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Golf balls from driving range pepper Mountain View homes
SEPTEMBER 3, 2026
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
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BY JASON STARR Observer staff All golfers know the feeling: Targeting the middle of the fairway, you take your backswing, come down and through and then, whoops — the dreaded slice, and your ball veers way off course. For left-handed golfers using the Catamount Country Club driving range on Mountain View Road, a high slice sends balls over long-neglected netting, directly into a neighborhood of townhomes. “A lefty, if they’re not very good, they slice the ball to the left, so the ball curves over the fence and goes into their driveways. And there are kids over there,” Catamount starter Ed Ratte said. “Nobody’s ever been hit, I don’t think, but it’s been close.” Townhome resident Esther Maguire has a visceral memory of one of those close calls. She was tending to her front yard garden earlier this season, she said, when a golf ball whizzed by her head, grazing her hair. “That was the last straw,” said Maguire, who has lived in the neighborhood for six years. “I called the police. This is a dangerous situation for us to live in.” The “Townhouses at Catamount” comprise two duplexes — four total homes — built in 2015 after golf course owner Alex Kourebanas subdivided a portion of his land. Residents can point to multiple pockmarks on their garage doors and siding from golf ball strikes, as well as at least one destroyed rooftop solar panel. When then-Police Chief Patrick Foley arrived to assess the situation earlier this year, he saw a ball bounce toward the homes and left with a hand by his head to shield from the perceived danger, according to residents’ description of the visit. In the spring, residents took their cause to the town’s zoning department. “Our small community (is) at continual
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explained. Kourebanas appealed the violation notice to the Williston Development Review Board (DRB), while also working on a plan to modify driving range operations to reduce errant balls impacting the townhomes. Kourebanas presented the modified driving range plan during a July 28 hearing in front of the DRB.
“This is a dangerous situation for us to live in.” Esther Maguire
A golfer swings off the upper deck at the Catamount Country Club driving range on Tuesday. Balls hit left can sail the hedges on the left side and damage nearby homes. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
A damaged solar panel on a home on Mountain View Road that was struck by an errant golf ball from the Catamount Country Club. PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLISTON ZONING DEPARTMENT
risk of property damage, potential physical injury, and mental anguish from the threat of targeted range balls originating from the Catamount Country Club driving range,” the homeowners association wrote in a letter to Deputy Zoning Administrator Emily Heymann. “These are not occasional errant range balls.”
The zoning department issued a violation notice to the golf course in April under the town’s “nuisances and off-property impact” bylaw. “Property owners need to control the off-site impacts of activities on their property,” Zoning Administrator Matt Boulanger
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“We are looking to refocus the operations and create a new dynamic in regard to how golf balls are directed at the facility — getting that golf ball coming off the club heading in a better direction,” said Dave Marshall, an engineer who helped the golf course create the modified plan. The plan includes reorienting tee boxes so players are aimed further right and prohibiting left-handed players from using the driving range’s elevated tee platform, from where balls are more likely to sail into the neighborhood. “I took balls away from a guy last week because he was hitting from (the upper deck),” Ratte said. “If we know they’re a lefty, we aren’t going to let them hit from there.” Residents suspect some golfers are deliberately targeting their homes for fun. To address those concerns, Kourebanas has instructed staff to warn, remove or suspend hitting privileges to anyone causing a problem. “We need to make sure that the bad apples who create adverse situations are managed in see GOLF page 5
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Williston Observer • September 3, 2026
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‘We’re not going to have a business’ September 3, 2026
Vermont companies say renewed trade war with Canada has them scrambling, again BY SHAUN ROBINSON VTDigger
Mike Desmarais, who sells snow grooming equipment at a dealer in Newport, is planning to deliver three new vehicles to Canadian customers this month. The machines currently cost about $500,000 Canadian dollars each, he said — but soon, they could cost far more. Two of the machines were made in the U.S. If the tariffs Canada plans to impose take effect, in response to the latest tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump, they will be subject to new duties of 50%, he said. That $250,000 per vehicle is an amount so large it’s hard to know what his small business should do in response. “How do you address that?” Desmarais asked a room of business leaders from around the state last Tuesday at Jay Peak Resort, speaking at a panel hosted by U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Throughout the panel, hosted about 5 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, Desmarais and others shared a similar sentiment. They thought business was on the upswing after a slump caused by Canadians who have spurned Vermont since Trump took office a second time. But the president’s newest tariffs, which took effect last month, washed away that glimmer of hope. In recent weeks, “the workbooks have
Mateo Kehler, co-founder of Jasper Hill Farm, criticizes President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs on Canadian goods at a panel at Jay Peak Resort hosted by U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., last Tuesday. PHOTO BY SHAUN ROBINSON/VTDIGGER
just slammed shut,” Desmarais said. Last year, when Trump first imposed tariffs on Canada — which have since been ruled illegal — “Canadians were disappointed. They were disillusioned. They were sad. They were surprised,” said Steve Wright, the president of Jay Peak Resort. The resort, which typically draws half its visitors from Canada, has said it saw a 35% drop in cross-border visitors over the 202526 ski season. “This year around trade policies, they’re angry,” he said. “And you can’t talk to anger.” Jasper Hill Farm, the renowned
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cheesemaker in Greensboro, had its worst business year ever in 2025, co-founder Mateo Kehler said. The company had been rapidly growing its business in Canada, he said, until relations between the two countries plummeted last year and that growth “went absolutely cold.” The company was excited recently when
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a Canadian importer put in an order for the upcoming holiday season, he said. He saw it as a sign of things turning a corner. But then, the importer canceled after Trump announced the latest round of tariffs. “So it looked like half a step forward, and about three steps back,” Kehler said. Jasper Hill has been in the process of modernizing its manufacturing facility at the Vermont Food Venture Center in nearby Hardwick. The company has had to pay tariffs as high as 50% on new cheesemaking equipment it’s bought from Canada for the project, he said, costs that have been “devastating” to its bottom line. Before the latest tariffs were announced, it ordered another machine to automate a particularly tedious part of the cheesemaking process. But the company has not taken delivery of it yet and left it on the other side of the border, because no one is sure exactly how much it’s going to cost, he said. “It becomes almost impossible to manage a budget within the context of this environment,” he said. “It’s horrendous.” Welch, at the event, touted a bill he introduced last week with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, that would repeal the 1930 federal law Trump used to enact the see TARIFFS page 5
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Vermont prisons agree to improve services for ICE detainees
Williston Observer • September 3, 2026
BY CHARLOTTE OLIVER VTDigger
Facing the prospect of a discrimination lawsuit, the Vermont Department of Corrections has agreed to provide federal immigration detainees in its prisons with better access to language interpretation, legal counsel and court hearings. The Vermont Human Rights Commission announced Tuesday it had reached a settlement with the department, following a discrimination complaint the commission filed in January. Immigration lawyers previously said the department restricted their ability to meet with federal detainees and that non-English speakers lacked language interpretation in state prisons. With the settlement, the Corrections Department is resolving the discrimination complaint before it’s brought to civil court, according to Lauri Fisher, general counsel for the department. Under the agreement, the department is required to ensure that immigration detainees are provided language interpretation services and regular access to immigration lawyers with the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project. The settlement does not include a monetary sum.
The Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans.
FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
“It’s the one time I’d say, ‘I was pleased we got sued,’ because it made us better,” Fisher said in an interview Tuesday. Federal immigration authorities use Vermont prisons to hold detainees, often more than a dozen at a time. Though detainees can be held in any state prison, they’re most commonly taken to Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington or Northwest State Correctional Facility in St.
proper medical care or be disciplined without understanding why. Language interpretation for people who are detained is essential to provide access to services they have a legal right to receive, said Erin Jacobsen, VAAP’s advocacy director. “And if you can’t do that, then rights might as well just be wishes,” Jacobsen said. Issues with language and attorney access began,
Albans. The settlement marks a resolution between the Corrections Department and advocates for immigrants’ legal rights, who have been at odds after lawyers with the asylum assistance project alleged earlier this year that the department was impeding their access to detainees. Their clients also weren’t receiving interpretation services, lawyers alleged in March, leaving immigrants to go without
immigration lawyers alleged, after Commissioner Jon Murad took over the department in August 2025. Murad previously defended his decision to end routine meetings between VAAP attorneys and immigration detainees. He said in March he was enforcing the department’s policies and cutting off practices that shouldn’t have been allowed under his predecessor. Fisher said Tuesday that the department hasn’t changed its position since March, rather that it’s changing its rules and policies. Previous policies were limiting, she said. Now the department has taken the opportunity to “grow” by following the recommendations of VAAP and the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, according to Fisher. “We’re just modifying (department policies) to adapt to modern times, if you will,” Fisher said. Under the agreement, the department will be required to identify someone’s preferred language when they’re taken into a facility. Then, prison and medical staff will be required to use a mobile interpreter to communicate with people in their preferred language. If someone’s preferred see PRISON page 5
September 3, 2026
Golf
continued from page 1
Mike Desmarais, owner and CEO of the snow grooming equipment dealer Track Inc., says President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs could force his business to close its doors at a panel hosted by U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., at Jay Peak Resort last Tuesday. PHOTO BY SHAUN ROBINSON/VTDIGGER
Tariffs
continued from page 3
latest tariffs and that would order refunds to everyone who has paid the new duties so far. The senator acknowledged that there is little hope of the bill becoming law with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress. While a growing number of GOP senators have voiced opposition to at least parts of Trump’s trade plans, the president’s policies enjoy far broader support among Republicans in the U.S. House.
“If you’re a member of Congress, and you’ve been elected to represent the people you represent, you’ve got to put them first,” Welch said. Desmarais, the snow equipment dealer, said he appreciated the bill but thinks that the only solution is more members of Congress getting elected this fall who will repudiate the president’s efforts. He said he’s unsure how his company can continue operating in Vermont, or out of its offices in Wisconsin and Quebec, without a shift in political power. “If these tariffs stay active, we’re not going to have a business,” he said. “We’re going to close.”
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a more aggressive way,” Marhsall said. The DRB unanimously approved the modified operations plan, and it is already in effect at the range. Townhome residents say the situation has improved under the new rules, but the bombardment hasn’t completely stopped. Kourebanas said he is open to further operational changes if problems persist. Resident Angad Singh suggested only allowing shorter-distance clubs at the range or finding another location for it on the golf course property. “I think it’s beautiful to live next to a golf course,” said Singh. “But our properties have a tremendous amount of damage.” The netting in place along the left side of the driving range is a mere 30 feet high and in obvious disrepair. Kourebanas has disavowed ownership of the barrier, saying it was transferred to the townhome association as part of
Prison
continued from page 4
language isn’t English, the person can’t be disciplined for disobeying an instruction given in English, according to the settlement. Along with guarantees for language access, the department is directed to provide the asylum assistance project with a daily list of all immigration detainees in state prisons, according to the settlement. Under the agreement, a group of attorneys with the legal organization are allowed to go into the prisons in South Burlington and St. Albans Town every other week to meet with a group of detainees. Those attorneys will be able to use prison tablets for interpretation, and they’ll be allowed to bring in laptops or other devices after they’re inspected by corrections staff.
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the 2009 subdivision. Also as part of the subdivision, according to deed language presented during the DRB hearing, the homeowners “assume the risk of damage or inconvenience caused as the result of golf balls accidentally entering upon the units from adjacent lands.” Resident Tom Maguire said the cost of installing a proper 90-foot protective netting is estimated at $250,000 — not something the residents plan to take on. Meanwhile, dozens of new homes are now under construction on what had been six golf course holes as part a subdivision approved in 2022. A total of 138 new homes and four new roads are planned. Three remaining golf course holes, the driving range and the golf club house will remain. Peter Kelley, a former chair of the DRB and current board alternate who works as an advisor to Kourebanas, said the golf facility is being reimagined as a training center geared toward introducing people to the game.
“It’s the one time I’d say ‘I was pleased we got sued’ because it made us better.” Lauri Fisher Vermont Department of Corrections
The arrangement mimics how VAAP lawyers previously operated before last fall. Many of the changes mandated by the settlement began during the months of negotiation, according to Jacobsen, but the legal agreement requires that the department’s policies be updated. If the department doesn’t abide by the agreement there could be further legal action, but Jacobsen said the department has been cooperative. “I am not imagining that this is going to be a problem,” she said.
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Williston Observer • September 3, 2026
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Colleges for the benefit of the state BY ELIZABETH MAUCH It’s back to school time for learners of all ages. But across the country, Americans are asking hard questions about higher education. Is college worth the cost? Are graduates prepared for the jobs our communities need? And are public colleges and universities sufficiently responsive to the states and people who support them? In Vermont, we are answering these questions not by talking about the value of higher education, but by demonstrating it. Vermont faces some difficult realities. Employers cannot find enough workers. Our population is aging. Housing shortages constrain communities and businesses. Many families question whether they can afford groceries and gas, let alone college. And changing demographics mean that our colleges themselves must operate differently than they have in the past. For the Vermont State Colleges System, these aren’t separate problems. Our statewide system gives us the reach to tackle these challenges together. Consider affordability. Through 802 Opportunity, in partnership with the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), Vermont has made community college tuition-free for thousands of Vermonters, and we are seeing the results.
