On Friday the 13th — a day of great superstition, and this year, unseasonably cold and windy weather — great warmth and comfort could still be found at the University of Vermont’s Patrick Gymnasium with the graduation ceremony of Champlain Valley Union High School’s Class of 2025.
The ceremony was kicked off by a procession of the graduates in their red caps and gowns, led by three bagpipers and a drummer. As they made their way to their seats, family members waved down from their seats in the bleachers, and the graduates waved back.
Principal Katherine Riley was the first to speak, reflecting on how graduations, among many other things, also represent “one final chance to be together.”
CVSD Superintendent Adam Bunting spoke next, asking the graduates to stand and point to someone in the crowd who had helped them get here today. Looking out over the sea of fingers pointing to loved ones all across the room, Bunting urged the seniors to “carry this moment with you,” as they move on to whatever comes next.
Then came Sofiia Hordenko’s speech. Hordenko, was one of just a handful of students chosen to study abroad from Ukraine after her school was destroyed by a missile. She had intended to only stay for a year, but as the war in Ukraine continued, she decided to stay longer, and was unable to go back to visit her home or
see her family. Hordenko reminded the crowd that “everything you want is on the other side of fear,” and that, if you work hard enough, “you can transform all your fear and doubts into courage.”
Hordenko’s mom, who she had only recently been reunited with after three years, was present at the graduation ceremony.
As the ceremony continued, senior speakers Wade Nichols and Mira Novak reflected on the moments of laughter and care that had stuck with them from their high school experience.
The Class of 2025 gift was presented by Thomas Mathon and Hannah Stein. The gift includes a $2,000 donation to CVU’s alternative education program, as well as a $9,000 donation to a CVU travel program scholarship fund, making school travel opportunities more accessible to those who cannot afford them. More donations to this fund can be added by the community by reaching out to CVSD administration.
This year’s commencement speaker was acclaimed actor and writer Jacob Tischler. With his juggling pins in hand, Tischler encouraged the Class of 2025 to “try everything” as they go out and face the unknown. Mistakes are okay, and perfection is impossible; all they have to do is try.
Finally, the graduates were presented and their diplomas were awarded, the crowd cheering as each senior crossed the stage. There were smiles of pride, joy and perhaps a little relief all across the gymnasium; this chapter was over, and a new one was starting.
The Class of 2025, top, take their seats at the Champlain Valley Union High School Graduation ceremony Friday at UVM’s Patrick Gym. Top right, Sofiia Hordenko, a student from Ukraine, gives the welcome address.
Jacob Tischler, below, actor and former CVU student, speaks to the class. Left, Lauren Knudsen (R) and Chase Leonard give the farewell address. See more pictures on Page 4. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
Gifted
TOP: Katelyn Irwin of Age Well accepts a donation check from Lesley Murray of the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club.
BOTTOM: Rotarian Jude Hersey presents a grant to (L to R) Ginger Morton, Jean Staunton, Denny Bolger and Vicki Eaton at the Williston Community Food Shelf. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Look Forward To Coming Home
Around Town
Maple Tree Place concert lineup announced
The 2025 Maple Tree Place Summer Concert Series begins June 26 and will take place on Thursdays on the plaza’s central green through Aug. 14. The lineup includes a series of free cover bands, including a Fleetwood Mac tribute (June 26); an Elvis tribute (July 10); a Pat Benatar tribute (July 17), a Garth Brooks tribute (July 24); a Beetles tribute (Aug. 7); and a Kiss tribute (Aug. 14).
Juneteenth celebration set for Thursday in Richmond
Richmond Racial Equity will host a Juneteenth celebration Thursday from 5:30-6
p.m.
The gathering will take place on the Town Center lawn. There will be a presentation of a newly redesigned Black Lives Matter sign, ice cream, songs and playground time.
