind us of Italy are hidden in this puzzle. Some words Simon’s Mobil Williston Healthy Living Williston Adams Farm Market are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used Simply Divine Café Home2Suites Aromas of India twice. See if you can find:
r your locatioOLYMPICS, foMILAN,
PASTA, PENINSULA, RENAISSANCE, ROME, VATICAN, WINTER.
D G I C
K E V O
R L A L
E N A A T O G A L U M B
I K I U
S P L S
S A N C E E D A V I N C E O I M F N Q C A E S A
Y I S R
Eco Note
One of Earth’s historically
* Do you know your Roman numerals? If X = 10 and V = 5, can you figure out what XXV means?
favorites vary by region. Gelato, an Italian ice cream, is a popular treat.
At the library:
• “Explore Ancient Rome” by Zelda Wagner
(XXV = 25)
January 15, 2026
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Try ’n’ Find
G E M P I R E A N A C O R T R G I A D A O S O P A S T A G A M E S V P D K R E N A I G E L A T O K I V A G A L I C O L U M B U Q M I L A N C
V W I N T E R I N A I T A L L Y M P I C S V A T I C A N E N I N S U L S S A N C E E P D A V I N C L E O I M F N S Q C A E S A U R R E N C Y
Sophia: What do you call a fake Italian? Isabella: An impasta!
R Y G Y A Y I S R H
Nico: What famous Roman always had a cold? Matteo: Julius Sneezer!
Eco Note
Cook’s Corner
7 Little Words for Kids Use the letters in the boxes to make a word with the same meaning as the clue. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in the solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
1. instrument with keys (5) 2. meat cutter (7) 3. its capital is Tokyo (5) 4. what you put a letter in (8) 5. person posing for an artist (5) 6. fly south for the winter (7) 7. high school student (8)
HER
GER
EL
EN
TEE
RATE MOD BUTC
VEL
PAN
NA
PI
ANO
MIG
JA
OPE
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
What to do: 1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and let cool. Set aside. 2. In a bowl, combine the butter, egg, chives, ricotta cheese and cream cheese. Stir well. 3. Using a spoon, fill manicotti noodles with the cheese mixture. Place noodles side by side in a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Cover with the tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese 4. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Makes 7 servings.
One of Earth’s historically driest places may soon turn greener. Scientists calculate that Sahara Desert rainfall could increase by as much as 75% this century. The findings suggest that climate change could transform life across Africa, offering both hope and new risks to millions who depend on its land and water. The researchers warn that while some regions may bloom, others could face worsening droughts, forcing swift adaptation from farmers and communities. The study underscores how rising heat can alter even the world’s most arid landscapes. adapted with permission from Earthweek.com
For later:
Look in your local newspaper for articles about the upcoming Olympics.
©2026 Blue Ox Technologies Ltd. Download the app on Apple and Amazon devices.
• 1/2 pound cream cheese, softened • 3/4 pound shredded mozzarella cheese • 3 cups tomato or spaghetti sauce
* You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.
Marvelous Manicotti You’ll need: • 1/2 pound manicotti noodles • 1/4 cup butter • 1 egg, beaten • 1/3 cup dried chives • 1 pound ricotta cheese
Williston Observer • Page 19
Mini Jokes
Words that remind us of Italy are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: CAESAR, COLUMBUS, CORTINA, CURRENCY, DA VINCI, EMPIRE, GALILEO, GAMES, GELATO, GIADA, ITALY, MILAN, OLYMPICS, PASTA, PENINSULA, RENAISSANCE, ROME, VATICAN, WINTER.
•
Answers: piano, butcher, Japan, envelope, model, migrate, teenager.
Photos from the Williston Observer are available for purchase! Visit willistonobserver.com to see current and past photos of events, school sports, nature shots and more!