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Participation among eligible students has increased 44 percent, participation among students receiving federal need-based Pell Grants has increased 28 percent, and, perhaps most importantly, student borrowing has fallen 60 percent. At Vermont State University, the newer Freedom & Unity Scholarship, also administered with VSAC, now makes base tuition free for students from more than half of Vermont families. These are serious investments in Vermont’s future. Every Vermonter who wants to become a nurse, teacher, technician or small-business owner but believes college is financially out of reach represents potential our state cannot afford to lose. But making college affordable is only part of the work. We also have to make sure education leads to opportunity in Vermont. That does not mean reducing higher education to job training. The liberal arts remain essential to preparing people to think critically, communicate effectively, adapt to change and participate fully in their communities. But we also have a responsibility to make sure students can see a clear path from their education to opportunity. Working with our faculty and staff, we are building stronger pathways between the Community College of
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Vermont (CCV) and Vermont State University and connecting them more directly to Vermont employers. BETA Technologies offers one example: CCV students can combine college coursework with hands-on training and paid job shadowing in advanced manufacturing, while Vermont State University’s engineering and aviation programs prepare students for technical careers in the same growing industry.
We have a responsibility to make sure students can see a clear path from their education to opportunity. Our goal is to make this kind of partnership easier to build across Vermont. Rather than asking employers to navigate individual programs or campuses, we are creating a more coordinated statewide approach — using better labor-market information, managing employer relationships across the system, and working with employers early enough to develop programs before workforce shortages become crises. Our Vermont State University campuses offer another
opportunity to think differently about how public higher education can serve Vermont. The state has invested for generations in public college campuses across our rural landscape. Those campuses now have more physical capacity than traditional college enrollment requires. We could treat that simply as a financial problem and spend our time deciding which buildings we can afford to keep, or we can ask ourselves “what else does Vermont need these public assets to do?” Additionally, not every student’s circumstance is such that they can travel to a campus, live in a dorm or take classes during typical school and business hours. And, not every trade, craft or skill needs to be delivered as an associate or bachelor’s degree. So, we are moving more programs online, offering courses that are self-paced and developing certificate and training programs designed around getting students of all ages and backgrounds the skills they need to enter our workforce empowered and prepared. The next step is to bring these efforts together. Employers should have a clear way to work with us to build the workforce they need over time. And, our campuses should contribute not only through education, but through housing, economic see MAUCH page 7
September 3, 2026
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Putting rural road safety on the agenda Williston has grown, and that growth has changed how our rural roads are used. Oak Hill, North Williston, Old Creamery, Walker Hill and Mountain View roads now carry substantial commuter traffic. Yet they remain neighborhoods containing homes, driveways, mailboxes, school-bus stops, walkers, bicyclists and farm equipment. Concerned residents organized the Williston Rural Roads Safety Committee, attended a selectboard meeting and met with the town manager, police chief and public works director. We appreciate the willingness of town officials to listen and the Police Department’s recent enforcement efforts. However, rural road safety was not listed on the Sept. 1 selectboard agenda. Residents still do not have a clear statement explaining what actions the town will take, or when they will occur. Williston does not need to begin another open-ended study. Traffic counts, speed data, crash records, enforcement information and the Oak Hill Road
Safety Audit already provide a foundation for action. That audit ended at Butternut Road, excluding the approximately onemile section extending to the St. George line where residents report serious speeding and unsafe passing. We ask the selectboard to place rural road safety on its next available agenda and direct staff to prepare a written implementation plan. It should address lower operating speeds, appropriate no-passing controls, permanent rural traffic-calming measures, targeted enforcement, completion of the Oak Hill evaluation and a public timeline. Developed neighborhoods have received speed humps and other safety improvements. Rural roads are also neighborhoods and deserve an equivalent commitment. Residents have organized, gathered information, attended meetings and spoken publicly. We are not asking for every improvement to happen immediately. We are asking the town to choose its priorities, identify responsibilities and costs, and establish dates for action. Michael Isham Williston
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Mauch
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development and community vitality. The opportunity now is to build this together, around what Vermont needs most. Our state officials stepped up when we desperately needed their support. We are now stable and growing stronger every year as a result. This allows us to continually adapt to the changing needs of our students and our state. Unlike more traditional colleges and universities, we offer rolling enrollment because we know many of our students need the extra time to weigh the value and practicality of higher education. My message to them is this: We are here for you, you can do this, and when you are ready, we will see you through this journey. The measure of a public higher education system must ultimately be larger than the health of its institutions. It must include the health of the state it serves. That is what I mean when I say the Vermont State Colleges System exists for the benefit of Vermont. Elizabeth Mauch is chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges System.