CVSD free summer meals program begins June 26
The Champlain Valley School District is offering free summer meals to children under 18 starting June 26. Meal box pickup will be at St. Jude’s Church in Hinesburg from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-orders must be placed online at www.cvsdvt. org. Email swagner@cvsdvt. org with any questions.
Hydrant
flushing ongoing this summer
The Williston Public Works Department will be flushing hydrants throughout June and July. The department expects some residents to experience low water pressure at times.
Rotary
grants benefit local nonprofits
The Williston-Richmond Rotary Club has awarded grants totaling $9,700 to 11 local non-profit organizations and programs, a result of its fundraising throughout the year. Recipients include: AgeWell — Meals on Wheels; Cancer Patient Support Center — assistance for local families; CVU Chapter of Amnesty International; Governor’s Institute of Vermont — funding for local students; Jean Garvin School — school garden; Richmond Food Shelf; Richmond Rescue — bike helmets; Sleep in Heavenly Peace — beds for local children; Williston Community Justice Center — food and personal hygiene items and bus passes; Williston Federated Church — AED defibrillator and Refugee Support Program; Williston Community Food Shelf.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
EMAIL EVENT LISTINGS TO EDITOR@WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
Juneteenth celebration ♦ New Black Lives Matter sign, ice cream, songs and playground time. 5:30-6 p.m. Richmond Town Center lawn.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
Plastic garden pot takeback day ♦ Return any size and color of plastic garden pots for recycling (#2 and #5). 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Gardener’s Supply Garden Center, 472 Marshall Ave.
TUESDAY, JUNE 24
Development Review Board meeting ♦ 7 p.m. Town Hall. Agenda at town.williston.vt.us.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25
Williston Energy Committee meeting ♦ 6:30 p.m. Town Hall. Agenda at town.williston.vt.us.
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
Maple Tree Place Concert Series ♦ Kick off the summer series with Little Lies, Fleetwood Mac tribute band. 6-8:30 p.m. Maple Tree Place green.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, JUNE 26-28
Social Media and Technology Risks seminar ♦ “Avoiding the Pitfalls for Today’s Youth” with Dr. Renton Rathbun. 7 p.m. each night. Trinity Baptist Church & School auditorium. Register at tbcvt.org/online-registration.
SUNDAY, JUNE 29
Lafayette monument unveiling ♦ Williston Historical Society will unveil a monument to Marquis de Lafayette. 10:15 a.m. on the Town Green.
ICE building purchased by D.C. firm
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
The brick office building at 188 Harvest Lane that houses the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency was sold in May by Burlington’s Pizzagalli Properties to a Washington D.C. company that specializes in leasing property to government agencies.
The sale of the 75,000-square-foot building closed for $20 million, according to Williston Town Clerk property records.
Though the building has changed hands, its use as ICE’s “Law Enforcement Support Center” — staffed 24-7 to help law enforcement agencies around the country prosecute immigration cases — won’t change. The buyer, Easterly Government Properties, Inc., said in a news release that the building comes with a “non-cancelable” lease with
the U.S. General Services Administration that runs through 2031.
“With this asset, we continue to increase our cash flows derived from federal agency tenants like the DHS and facilitate operations which remain mission-critical to the safety and security of the United States,” Easterly President and Chief Executive Officer Darrell Crate said in the release.
Easterly owns about 100 properties throughout the country that are leased to the federal government, the release states.
The ICE website (ice.gov/lesc) describes the Williston building as a single point of contact for law enforcement agencies around the world, “providing real-time assistance … regarding aliens suspected, arrested or convicted of criminal activity.”
A detailed description of its operations on the site outlines the center’s role in helping law enforcement personnel verify
WILLISTON: BUSINESS HUB OF VERMONT
The ICE building on Harvest Lane was bought by Washington D.C.-based Easterly Government Properties for $20 million in May.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
Middle school move up
CLOCKWISE (l to r): The eighth grade Class of 2025 enters Williston Central School gym to celebrate its graduation on Thursday. Friends and family gather in the gym to celebrate the eighth graders. Alissa Pavlov (R) and Addie Thomas give the address on behalf of the Class of 2025. Senior teacher Julie Rogers presents graduate certificates. Sadie Boisjoli (R) and Cam Castle announce the Yearbook Dedication to Ms. Martell.