AlFreyPhotography.com
Place your order online or email afrey202@gmail.com
AL
Page 20
• Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
SAVVY SENIOR
OBITUARIES
When do most Americans take Social Security? In the meantime, here’s a rundown of when people start receiving retirement benefits (according to the most recent SSA statistical data), and how signing up at each age impacts your payout.
By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most popular ages that people start taking their Social Security retirement benefits? I’m turning 62 later this year and trying to decide when to start taking my benefits. Born in ’64 Dear ’64, You can sign up to begin your Social Security retirement benefits any time after age 62. However, monthly payments will be larger for each month you delay claiming them up until age 70. This adds up to around 6-8 percent higher payments every year you delay. To get a breakdown on exactly how much your claiming age affects your benefits, visit Social Security’s Retirement Age Calculator at SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/ageincrease.html. This tool provides your full retirement age (FRA) — which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later — and shows how much benefits will be reduced by taking early payments, or increased by delaying them.
Age 62: This is the earliest possible age you can sign up for Social Security. According to the SSA, in 2024, 23.3 percent of women and 22 percent of men signed up for Social Security at 62. But if you sign up at this age, you’ll get a 30 percent smaller Social Security payment if your FRA is 67. Age 63: Age 63 is one of the least popular options for choosing to start Social Security benefits — 6.2 percent of men and 6.4 percent of women began claiming their benefits at this age in 2024. A worker with a FRA of 67 will get a 25 percent pay cut by signing up at this age. Age 64: This is another relatively unpopular age to begin collecting Social Security benefits — just 6.5 percent of men and 7 percent of women started collecting at age 64. Social Security payments are reduced by 20 percent for those with a FRA of 67. Age 65: In 2024, 15.3 percent of men and women decided to collect Social Security at age 65, which is also the enrollment age for Medicare. By starting at this age, you’ll see your monthly payments
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reduced by 13.3 percent if your FRA is 67. Age 66: This is FRA for people born between 1943 and 1954, which has made this a popular age to begin collecting. In 2024, 27 percent of men and 25.3 percent of women signed up for benefits at 66. But since your FRA is 67, you’ll get a 6.7 percent pay cut if you sign up here. Age 67: People born in 1960 or later will be able to claim unreduced Social Security payments starting at this age. In 2024, 14.5 percent of men and 13 percent of women did this. Age 68: In 2024, 12.5 percent of men and 12.3 percent of women delayed their Social Security benefits until age 68. Waiting one extra year beyond your FRA of 67 will increase your benefit by 8 percent. Age 69: In 2024, 14.5 percent of men and 13.2 percent of women claimed their retirement benefits at 69, which increased their benefits by 16 percent. Age 70 and older: Waiting to age 70 offers the biggest possible payout — a 24 percent increase over your FRA of 67. In 2024, 8.4 percent of women and 9.1 percent of men held out until this age. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
Donald Joseph Barnard and Mary Harrington Barnard It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Donald Joseph Barnard on October 8, 2025 at the age of 87 and Mary Harrington Barnard on December 8, 2025 at the age of 88. Don was born on July 26, 1938 in Dover, New Hampshire to Donald and Margaret (Welch) Barnard. Mary was born on November 7, 1937 in Baltimore, Maryland to Joseph and Charlotte (Stubbs) Harrington. After graduating from Dover High School, Don joined the Navy to see the world. He made it as far as Maryland. One weekend, while stationed at Bainbridge, he and a friend decided to check out a dance. As they were leaving, Mary and a friend were coming up the stairs and the rest is history. The family always enjoyed the story of how Don asked Mary if she wanted a tonic (New Hampshirese for soda) and she was taken aback thinking he was offering her a gin and tonic. It always seemed ironic that Don, a nondancer, met his wife of almost 68 years at a dance. Don and Mary were married in Baltimore on March 16, 1958. After the wedding Don was stationed in England and their first child, Deborah, was born there. Their next two children, Diane and Kevin, were born in Baltimore. In 1965 the family pulled up stakes and moved to Vermont. Family in Baltimore told them that there were more cows than people there, but they still came to visit. Don worked at IBM as an engineer for thirty years. Mary stayed at home until all of her children were in school and then