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Williston Observer • September 3, 2026
Vermont becomes northward migration corridor as climate warms
Nature Conservancy awards nearly $400,000 to keep habitats intact BY INDI ROSE Community News Service As the climate warms, flora and fauna across the U.S. are heading north in search of cooler temperatures, recent research from Science magazine has found. Experts in Vermont say the state has become an essential North American corridor for species to pass through. In late July, The Nature Conservancy in Vermont allocated nearly $400,000 to four projects with the goal of keeping the state’s landscape connected for species on the move. The money will help landowners acquire parcels of land to be conserved or place conservation easements on them so they can be managed with these trends in mind. “If we don’t at a minimum conserve these critical focal areas, nature’s safety net will
Moose are among the species moving north in a warming climate. PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS.COM
fragment even more,” said Eve Frankel, the nonprofit’s executive director of Vermont. A 2011 study found that North American species are pushing their territories 10.5 miles north and 36 feet higher in elevation per decade. These rates are two or three times higher than previously estimated, the study said. Many animals’ new ranges are going to
follow the Appalachian Mountains, cross through the Northeast, and then spread out into Canada, according to Jed Murdoch, a University of Vermont conservation biologist who is studying the effects of landscape change on mammals. “Vermont is located right at this pinch point; it’s like this funnel point,” Murdoch said. “In terms of managing northward
shifts of species ranges, we hold a lot of importance for making sure that they’ve got the capacity to move, and I think that goes underrecognized.” So far, Murdoch has observed range shifts with Vermont’s populations of moose, grey foxes, Canada lynx, American marten and many bird species. But the animals’ movements can be blocked when roads, developments and other infrastructure divides the landscape into isolated patches, an issue known as fragmentation. A 2015 study published in Science Advances has shown that the effects of habitat fragmentation can persist for decades, altering species abundance and biodiversity long after a landscape has been divided. Researchers found that 70% of the world’s remaining forest lies within a kilometer of a forest edge, exposing much of the world’s remaining habitat to the effects of fragmentation. A different 2013 study, which modeled what happens when conservation areas are see MIGRATION page 14
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Landry Park pavilion gives old timber new life BY GRACE TAYLOR Community News Service On Wednesday morning, Aug. 12, children playing and adults out for morning walks stopped to watch as workers lifted the walls of a new wooden structure into place at Landry Park in Winooski. The 20-by-24-foot open-air pavilion is constructed out of old timbers from a building that was being torn down. Built by Winooski resident and lifelong craftsman Thomas Locatell, the pavilion will be a gathering area for community members to seek shade on a sunny day and enjoy each other’s company. After three years in the making, Winooski Community Service Director Ray Coffey said he got emotional seeing the walls go up. “This has been kind of a long journey to get here, and I think it’s really satisfying to see it finally in this final stage. It’s pretty cool,” he said. Locatell, who has lived in Winooski for eight years, has made a hobby of salvaging discarded or underused wood for his projects, not wanting it to go to waste. He uses hand tools for nearly all of his work, which consists mostly of furniture, and describes his process as simple but not easy. The city first became aware of Locatell in the midst of the pandemic when staff began getting strange phone calls about a man in the woods with an axe. It turned out to be Locatell, who had been taking daily walks in Gilbrook Nature Area and noticed some fallen trees, which he would later use to make benches for the park. “I’ve always got an eye out for what I can use that somebody else is gonna throw away,” he said. The city loved Locatell’s work and tried to reach out to him, hoping to bring him on as a formal city volunteer, Coffey said. Staff even tried stapling business cards to his benches, attempting to get his attention. Eventually Locatell connected with Coffey, and he continued making benches for community areas. Around the same time, Coffey offered Locatell an unused space at the O’Brien Community Center on Malletts Bay Avenue.
Left, the newly installed frame for the pavilion in Winooski’s Landry Park. PHOTO BY RAY COFFEY
Above, Nathan Dagesse’s team uncovers pine timbers in the midst of the teardown on East Allen Street in the winter of 2022. COURTESY PHOTO BY NATHAN DAGESSE
This became Locatell’s workshop, where he could craft personal projects and items for the city. Like his other projects, Locatell stumbled across the wood for the pavilion while on a walk. In December 2022, a pile of timber began to form on East Allen Street as an old building was torn down. Locatell was impressed with the quality of the wood and asked the crew if he could have some scraps. After talking to the developer, Nathan Dagesse, Locatell ended up with a lot more than scraps. Dagesse gave Locatell almost all of the wood, which ranged from four-to six-foot-long timbers. Because the building was quite old, Dagesse chose to do a gentle teardown, instead of using an excavator which would destroy the beams. “We thought, hey, there’s gotta be something cool we can do with these. We really didn’t know what we were going to find. We just knew the age of the building, that there was a good chance that they’d have some character and some cool history,” he said. Dagesse and his team discovered that the timber likely came from pine trees that first started growing in the 1600s. Pine is a softwood, but according to Dagesse, its superb quality made it almost like a hardwood tree. As he waited for winter to end, Locatell contemplated what to do with the wood. Eventually he and Coffey settled on making a timber frame. Locatell used a traditional method of creating
holes and pegs to put the posts together. “It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle when you’re all done,” he said. Dagesse and his team helped with the engineering and making sure the pavilion was structurally sound. A roof was set to be installed later this summer. As the beams laid in Landry Park, waiting to be mounted, the city received a variety of inquiries from locals. “There’s been a lot of interest and curiosity, and that’s been fun to see,” Coffey said. Now that the pavilion is raised, Coffey said the city hopes people will use it for family gatherings or picnics. For Coffey, the very local nature of the project makes it all the more exciting. “This project feels very Winooski,” he said. “To have this local community member who’s volunteering his time happen upon these timbers and the developer being willing to let them go — and even go so far as to come over with equipment and staff to help out — is such a unique community project.” In true Locatell style, none of the wood he got from Dagesse has gone to waste. In the lot where the East Allen Street building once stood is a new homegoods store called Dwellness. Among the shop’s wares is an assortment of furniture made by Locatell, using the wood from the original building. Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship.
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September 3, 2026
Vermont’s population of primary care doctors is declining ‘We haven’t done enough to make the trend change’ BY OLIVIA GIEGER VTDigger Vermont continues to lose its primary care doctors — but the rate of loss is slowing, a new survey from the state’s department of health shows. In 2024, Vermont had 529 people working as primary care providers; last time the Department of Health conducted its survey in 2022, 569 physicians practiced primary care in Vermont. Even that figure represented a decline from the 634 practicing primary care when the survey began in 2004. “I don’t think this is shocking, really, to anyone. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this trend, and unfortunately, we haven’t done enough to make the trend change,” Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Rick Hildebrant said in an interview. Primary care doctors are also working fewer hours. The Department of Health calculated that Vermont has the equivalent of 402 full-time primary care clinicians. Only 39% of primary care doctors in Vermont work full time (which the department counts as 40 patient-facing hours for 48 weeks
of the year). In 2014, it was 42%. Hildebrandt is “very concerned” about the trend. “Efforts to address this are not happening fast enough,” he said. At the same time, Vermont has seen a steady increase in specialists — a broad umbrella that encompasses most other physicians like anesthesiologists, orthopedic
“I have seen a light for the first time in my career in the last five years with some of the AI tools that will empower our clinicians to stop spending more than half of their day staring at a computer screen.” Rick Hildebrant Vermont Health Commissioner
surgeons and emergency medicine doctors. State leaders want to better recruit and retain Vermont’s stock of primary care physicians. Access to