Enough to ll 3,555 tractor-trailer trucks, which placed bumper-to-bumper would stretch from Milton to Montpelier.
We
no longer support Ed reform bill
EDITOR’S NOTE: This column was submitted by members of the Vermont House of Representatives who represent the communities of the Champlain Valley School District: Rep. Erin Brady, Williston (Chittenden-2); Rep. Angela Arsenault, Williston (Chittenden-2); Rep. Bridget Burkhardt, Williston-South Burlington (Chittenden-8); Rep. Chea Waters Evans, Charlotte (Chittenden-5); and Rep. Shawn Sweeney, Shelburne (Chittenden-7).
Rick Cote, Associate Publisher rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136
EDITOR
Jason Starr editor@willistonobserver.com
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SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS
Deadline is Monday noon for Thursday issue. News/ story tips are welcomed. Letters to the Editor should be 300 words or fewer and include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we can verify the letter’s author.
The Williston Observer reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions or advertising. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
We believe in the need for education reform, and we’re committed to getting it right. We also understand that systems are made of people. Our students, teachers and school leaders are not just some line that can be moved on a map, or column that can be eliminated in a spreadsheet, without having a real-life impact.
Change must be done carefully and on a realistic timeline. The most consequential education reform of a generation must deliver benefits for all Vermonters, including the students, employees and taxpayers of Champlain Valley School District – which is why we can no longer support H.454.
We supported the House version of the bill. It put us on a path to a more stable future by moving us toward scale, creating statewide cohesion and ensuring appropriate state-level governance
We cannot ask our voters to take another leap of faith on the critical funding that supports our schools without more thoughtful work.
and support for our system. We supported the work done on a foundation formula in the House bill but knew there were many details that needed further attention when the bill went to the Senate.
Unfortunately, the work deviated far from its focus on the common good once the bill left the House. The deliberations, particularly in a protracted conference
committee, became almost exclusively about special interest carveouts and protecting the status quo in private schools while our public schools are asked to endure massive transformation and endless unknowns.
The current version of the bill establishes an unrealistic timeline, and it continues to be unclear where the financial savings in a foundation formula are derived. CVSD voluntarily merged in 2017, and that consolidation work has generally been good for our district, but it has taken years to realize, with many hard changes along the way.
Without more modeling and time to work on things like special education funding, we are concerned that Chittenden County will be disproportionately impacted by a move to a foundation formula. Our district has cut over
GUEST COLUMN
Ed Reform
continued from page 6
80 positions in the past two years and has been one of the districts most negatively impacted by the flawed implementation of Act 127. We cannot ask our voters to take another leap of faith on the critical funding that supports our schools without more thoughtful work.
We agree with the governor and our Senate colleagues that education is a critical part of the affordability work we must all do. We are proud of the legislation we passed this year to begin containing health care costs, including the high cost of hospital care. We passed a major infrastructure bill directing over $2 billion in financing to help build new housing that working Vermonters can afford.
The hard work of the House Education Committee and House Ways and Means Committee are part of a bigger statewide conversation about education reform that has clearly taken root, and we are committed to continuing this work in a collaborative way, with the support of those who will be asked to implement the changes. We’re just not there yet.
Scott: Good work takes time, courage
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gov. Phil Scott on Monday delivered the following address to Vermont lawmakers upon the adjournment of the 2025 legislative session.
It’s only been about five months since we were all sworn in. In some ways, especially after today, it feels like a long session. But in other ways, it’s gone by quickly.
I want to start by telling you how much I appreciate the time and effort you’ve made this session, and the effort the majority has made to hear my point of view and the view of the minority.
This is especially true on difficult issues.