she joined him there for twenty-five years. After retiring, they moved to their dream home in Rangeley, Maine. The home was a pleasure for the whole family with boating, fishing, snowmobiling, and sledding. Don enjoyed using the snowmobile to give the grandchildren a ride back up the hill when sledding. Don and Mary reveled in sharing Rangeley with their grandchildren. Mary baked with (and for) them, and they both enjoyed taking them for a Cremee and feeding the ducks. In 2002, Don and Mary returned home to Vermont to be closer to family. Don and Mary continued to spend time with their grandchildren taking them to the movies, patiently playing games with them, and watching them participate in extracurricular activities. Don and Mary’s last years were quiet but filled with the things they loved, watching movies on television, sharing jokes, and reminiscing with friends and family. Their lives were rich and filled with love and many highlights and they were grateful for them. Don and Mary’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were their entire world. They gave them strength during rough times, and laughter and joy all of the time. Don and Mary are survived by their daughter Deborah Dupuis and husband Renaud of New Hampshire, daughter Diane Gaboriault and husband Chris of Vermont, son Kevin Barnard and wife Tracy of New Hampshire; his brother David of Vermont, sister Sandra Barnard and partner Gerard of New Hampshire; granddaughter Sarah Brunt and husband Ben, and their two children Elena and Maddie of New Hampshire; grandson Colin Gaboriault and fiancée Sara Roberts of Vermont, granddaughter Kate Woods and husband Mike and their two children Maeve and Finn of Vermont; grandson P.J. Barnard of New Hampshire; and grandsons Hunter Dupuis and Connor Dupuis of New Hampshire; as well as many nieces and nephews in the greater Baltimore area. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on May 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Church in Essex Jct., Vermont. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in their memory.
January 15, 2026
•
Williston Observer • Page 21
CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1759, the British Museum opened to the public. • In 1892, Dr. James Naismith published his original 13 rules of “basket ball” in the Springfield College school newspaper. • In 1943, the Pentagon was dedicated in Arlington, Virginia. • In 2001, the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia.org was launched. • In 2009, a US Airways flight, shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River.
TODAY’S FACT:
• The Pentagon is the world’s second-largest office building by floor area, with 3.7 million square feet of dedicated office space.
SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 22
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Page 22
4
4x5
• Williston Observer • January 15, 2026
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
SUDOKU SOLUTION
Puzzle found on page 21
RABIES BAIT
continued from page 2 The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease. Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also RABIES BAIT get rabies. The virus is spread through the continued from page 2 bite of an infected animal or contact with its The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort HOME between Vermont and the U.S. IMPROVEMENT Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services toREMODELING stop the spread of the potentially fatal ♦ CUSTOM CABINETRY disease. DECKS AND PORCHES ♦ SMALL JOBS Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the ME IMPRIt OV brain that infects mammals. isEmost T ’S HO MENoften AR W E TS seen ST in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies. The virus is spread through the (802) 999-4240 | MAPLEWOOD363@GMAIL.COM | WILLISTON bite of anReferences infectedFree animal Estimatesor contact Fully Insured with its
Puzzle found on page 21
saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal. So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons. According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost alit. People should not touch or pick up wild ways fatalorinstrays humans and baby animals. However, animals – even animals. treatment with theDIRECTORY rabies vaccine is nearly SERVICE 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal. BARBERSHOP So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont ☛ MIKE’S CLASSIC BARBERSHOP LLC have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons. According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their norBY APPOINTMENT ONLY mal MON/WED/THURS/FRI: behavior,8AMbut - 6PM you cannot tell whether SAT: 8AM 1PM an animal has rabies simply by looking at Located withinshould Sola Salon Studios it. People not touch or pick up wild 2141 Essex Road, Williston • (802) 318-6477 animals or strays – even baby animals.