primary care physicians remains a struggle for many Vermonters, who wait long periods of time for an appointment, if they’re able to connect with a clinician accepting new patients. Advocates for expanded primary care access often cite an example from Oregon, where every dollar invested in primary care yielded $13 in savings for services like emergency and specialty care. When patients have continuous relationships with their primary care doctor, it can significantly reduce the need for hospitalization and emergency care. They play a role in screening and prevention, explained Jessa Barnard, the executive director of the Vermont Medical Society, and they also play an essential role in coordinating a patient’s care through various specialists. “It’s that trusted relationship over time with somebody who can help you navigate all of those systems,” she said. Vermont is not alone in the decline. According to the health policy site KFF, the U.S. has a shortage of more than 15,600 primary care providers — a calculation based on the ratio of population to providers, which federal regulations say should be at least one doctor per 3,500 people. A 2025 study in the Annals of Family Medicine found that, since 2017, rural areas in particular had experienced an 11% year-over-year decrease in the number of practicing family medicine doctors. In Vermont, however, KFF calculates that the state’s shortage could be solved by simply adding two more primary care docs — a reflection of how small the state’s population really is. “Vermont actually has a higher per-capita number of primary care providers than almost every other state,” Green Mountain Care Board member Thom Walsh said in an August meeting discussing Vermont’s healthcare workforce initiatives. “The country has a shortage so our numbers overall are lower.” Still, he noted that “access (to care) has been insufficient for a lot of Vermonters,” but simply increasing the number of providers does not necessarily improve access for Vermonters to see them. “A felt shortage can be due to a numerical insufficiency or a structural throughput problem. Both feel on the (patient) end like an
access problem, but distinguishing between a numeric shortage and a throughput problem is important,” he said. “Simply adding more numbers on a throughput problem doesn’t fix the throughput problem.” Getting the number of family physicians to population size right is a tough balance for a small state. Primary care doctors can have anywhere between 1,000 and 3,500 patients under their care. It’s a conundrum Williston Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden Southeast, who chairs the Senate’s healthcare committee and has championed primary care access, hopes this census can help shed light on. “That report will help us look at geographic distribution needs,
When patients have continuous relationships with their primary care doctor, it can significantly reduce the need for hospitalization and emergency care. population-based needs, demographic-based needs,” she said. “The question about the (right) ratio of patients to docs is an important one, both for specialists and for primary care.” Part of the family medicine decline could be because primary care is often provided not by doctors, but by nurse practitioners, physician assistants or other “advanced practice providers,” which are not included in this census. Yet, the same shift away from primary care and into specializations is true in those professions, too, according to Barnard. She also underscored that the Department of Health census tracks a sharp uptick in hospitalists, a specialization the department didn’t track until 2014. “Hospitalists weren’t even really a thing several decades ago,” she said. Instead, family doctors would follow their patients into the hospital, if needed. But it has become harder for doctors to manage outpatient clinic loads and also see patients in the hospital — and thus,
the need for hospital-specific general medicine practitioners. Barnard also noted that emergency medicine has seen some of the largest gains in population, despite being one of the highest burnout specialties. Maybe it’s a reflection of people working shorter shifts in the emergency department, she said, or maybe it’s a reflection of higher volumes of patients coming into the emergency room. It’s hard not to map the larger trends in medicine onto the data; that as fewer Vermonters are able to see a primary care physician regularly — or at all — the more likely they are to show up in an emergency room. It’s a trend that’s associated with higher costs of care, too. Vermonters and their doctors are both getting older. Statewide, about 30% of primary care doctors are over 60, a trend most pronounced in the most rural parts of the state. Another demographic trend is that more and more women are working as primary care doctors, a proportion that outpaces the proportion of women working as specialists. Barnard suggested the broader decrease in primary care providers’ hours might be linked with the increase of women working in the specialty. National data shows that women are significantly more likely than men to cut back their hours the further they get from medical training, often because they are bearing the responsibility for childcare or the care of aging parents. Barnard hopes that looking at the data will prompt Vermont to make careers in medicine more compatible with the needs and schedules of caretakers. One way of doing that could be reducing the hours of paperwork and chart notes physicians have to fill out outside of their patient-facing hours. Many doctors see the advent of AI notetakers as a groundbreaking tool to lessen that administrative load and give them more time to devote to patients in the clinic. “Through most of my career, I have known and have experienced concerning trends in medicine in general and in primary care, without any real light,” Hildebrant, the commissioner of health, said. “I have seen a light for the first time in my career in the last five years with some of the AI tools that will empower our clinicians to stop spending more than half of their day staring at a computer screen.”
September 3, 2026
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Hospital turns to video monitoring for patient observation Some UVMMC staff raise concerns about patient safety BY OLIVIA GIEGER VTDigger In June, UVM Medical Center quietly rolled out a new policy dictating how its staff watch over patients who are at risk of hurting themselves while they’re in the hospital. Sitters, or clinical patient safety attendants — CPSAs — stay with patients who need supervision. Patients who might fall, wander or pull out IVs are often assigned sitters, as are those who are highly suicidal or epileptic. Often, licensed nursing assistants fill this role, too. But, a new hospital policy limits LNAs from filling the role, Annie Mackin, spokesperson for UVMMC told VTDigger. The change is to keep LNAs staffed on more “direct” patient care needs, Mackin wrote. Instead, the hospital is
The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
prioritizing remote patient monitoring — essentially, a video monitor on wheels connected
to a remote observer watching many patients at once — or dispatching designated observation
staff, not LNAs, when necessary. But staff are concerned about the gaps left by that system.
“There have been patients that I personally thought, ‘I don’t feel safe having this patient in my assignment without a CPSA with them,’” Saer McCliment, an LNA at the medical center, told VTDigger. Previously, an LNA could fill in as a sitter as part of their regular duties, which are under the supervision of a nurse and include much of a patient’s daily living care. “Lately, not only has that really not been available, but we’ve been told that there are only allowed to be a specific number of CPSAs working in the hospital at any one time,” McCliment said. The hospital now staffs 17 CSPAs each shift for all 14 inpatient units and the emergency department, according to Brett Rhodes, another UVMMC LNA. His floor alone can need up to five CSPAs at a given time, he said. Remote monitoring doesn’t see UVMMC page 12
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Williston Observer •
September 3, 2026
UVMMC
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work for many of the patients who need it, they said, adding that many of the patients at risk of pulling out IVs or wandering off are experiencing psychosis or dementia. Hearing a disembodied voice through a remote monitor’s video screen can exacerbate those patients’ paranoia and confusion. “That’s just not safe or fair for them,” McCliment said. On Aug. 20, representatives from two of the UVM Health network’s labor unions sent a cease and desist letter to the network’s labor relations director, formally requesting the hospital pause the June changes to its observation policy. The change impedes the bargaining for new contracts both unions have been undergoing since April, the letter stated. The support staff union, which includes LNAs, has been working on an expired contract since mid-August. The unions’ letter also detailed that if an LNA is pulled from their regular duties to provide patient observation, the hospital has not been able to fill in with additional LNAs to cover their tasks, resulting in a unit being short staffed. The authors also wrote that nurses’ input regarding remote observation and sitter practices
are “reportedly no longer being appropriately considered and, in some cases, are being disregarded.” Mackin stressed that the hospital is still assigning in-person sitters for some very high-risk patients. “Patient safety remains our top priority, and making workforce roles clear helps us use our resources efficiently while continuing to provide high-quality, affordable care,” she wrote. The changes come as part of a sweeping series of expense cuts the UVM Health network, the medical center’s parent organization, is pushing in order to make ends meet as it faces dramatic drops in revenue largely due to a reduction in what it charges the state’s largest private insurer BlueCross BlueShield and a law prohibiting big markups on the price of pharmaceutical drugs. The network expects to lose more than $14 million across the system in the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, according to its August budget presentation to the Green Mountain Care Board. UVM Medical Center is expected to operate at a $43 million loss. Already, the network has proposed $140 million in cuts to expenses for the coming fiscal year, and still it needs to make more.