In January I asked that we focus on four areas: public safety, affordability, housing and education because I believe those are the areas impacting Vermonters the most. And within these areas, we’ve made some meaningful progress.
We found common ground to make Vermont safer, and while there’s still more work to do, this has been a good
start toward increasing accountability and recognizing an area that needs more attention.
I’m also appreciative of our work on tax relief, so Vermonters can keep a little more of what they earn whether they’re a veteran, a retiree living on social security, a low-income worker or a parent with young children.
And I’ll continue to advocate for more relief so Vermonters can thrive in Vermont, not just survive.
On housing, we passed much needed infrastructure support, getting the expansion of TIFs over the finish line, something many of us have been working on for years. This will help level the playing field so rural communities with fewer resources have some of the same economic tools as larger towns.
We still need to work on regulatory reform in the second half of the biennium because without it, we won’t make the progress needed to make housing affordable and revitalize communities, schools and fill jobs.
On education, we found a compromise
that will set us on a path toward a system that will better serve our kids and communities at a cost Vermonters can afford. I realize this hasn’t been easy, and I know there are many who have and will continue to criticize our work. But our current system is unsustainable for students and taxpayers.
This is only the first step, and the work ahead will be just as, if not more, important than what we’ve done this session. But good work takes time and it takes courage. And I appreciate the work each one of you has done to contribute to this effort.
What we’ve accomplished over these last few months is important, but what comes next will be even more important. We cannot make the mistake others have made to declare victory and assume our many crises have been solved.
I look forward to working with you into the next session to deliver the results our communities are calling for and Vermonters deserve. Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the summer with family and friends.
ICE
continued from page 3
immigration status and “remove aliens from the U.S. who pose a threat to public safety and national security.” Staff also conduct proactive investigations to inform ICE field officers’ work around the country.
The building has been the epicenter of citizen protests against immigration policies under President Donald Trump, both in
his first and current terms. Most recently, hundreds of protesters marched along Harvest Lane and gathered in front of the building on May 1.
“I’m here because I believe in social justice and human rights,” Shelburne’s Joanna Cole told VTDigger during a May 1 interview in front of the building. “I do not want any immigrants forced out, especially illegally. I think it’s horrible so many people are being kidnapped off the street and being thrown in jail.”
Pizzagalli Development Manager Bob Bouchard said the protests had no impact on the company’s decision to sell.
“We are selling a few of our properties right now,” Bouchard said.
Pizzagalli built the building in
1999 after winning a U.S. government bid to provide office space to what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It was a deal facilitated by longtime Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy in an effort to bring federal jobs to the area.
“It’s been a great property with a great tenant,” Bouchard said. “We have nothing but positive things to say about the lessee, which is the government, or the occupant, which is ICE.”
He said the company recently completed upgrades to the building with the intention to sell.
“As soon as we were done with the renovations, the property went on the market,” Bouchard said, calling Easterly a “first-class organization.”
Hundreds of protesters gather in front of the ICE building on Harvest Lane in Williston in support of immigrant and farmworker rights on May 1.
PHOTO BY AUDITI GUHA/VTDIGGER
Dorothy Alling Memorial Library hours:
• Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 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.
BOOK DONATIONS
In preparation for the Friends of the Library’s July Fourth book sale, we are accepting books in good condition during the month of June. Donations are accepted Monday and Wednesday 12-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 12-2 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Limit three boxes per day. Visit www.damlvt.org for more details.
Visit the book sale at Williston Central School on July 3, 4-6 p.m. and July 4, 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Pay by
cash or check only.
Please note, the library will be closed on July Fourth in observation of Independence Day. Watch for Dottie the Bookmobile in the parade!
DOTTIE THE BOOKMOBILE
Visit your favorite library on wheels this summer. Visit damlvt. org for the full Bookmobile schedule.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.
READING ADVENTURE
Saturday, June 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Ages 6-plus. While adults meet for the Parenting Book Club, kids explore India with facts, stories and activities.