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LAND MAINTENANCE continued from page 4
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•
Williston Observer •
Page 23
OBITUARIES of Williston, Vt, passed away peacefully Jan. 3, 2026, at the age of 76 years old. Born in Burlington, Vt, on June 21, 1949, the daughter of Marvin and Lois (Johnson) Clark, she grew up on the Clark family dairy farm in Williston. A graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School in 1967, she traveled a bit after graduating and then returned to the farm in Williston, where she built a log cabin on a piece of 04/22/2024 land her father had sold her, just down the road from the farm. 3.25 x 2 AD for Williston Observer Ann worked on the family farm for many years, milking cows, raising calves, and helping with hay harvest. Ann Beverly (Clark) Comeau
Ann Comeau
Ann married her husband, Bernie Comeau, Nov. 28, 1998, and moved to their home, a couple of miles away in Williston, where she and Bernie built a successful maple sugaring operation on their property. She learned how to become one of the best sugarmakers around and was in charge of boiling operations in the sugarhouse. Throughout life, Ann was always admired as a very hardworking woman, a great judge of character, and always willing to help friends and neighbors. She loved animals and always had horses, and was a successful equestrian in her early years; she trained many horses
and gave riding lessons to many other people throughout her life. She loved the cows at the family farm and gave them all names, and instilled her good sense of animal husbandry in her niece, Cameron. She always made sure her dogs and cats were very well fed, as anyone who knew her would remark on their rotund nature. Ann is survived by her husband Bernie Comeau, her half-brother Scott Clark, her niece Cameron Clark and husband Dan, and her grand nephew Riley Clark-Harrington. As well as many friends who were like family to her. She was predeceased by her
parents, Marvin and Lois, her brother Wright “BD” Clark, and her niece Chelsea Clark. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the local humane society or charity of choice are appreciated. A huge thank you to Hospice, Vermont Respite House, UVM Oncology, the Department of Surgery, Emergency Services, the Radiology Department, all of the UVM staff, and, of course, all of our relatives and friends. A special thank you to the Jehovah’s Witness Congregation. Visiting hours were held at LaVigne Funeral Home on January 14, 2026.
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Page 24 •
Williston Observer •
January 15, 2026
97 HOMES SOLD IN 2025