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“We do recognize that current challenges may require us to implement operational changes more quickly and more frequently than employees and unions have historically experienced. We value the unions’ partnership as we navigate these challenges while recognizing the pace of change may be difficult at times for staff,” Mackin wrote in a statement. She added that the changes are within UVM Health’s “contractual authority to adjust staffing assignments.” Staff worry that patients are facing the consequences of this change. Rhodes said he knew of five incidents in which patient safety had been compromised because patients didn’t have an appropriate sitter. He worried that the lack of sitters means patients in the ICU may be overly sedated in order to avoid worse complications. “This would never have been a problem before they instituted that policy,” he said. “They are rolling the dice on safety.” Much of what LNAs do inherently guards against many basic safety risks, according to McCliment. “We help patients get up to the bathroom. We help them bathe and dress. We help them eat all their meals and take vital signs, get ready for bed. We help them move around safely in bed and out of the bed in the hospital,” they said. “We’re the people that are physically in the room with the patients the most.” Patients’ needs don’t decrease just because there are fewer staff, they said. “Someone who needs to go to the bathroom won’t wait 15 minutes for you,” McCliment said. “They just get up and go. And if they need help walking, or if they’re a fall risk, they can fall, which is extremely serious.”
In print and online: We’re your neighbors, committed to keeping you informed on what’s going on in Williston.
September 3, 2026
When it’s too hot to work in the garden BY DEBORAH J. BENOIT Special to the Observer
The weather has cooled, but the dog days of summer may not be over yet. Do you ever look at your garden, wishing you could be outside doing something productive, but you know it’s just too hot out there? Don’t sweat it! There are things you can do to keep gardening without fighting the heat. During days when the temperature is high enough to make both you and the plants in your garden wilt, the best thing you can do for yourself and for your garden is to do as little as possible. Plants under stress from the heat don’t need additional stress from pruning, transplanting, dividing or fertilizing. Do necessary tasks like harvesting and watering during the cooler hours early in the morning or late in the day. When temperatures skyrocket, remember to drink plenty of
water, wear a hat, and don’t forget to apply sunscreen, even for brief ventures into the garden. Limit your time in the sun. If you’re lucky enough to have shade trees in your yard, now’s the time to enjoy them. Early in the day, set up a place to sit if you don’t already have one. Bring along your garden journal and make notes you haven’t had time for. Sketching a map of your garden now can be invaluable this winter when you’re planning for next year. It’s also a great time to read a gardening book or magazine as you sip a cool beverage. Bring along your laptop and research new techniques or plants you’re curious about. Depending on the heat and humidity, that shady area can be a good place to do some repotting or start seeds for a fall garden. You could also clean or sharpen pruners and other garden tools. see GARDENS page 14
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Williston Observer • Page 13
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September 3, 2026
Gardens
continued from page 13
Go-to gear during hot, sunny days in the garden: a brimmed hat, water bottle, sunscreen and a shady spot to retreat from the sun. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Migration
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connected, found that larger, better-connected protected areas can improve the persistence of wildlife populations. Vermont’s conservation goals increasingly reflect this idea. In 2023, state lawmakers passed the Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act, known as Act 59. It calls for conserving 30% of Vermont’s land by 2030 and 50% by 2050. Vermont has already conserved 89% of the land necessary to hit the goal for 2030, according to the state’s Act 59 Inventory. But Act 59 does not define success simply by the number of acres protected. It also aims to maintain an “ecologically functional landscape” that sustains biodiversity, maintains connectivity and promotes climate resilience. Operating with the same goal, The Nature Conservancy invited land trusts, municipalities and state agencies to apply for grants from its Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund. The nonprofit received a
If you don’t have any shade, consider creating some. Put up a canopy or large umbrella early in the day. Plants suffering from heat stress may appreciate some relief, too. Add a shade cloth or spread an old white bed sheet above them. Move potted plants to a protected area such as a porch or into dappled shade. If it’s just too hot to be outdoors, shade or not, consider offering your indoor plants a little TLC — something that may have been put off while tending to the outdoor garden. Grooming and repotting them can be just the thing to satisfy your need to garden but in a cool, less-strenuous way. The one garden task you should do is make sure your plants are adequately watered. When temperatures are lower in early morning or late afternoon, give your garden a good drink. This is especially important during a stretch of hot, dry days when plants may be struggling. A good soaking that goes deep into the ground is more beneficial than frequent, light watering that remains near the surface and dries up more quickly.
handful of applications and chose four sites that could be future destinations for wildlife migrating to the Green Mountain State. The areas encompass land in Athens, Marlboro, Fairfield, Fletcher, Bakersfield and Thetford. The Wintergreen Forest is the largest out of the four, spanning 1,490 acres that are used for sustainable timber harvest, managed by the Trust for Public Land. Winter Wren Nature Preserve in Marlboro is 531 acres and provides an “important linkage” to the Green Mountain National Forest, The Nature Conservancy says. Green Mountain Conservancy will own and manage the land, while two other nonprofits will hold conservation easements. The 120-acre Houghton Hill Natural Area in Thetford provides a corridor between the Southern Green Mountains in Vermont and White Mountains in New Hampshire. The Upper Valley Land Trust will own the land. Finally, the smallest of the group is a 15-acre connectivity corridor called Athens
Monitor potted plants closely. After checking soil moisture, water well in the morning. Check again at the end of the day. They may need another drink. For pots that are quickly drying out or showing signs of heat stress, consider moving them to a more protected location such as on a porch or in the shade of a nearby tree. Whatever your plans for coping with high temperatures, remember to limit your time in direct sun on days of extreme heat, stay indoors or find a shady spot, limit physical exertion, and keep hydrated. Stay healthy, and remember, high temperatures are temporary. Time to work in the garden will return. For gardening questions, contact the University of Vermont Extension Master Gardener Helpline online (go.uvm.edu/ gardenhelpline) or by phone at 802-656-5421 on Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. from April to October. Deborah Benoit is a UVM Extension Master Gardener who volunteers as a garden columnist and participates in Bennington County Extension Master Gardener Chapter activities.