STORYTIME
Tuesdays, June 24 and July 1, 10:30-11 a.m. Outdoors when
weather permits.
MUSIC AND PLAYTIME
Thursdays, June 26 and July 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Outdoors when weather permits.
SATURDAY MUSIC
Saturday, June 28, 10:30-11 a.m. Start your Saturday off with preschool music.
VERY MERRY THEATRE: “THE GREAT CIRCUS TRAIN ROBBERY”
Tuesday, July 1, 12-1:30 p.m. Get comfy on the Town Green for the Very Merry Theatre’s summer performance of the “The Great Circus Train Robbery.” Rain location: Old Brick Church.
BABY TIME
Wednesday, July 2, 10:30-11 a.m. Ages 0-18 months. Drop in for gentle bonding and socializing activities.
MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: COLOR OUR WORLD
June 14 – Aug. 10. Williston and St. George residents only. All ages. Visit www.damlvtl.org for details on registering for a summer reading challenge this year. Track your reading throughout the summer and earn
raffle tickets and various prizes.
ADULT PROGRAMS
For online programs or to join a book club, email daml@damlvt.org.
PARENTING BOOK CLUB
Saturday, June 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Read what you can of “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt and attend the discussion. Available in print and as an eBook/ eAudiobook, in Libby (Overdrive). This program is made possible by the Winnie Belle Learned Fund Grant.
ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)
Fridays, June 20 and 27, 12-12:30 p.m. Join our guided meditation.
MAH JONGG
Fridays, June 20, 1-3 p.m. All abilities welcome.
ADULT SUMMER READING: COLOR YOUR WORLD
Starting June 14. Sign up at www.damlvt.org.
READER’S ROUNDTABLE
Tuesday, June 24, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “Shuggie Bain” by Douglas Stuart. CURRENT EVENTS (HYBRID)
Wednesday, June 25, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop in to talk with
community members about timely topics.
DEDICATION OF LAFAYETTE TRAIL MARKER
Sunday, June 29, 10:15 a.m. The Williston Historical Society hosts Julien Icher of the Lafyette Trail, Inc. and a Gen. Lafayette actor to celebrate the unveiling of a Lafayette trail marker on the Williston Town Green.
ADULT CRAFTERNOON: PAINTING POPSICLES
Tuesday, July 1, 2-3 p.m. Come play with watercolors and create a 4x6 card of delicious-looking summer fun to frame or send. Preregistration required.
In print and online: We’re your neighbors, committed to keeping you informed on what’s going on in Williston.
For complete details or to sign up, visit vermonthabitat.org/volunteer.
Visit Mount Rushmore
In the 1920s, South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson got the idea that carving a sculpture in the Black Hills would attract visitors to the remote and thinly populated state — and bring in money, too. He was right. Today about 2.5 million visitors travel to Mount Rushmore each year.
A monumental project
Mount Rushmore, a giant sculpture of four presidents, is at the top of a mountain towering about a quarter of a mile above the main viewing area.
The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum (GUT-son BOR-glum), sculpted the faces of the four presidents he thought did the most to make our country great: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Work began in 1927 and continued for 14 years. When Borglum died suddenly in early 1941, his son, Lincoln, took over and finished the project.
Choosing faces
Borglum first planned to carve three presidents: Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson. When he realized there was room for one more president, Roosevelt was chosen because Borglum thought he helped working people and the environment.
Carving the sculpture
Before he began the mountain sculpture, Borglum made smaller plaster models. Then he marked the mountain in red paint to show
Next Week: Our states: Wisconsin
Mini Fact: Each of the presidents’ heads is 60 feet high from the chin to the top of the head and 40 feet wide.
how many inches of rock workers needed to remove. The workers then blasted it away.
About 90% of the sculpture was carved by using dynamite. About 450,000 tons of rock were removed. Workers next drilled to get to the final face, putting on the last touches with a hammer and chisel. The rock was then smoothed over.