3040 COCHRAN ROAD, RICHMOND | 79 VT ROUTE 15, JERICHO | 1524 CHARLOTTE ROAD, HINESBURG | 2 BRADLEY COURT, ST ALBANS | 7-11 FLETCHER PLACE, BURLINGTON | 10 OLD STAGE ROAD, ESSEX | 330 VILLAGE DRIVE, COLCHESTER | 53 VALLEY VIEW DRIVE, MILTON | 604 MAIN STREET NORTH, BAKERSFIELD | 102 EAST ALLEN STREET #C, WINOOSKI | 122 WHITETAIL PATH, ST GEORGE | 14 PAIGE ROAD, FAIRFAX | 60 HEATHER LANE, WILLISTON | 174-176 INTERVALE AVENUE, BURLINGTON | 48B PACKARD ROAD, JERICHO | 403 ZEPHYR ROAD, WILLISTON | 33 CONIFER COURT, BURLINGTON | 523 PORTERS POINT #1 IN ROAD #2, COLCHESTER | 47 LEACH ROAD, FAIRFAX | 7 GLENWOOD DRIVE, ESSEX | 38 T HEAR HE GERTS KNOB, UNDERHILL | 95 COYOTE LANE, WILLISTON | 299 ROBBINS MOUNTAIN ROAD, OF O TS RICHMOND 435 SOUTH BAY CIRCLE, COLCHESTER | 105 IROQUOIS AVENUE, ESSEX JCT | CLIENUR 142 RIVER STREET, MILTON | 149 SHERWOOD FOREST ROAD, HINESBURG | 320 CHAMBERLIN TS LANE, WILLISTON | 25 ELM STREET, WINOOSKI | 11 RUSSELL STREET, WINOOSKI | 22 LAWNWOOD DRIVE, WILLISTON | 127 HOLLAND LANE #1, WILLISTON | 8 NORTH STREET, UNIT 1, BRISTOL | 149 SHERWOOD FOREST ROAD, RICHMOND | 7 OAK CIRCLE, COLCHESTER | 73 HAYDEN PARKWAY, SOBU | 82 OAKWOOD DRIVE, SOBU | 67 FARR ROAD, RICHMOND | 31 LOVERS LANE, GRAND ISLE | 442 BITTERSWEET CIRCLE, WILLISTON | 73 HAYDEN PARKWAY, SOBU | 172 WOODBINE BY THE LAKE #3, COLCHESTER | 86 PINECREST DRIVE #1E, ESSEX | 129 JUSTIN MORGAN DRIVE, COLCHESTER | 40 BAYBERRY LANE, SOBU 2561 VT ROUTE 17, ADDISON | 2735 SHELBURNE FALLS ROAD, HINESBURG | 50 PARTRIDGE DRIVE, ESSEX JCT | 73 EDEN LANE, WILLISTON | 131 ELLISON STREET, MILTON | 29 RED PINES LANE #4, COLCHESTER | 498 SANDY BIRCH ROAD, GEORGIA | 20 WOODS END DRIVE, ESSEX | 111 FREEDOM DRIVE, MONTPELIER | 4 ATIRUM WAY #103, MILTON | 61 OVERLOOK DRIVE, SOBU | 18 LAKE FOREST DRIVE, BURLINGTON | 100 KENNEDY DRIVE #41, SOBU | 17 GREY BIRCH DRIVE, COLCHESTER | 20 GREENFIELD ROAD #C5, ESSEX JCT | 2738 ELM STREET, MONTPELIER | 138 PARTRIDGE HILL #5, COLCHESTER | 9 THORPE AVENUE EXT, ST ALBANS | 403 BRAND FARM DRIVE, SOBU | 25 DRURY DRIVE, ESSEX JCT | 4 GUYETTE CIRCLE, ST ALBANS | 293 FARMALL DRIVE, HINESURG | 212 LOCUST HILL, SHELBURNE | 95 RENKIN DRIVE, COLCHESTER | 50 PINEHURST DRIVE, JERICHO | 65 HAYES AVENUE, SOBU | 81 MEADOW ROAD, MILTON | 20 PEACHAMN LANE, ESSEX | 23 IRIS LANE, SOBU | 76 SAYBROOK ROAD, ESSEX JCT | 8 KRISTEN COURT, WILLISTON | K-11 STONEHEDGE DRIVE, SOBU | 18 HAWTHORNE ROAD, FAIRFAX | 89 CATELLA ROAD, ESSEX | 890 ESSEX ROAD, WILLISTON | 3888 SPEAR STREET, CHARLOTTE | 1540 BALLARD ROAD, GEORGIA | 29 WINDING BROOK DRIVE, SOBU | 925 SHELBURNE FALLS RD #1, SHELBURNE | 270-272 HEINEBERG DRIVE, COLCHESTER | 107 TAMARACK DRIVE, WILLISTON | 37 DICKINSON DRIVE, NORTHFIELD | 45 VILLAGE COMMONS #1, COLCHESTER | 65 FINCH COURT, SOBU | 83 BORESTONE LANE, BURLINGTON | 101 TWIN OAKS TERRACE, SOBU | 91 MAPLE STREET, ESSEX JCT | 43 CUMBERLAND ROAD, BURLINGTON | 20 PARKER LANE, MONKTON | 16 RAILROAD STREET, WATERBURY | 19 WARREN STREET, BARRE | 37 MEADOW ROAD, MILTON
OUR TEAM IS RANKED #7 OF 464 AGENTS IN OUR MARKET! 802-454-3977
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