Community Forest Expansion, which will be managed by Bull Creek Common Lands. “Strategic protection of lands with high connectivity value is a great way to invest our limited conservation resources,” said Gus Goodwin, director of science and technology advancement for Vermont and New Hampshire’s Nature Conservancy branches. “There are places that play an outsized role in supporting the movement of species.” The recent grants reflect an effort to preserve wildlife habitat before the need becomes more urgent. Frankel recounted an analogy she heard once about the philosophy of conservation, equating it to baseball. Every season, the players, or species, change. But the game can go on so long as the stadiums, or habitats, remain. “If we can protect the arenas for nature,” Frankel said, the “wildlife and the species dependent on these habitats will adapt.” Community News Service is a University of Vermont journalism internship.
September 3, 2026
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Williston Observer • Page 15
Armadillos at play CLOCKWISE: Williston’s Ken Freeman (top left) catches an infield pop-up during the Armadillos’ 12-2 win over the Woodsville River Rats on Sunday at Williston Central School. Mike Bordeau (bottom left) barrels up a pitch from the Rat’s pitcher. Jeremiah Brooks (center) follows the trajectory of a hit flying out to left field and makes the catch. Within the diamond, Dylan Freeman makes the play at short. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
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September 3, 2026 new, beginner and returning novice players. Led by a USTA-approved coach, we focus on fun and learning the basics. Get great exercise while developing the skills to serve, rally and play matches. Saturdays, Sept. 12Oct. 17, 9-10:30 a.m. $85. CRAFTERNOON
Movie in the Park Bring your blankets, chairs and snacks and enjoy a free family friendly movie under the stars. The event runs from 7–9 p.m., with the movie starting at dusk. It’s the perfect way to spend a summer night together in the park. Sept. 26. Village Community Park. Presenting sponsor: Barrett’s SavATree
FAMILY PROGRAMS LET’S GO FISHING
Ages 6-16. Learn where to find fish and what they like to eat. Build a fishing lure. Equipment and bait provided. Preregister. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Instructor: Chuck Goller. Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT SELFDEFENSE WORKSHOPS
Ages 14-plus. This beginner workshop utilizes both large and small group instruction. Trauma-informed trainings focus on boundary setting, affirmative consent and sexual assault information, as well as the mental and physical skills of empowerment self-defense. Instructors: The Safety Team. Thursday, Sept. 24, 6-8:30 p.m. $67. LINE DANCING
Ages 15-plus. Learn each week and build your confidence and abilities while having fun. Hour-long class is held Sundays, 4-5 p.m. $10 per session. The R.E.C. Zone, 94 Harvest Lane. Instructor: Kelly Hayes.
ADULT PROGRAMS TENNIS IN THE PARKS
Ages 18-plus. This program is for brand
Ages 18-plus. Join others while working on your own crafts and hobbies. Bring your knitting, crochet, coloring, zentangles, crossword puzzles, Soduku ... you get the idea! Meet and connect with other members in your community while engaging in “parallel play.” Instructor: Charlene Tallman. Saturday, Sept 26, 4-6 p.m. $5. ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR
Ages 18-plus. Learn about how you can transfer and protect your assets in this Estate Planning Educational Seminar. Discussion will include wills, trusts, power of attorney, and living wills, as well as mistakes you should avoid to protect you and your loved ones. Instructor: Lisa Campion, LMC Law Attorney. Monday, Sept. 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $10. FRENCH FOR TRAVELERS
Ages 18-plus. Whether you are planning a trip to Montréal, Quebec City or Paris, this fun and interactive class will help you in your upcoming travels. You will learn to introduce yourself, make small talk, order food in a restaurant, ask directions and shop for souvenirs. Some previous language study is required. Instructor: Louis Giancola.
their spouse (regardless of age) are offered Tuesdays 12–12:30 p.m. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m., and meals are served at noon. Space is limited; advanced registration is required. Age Well has a suggested donation of $7 per meal per person.
YOUTH PROGRAMS TENNIS AFTERSCHOOL
For kids in grades K-2 and 3-5. Smaller courts, shorter racquets and balls that bounce lower. Players will learn techniques for groundstrokes, volleys and serves. Instructors: The Edge tennis staff. Wednesdays, Sept. 9-Oct. 14. K-2, 3-4 p.m.; 3-5, 1:50-2:50 p.m. $90. ARCHERY AFTERSCHOOL
Grades 6-8. This program will teach the fundamentals of archery, including the description of equipment and the proper technique to release arrows safely and successfully. There will be guided target shooting and games designed to provide a challenging and fun way to hone accuracy. Instructor: Fred Murray. Tuesdays, Sept. 8-Oct. 13, 2:50-4:15 p.m. $50. HORSEBACK RIDING AFTERSCHOOL
Grades 3-8. The Livery Horse Farm in Hinesburg is offering Intro to Horseback Riding for riders ranging from beginners to advanced. Program will be held in a large fenced-in sand ring. Instructor: Kim Johansen, owner. Thursdays, Sept. 10-Oct. 1, 3-5 p.m. $200. SOCCER MINIS
TECHNOLOGY FOR TOMORROW
Ages 50-plus. Join us on Tuesdays for free technology presentations from Technology for Tomorrow. Topics vary each month and cover a range of subjects. Sept. 8, 12:30 p.m. Also get tech help with your phone, tablet, laptop or another device. Bring your technology questions and devices to this informal drop-in session. SENIOR HIKING
Ages 50-plus. Do you want to hike more, explore local hiking trails, and make friends who share a love for the outdoors and being active? This program will meet once a week for five weeks. Hikes range from 2-5 miles and take 2-3 hours. Leader: Taylor Hayes. Wednesdays, Sept. 9-Oct. 14, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $20 SENIOR MEALS
Meals for anyone aged 60-plus and
Age 3. You and your little one will work together to develop fundamental soccer skills such as dribbling, trapping, passing, kicking and running/agility in a fun, non-competitive atmosphere. This program does not include games. No special equipment is needed. Each participant will receive a soccer T-shirt. This is a child/ parent program. Program meets Saturdays 9:20-9:50 a.m. RECKIDS SOCCER
Ages 4-5. You and your little one will work together to develop fundamental soccer skills such as dribbling, passing, kicking and running in a fun, non-competitive atmosphere. This program does not include games. No special equipment is needed. Each participant will receive a RecKids T-shirt. This is a child/parent program. Program meets Saturdays 8-8:45 a.m.