About 400 workers helped carve the mountain. Most were miners, ranchers, farmers and teachers who lived in the area. They worked, dangling from harnesses, in weather ranging from hot 90-degree summers to days of 25 to 30 degrees below zero in winter. No worker was seriously injured during the whole project.
Native Americans
Native Americans in the area considered the Black Hills sacred ground. Mount Rushmore was one of seven sites in the Black Hills that they thought was especially holy.
In 1868, the U.S. government forced the Lakota people out of the Black Hills and onto reservations. The people considered the carving of their sacred mountain into sculptures of white leaders’ faces to be an insult.
Today the National Park Service seeks to honor all cultures visiting the monument. Near the visitors’ center, Lakota interpreters talk about their life and the Black Hills.
A private group is currently carving a memorial of the Indian leader Crazy Horse on land about 17 miles from Mount Rushmore.
Founded by Betty Debnam Issue
This model shows what Crazy Horse Memorial will look like when it is finished. You can see the actual sculpture, still underway, in the background.
Try ’n’ Find
Words that remind us of Mount Rushmore are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
BORGLUM, CRAZY HORSE, DYNAMITE, HARNESS, JEFFERSON, LINCOLN, MELT, MEMORIAL, MODEL, MOUNT, NATIVE, PLASTER, ROCK, ROOSEVELT, RUSHMORE, SCULPTURE, SOUTH DAKOTA, WASHINGTON.
Cook’s Corner
Martha Washington’s Applesauce
You’ll need:
• 2 1/2 pounds tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
• 2 to 3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• Water as needed
What to do:
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Mini Jokes
Ryan: What do you call George Washington’s false teeth? Rachel: Presidentures!
Eco Note
1. Put the apples in a saucepan over low heat. Add the lemon zest and about 1/2 cup of water.
2. Cover and cook the apples, stirring often and adding more water if the fruit seems too dry. Add only enough to prevent the apples from sticking to the pan. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the apples are very soft. Remove from the heat and mash the apples roughly.
3. Blend in the butter. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar, stirring in more as needed, and then add the nutmeg. Serve applesauce warm or at room temperature. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.
Scientists have discovered mysterious micro-burrows in marble and limestone across Namibia, Oman and Saudi Arabia that appear to be biological in origin. The tiny tunnels, about half a millimeter wide and up to an inch long, were found filled with calcium carbonate powder, possibly left by unknown microorganisms that burrowed through the rock for nutrients. It’s believed the structures are 1 million to 2 million years old and may have formed during a wetter climate.
For later:
Look in your newspaper for Independence Day celebrations that feature the Mount Rushmore presidents.
Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!
Gravesite care when you can’t get there
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend any services that offer gravesite cleaning and care? I recently visited my parents’ cemetery gravesite over Memorial Day weekend and found that their headstones were overtaken by weeds and moss and need to be cleaned. I live in a different state and can’t get back very often. Who can I call on to help me with this?
Long-Distance Linda
Dear Linda,
Depending on where your parents are buried, there are a hodgepodge of places you can turn to for gravesite grooming, decorating and special care. Here’s what you should know.
GRAVESITE CARE
It’s important to know that, as a general rule, most cemeteries, like the one your parents are buried in, only provide basic grounds maintenance, like mowing the grass and trash pickup. Special gravesite care and headstone cleaning is almost always up to the family. But for families who live a distance from the burial place and can’t get
By Jim Miller
back very often, what options are available?
A good place to start is to contact the cemetery staff to see if they offer any special gravesite cleaning services or know of anyone who does. If not, try reaching out to local funeral homes to see if they can help or refer you.
If you don’t have any luck there, another option is to hire a gravesite care provider on your own. These are small or individually run businesses that provide services like plot maintenance, including grass
trimming and weeding, headstone cleaning and restoration, flower and wreath deliveries, and more. And so you know the work was completed or the flowers were delivered, many companies will take pictures of the gravesite and e-mail or text them to you.
There are literally hundreds of small businesses that provide gravesite care services in local communities or regions across the country. To find them, do a simple Google or Bing internet search, and type in something like “grave care services” or “cemetery headstone cleaning” plus your city or state. Or use an AI tool like Chat GPT or Gemini to do a search.
You can also seek help by contacting the local memorial society or funeral consumer alliance program near your parent’s gravesite — see Funerals.org/find-an-affiliate for contact information. These are volunteer groups that offer a wide range of information on local funeral and cremation providers, cemeteries and more.
The cost for most gravesite care services can range anywhere from see GRAVESITES page 15
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1865, with the arrival of federal troops, slaves in Texas were informed of their freedom. The day is celebrated as the holiday Juneteenth.
• In 1934, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was created.
• In 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was approved after a lengthy filibuster in the Senate.
• In 1978, Jim Davis’ “Garfield” comic strip made its debut.
• In 1991, the last Soviet troops left Hungary after more than 45 years of occupation.
TODAY’S FACT:
• Juneteenth has been celebrated as an official state holiday in Texas since 1980 and became a federal holiday in 2021.
Lorraine (Bissette) Martel
Lorraine (Bissette) Martel, 93, of Williston, passed away peacefully
at The Gazebo Senior Living on June 10.
Lorraine was born Oct. 7, 1931 to Joseph and Irene Bissette. She married Jerome Martel July 31, 1954. She spent most of her life on the Martel Farm in Williston. She enjoyed gardening and her beautiful flowers. She loved to babysit and have her grandchildren spend time with her. She loved to play cards, games, and do puzzles.
In her younger years, she loved to do ceramics with her daughter Joanne and enjoyed knitting. She used to love cooking and baking for huge holiday meals.
She is survived by two daughters and their spouses, Jean and Jeffrey Davis of Hinesburg, VT and Nancy
OBITUARIES
and Charles Breiner of Williston, VT. She has several grandchildren, Lance Martel, Jerry Davis, Amy Morrill, Scott Davis, Michael Hassett, Laurie Manchester, Sonia Lamb and David Breiner. She is a great-grandmother to Sierra, Parker and Hunter Davis, Zachary and Austin Savage and Wyatt Morrill, Jordy and Jace Hassett, John, Billie and Boston Manchester, Landon Martin, Tempest Lamb, Taylor, and Zoey Breiner. She has a great-great granddaughter, Isabella Savage. She also leaves a very special sister Florence Couture. She leaves several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her daughter Joanne Martel and a grandson Christopher Davis.
Lorraine was from a large family and had lost several siblings, Pearl Bove, Marion Darling, Delphine Bartolotti, Richard Bissette, Mildred Rabidoux, Alice Robert, Ruth Bessette, Emily LeSage, Joseph Bissette, Doris Mendl and Donald Bissette.
Thank you to Hospice and The Gazebo for taking special care of our mother.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Bayada Home Health Care Donations, 463
Mountain View Dr, Colchester, VT 05446 in her memory.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 24, at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Williston. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Essex Junction.
Arrangements are in care of LaVigne Funeral & Cremation Service, Winooski. To send condolences to her family, please visit www.vtfuneralhomes.com.
CHERRY DINING TABLE
31” x 45” plus leaf. 4 matching chairs with upholstered seats. Very good condition. Easy access.
$150. 802-863-3668
TOWN OF WILLISTON
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – 7:00 PM
Town Hall Meeting Room (Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/ join or call 1-646-558-8656
DP 24-12.1 Duane Merrill & Company and Brickliners
Custom Masonry & Chimney Services c/o O’Leary-Burke Civil Associates requests discretionary permit review of a 9,900 SF
Gravesites
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$50 to over $250 for headstone cleaning and memorial restoration (depending on the job size); $50 to $200 for flower and wreath deliveries; and $30 to $80 for
building and associated 10-space parking lot on proposed lot #3 at 137 James Brown Dr. Continued from February 11, 2025, April 8, 2025, May 13, 2025.
DP 24-05 Armand Fournier requests discretionary permit review of the proposed 4- lot subdivision of an existing 28± ac lot to create (1) 4.4± ac lot for the existing dwelling, (2) 1.1± ac lots for 2 proposed dwellings, and (1) 21± ac lot to be conserved as open space at 615 Butternut Rd in the Agricultural/Rural Zoning District (ARZD). Continued from May 13, 2025.
Project details and site plans are available on the website, town. williston.vt.us, under “Public Records and Documents”, then “Agendas & Minutes”, and “Development Review Board”. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@ willistonvt.org
plot grooming. Special discounts for multiple gravesite services and visits may also exist.
Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
continued
but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies. The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its
AG Clark signs onto opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma
Vermont set to receive $22 million to support addiction services
BY ALICE FINNO VTDigger
Attorney General Charity Clark announced Monday that she and 54 attorneys general from U.S. states and territories agreed to sign onto a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, maker of the painkiller OxyContin, and the Sackler family, owners of the drug firm.
If the bankruptcy court approves the agreement, Vermont will receive up to $21.85 million to support opioid prevention, treatment and recovery programs. The settlement would also make public more than 30 million documents related to Purdue and the Sacklers’ opioid business.
A bankruptcy court hearing was scheduled this week. If the settlement is approved, the case would go to state court for approval as well, according to the attorney general’s office.
“This settlement will never undo the suffering that has touched nearly every Vermont family, but it will hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable for causing the devastating opioid crisis.”
Charity Clark Vermont attorney general
This settlement was reached after the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned the previous settlement, which would have provided about $6 billion to treatment programs and victims of the opioid epidemic but also shielded the Sackler family from future opioid-related lawsuits.
Purdue and the Sackler family agreed to the new settlement in January with a bipartisan coalition of states, including Vermont. The settlement, which resolves litigation over the role Purdue and the Sacklers had in the opioid crisis and ends their ability to sell opioids in the United States, is the nation’s largest to date with individuals linked to the opioid epidemic.
“Purdue and the Sackler family created and perpetuated a crisis that has stolen the lives of our loved ones, neighbors and community members,” Clark wrote in a press release. “This settlement will never undo the suffering that has touched nearly every Vermont family, but it will hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable for causing the devastating opioid crisis.”
According to the Vermont Department of Health, the wide majority of accidental and undetermined drug overdose deaths in the state involve opioids. The number of opioid-related fatal overdoses peaked in 2022 with
244 deaths, and then decreased by 22 percent between 2023 and 2024.
The settlement agreement states that Vermont’s funds would be divided to allocate 15 percent to the state,15 percent to municipalities, and 70 percent to the State Opioid Abatement Fund to tackle the opioid crisis.
“While we can never be sure
about delays or complications that may arise, the parties worked very hard to address the concerns raised by all constituencies to the bankruptcy and the U.S. Supreme Court,” Amelia Vath, outreach and communications coordinator for the attorney general’s office, wrote to VTDigger. “We feel confident about the prospect of approval.”
While funds last, you can get up to 100% of costs covered on a new heat pump water heater.*
Water heating is a home’s second-highest energy expense. The good news: you can reduce energy costs by about 50% when you swap out old equipment for a qualifying electric heat pump water heater.
• Low-income Vermonters are eligible for 100% of costs covered
• Moderate-income Vermonters are eligible for 90% of costs covered
• Even if you don’t qualify, you can still receive a $600 rebate and low-interest financing through Efficiency Vermont’s Home Energy Loan. Federal tax credits and additional electric utility incentives can help you save even more.
Act soon – this funding is available for a limited time only!
*Incentives are subject to availability and eligibility.
The Purdue Pharma offices in Stamford, Conn. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY DOUGLAS HEALEY