Yum! A quarterly section in the Williston Observer featuring some of the best eateries and restaurants in the area! If you would like to have your establishment included in this section please call Adam at 802-338-1655 or email Adam@WillistonObserver.com Williston
Serving our community since 1985
September 3, 2026
OBITUARIES
Barbara Rose Shenefiel Myers Barbara Rose Shenefiel Myers, 93, of Williston, Vermont went home to be with her husband Gilbert and her deceased family on Aug. 26, 2026. A service to celebrate Barbara’s life will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, at 11 a.m. at the Essex Center United Methodist Church with Pastor Rev. Dr. Joel Daniel Hubbard, III. Barbara died peacefully of heart failure at the McClure Miller VNA Respite House after several years of care at home by her family and friends because of Alzheimer’s. She was predeceased by her husband Gilbert in 2020 after 65 years of marriage. They raised two extraordinary children: Christopher Myers (San Angelo, TX, with wife Sharlene) and Amy LaChance (Essex Junction, with husband André). She was so proud to be “Nana” for her grandchildren: Elijah Timmothy LaChance (Shrewsbury, VT, with wife Megan), AnnaGrace Thérèse LaChance (Williston, VT), and Zinnia Maleekah LaChance (Birmingham, England, with partner Edward James Loveman). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Barbara’s name to the Essex United Methodist Church. A full obituary is posted at www.awrfh.com.
Speak up! Email your letters, photos and story ideas to ... editor@willistonobserver.com
Mary F. O’Neil Mary Adelaide (Fitzsimons) O’Neil passed away peacefully on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. She was born on May 27, 1941, to Henry E. Fitzsimons and Regina A. Penell and grew up in Burlington VT. She attended Cathedral Grammar School. She was a member of the first graduating class at Rice Memorial High School in 1959, and honored to be co-salutatorian. She graduated from Trinity College in Burlington in 1963. Mary received her Master of Education from the University of Vermont in 1975. Mary began her teaching career at Champlain Valley Union High School in 1969 where she taught business and history until retiring in 2002 to care for her husband. Mary married Thomas A. O’Neil at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Richmond. on Aug. 19, 1978. Mary is survived by her son Thomas P. O’Neil of Richmond, VT, a sister Ann F. Murdock of Houston, TX, and sister-in-law Meg Fitzsimons of Burlington, VT. She is
also survived by several cousins and numerous nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her parents Henry and Regina Fitzsimons, her husband Thomas A. O’Neil, sister Christine (George) Charron, and brother Patrick Frizsimons. She is also predeceased by her in-laws Thomas J (Laura) O’Neil, Lester O’Neil, Virginia (Charles) Lafreniere, Ester Truax, James (Joan) O’Neil, Mary (Louis) Bombardier, Francis (Joanne) O’Neill, Sr. Elizabeth O’Neil, and Ann (Edward) Mobbs. Mary was an active parishioner at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Richmond. She was a member of Hale and Hearty Senior Club and Beacon Light Grange, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (sorority of educators), a founding board member of the Richmond Community Senior Center and served on the board of Our Community Cares Camp. Special thanks to UVM Home Health and Hospice and Age Well for their assistance in allowing Mary’s wish to spend her final months at home. She was very appreciative that her son, Thomas, was able to be her full-time caregiver. Mary’s celebration of life was held Aug. 28, at Gifford Funeral Home in Richmond. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Aug. 29, 2026, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Richmond. Interment was at Holy Rosary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to University of Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 1110 Prim Road Colchester, VT 05446.
•
Williston Observer •
Page 17
WILLISTON
FIRE DEPARTMENT AUG. 21 • 9:49 a.m. — Firefighters responded to a reported alarm malfunction on Tyler Way. The call was classified as a false alarm with no emergency found.
• 10:42 a.m. — Firefighters were called to Eastview Circle for a smoke alarm. • 9:34 p.m. — Crews responded to Commons Road for a smoke alarm.
• 12:22 p.m. — Crews were dispatched to Williston Road. No incident was found upon arrival, and the location was determined to be in error.
• 11:27 p.m. — Firefighters were dispatched to Interstate 89 northbound. No incident was found upon arrival, and the location was reported as an error.
AUG. 22
AUG. 26
• 3:34 p.m. — The Williston Fire Department assisted with a room-and-contents structure fire on Park Street in Essex Junction.
• 5:33 a.m. — Firefighters responded to Old Stage Road for a carbon monoxide alarm.
AUG. 23 • 7:27 a.m. — Firefighters responded to Holland Lane for a citizen lift assist. • 1:57 p.m. — The department provided support to law enforcement on St. George Road. • 9:32 p.m. — Firefighters responded to a motor vehicle collision on South Brownell Road.
AUG. 25 • 2:08 a.m. — Crews responded to Old Creamery Road for a reported outdoor trash fire.
• 7:07 a.m. — Crews were dispatched to Williston Road. No incident was found upon arrival. • 1:04 p.m. — Firefighters responded to Falcon Manor for a smoke alarm. • 4:37 p.m. — The department responded to a motor vehicle collision on St. George Road. • 8:46 p.m. — Firefighters were called to Southfield Drive for a reported gas odor. The Williston Fire Department also responded to 25 medical emergencies during this time frame.
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Page 18 • dates: Williston release Sept.Observer 5-11, 2026 • September 3, 2026
36 (26)
Next Week: Our first 10 amendments
Founded by Betty Debnam
Today, a single building, One World Trade Center, stands in the place of the former twin towers. photo by Phil Dolby
What happened?
U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Bob Houlihan
On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 members of a group called al-Qaida (al-KIE-duh) hijacked* four airplanes with many passengers and crew aboard. Some of these hijackers deliberately crashed two passenger planes into the two skyscrapers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Other hijackers crashed a jet plane into the Pentagon, the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters The Pentagon on Sept. in Arlington, 11, 2001, just after a Virginia, outside plane crashed into it. Washington, D.C. Hijackers tried to crash a fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, into the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Brave passengers and crew on Flight 93 heard about the other attacks when they made calls from the jet. They decided to stop
the hijackers before they could hurt more people. Flight 93 crashed in an empty field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Those passengers and crew lost their own lives, but they saved people in Washington. About 3,000 people were killed in the four attacks of that day.
Remembering the victims
Since the attacks in 2001, people have built memorials to those who lost their lives in three main places: the site of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the field in Pennsylvania where Flight 93 crashed. It took less than two hours for the twin towers of the World Trade Center to collapse after they were struck by airplanes.
photo by Wally Gobetz
Usually when we celebrate a 25th anniversary, it’s a happy occasion — perhaps a wedding date or a milestone in a job. Sometimes, however, we are called to recognize events that have been difficult or painful. This week, Americans are remembering the events of Sept. 11, 2001 — 25 years ago. The Mini Page reminds us of what happened that day and why it’s still important more than two decades later.
The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City includes objects found at the scene, wreckage of the buildings, and oral histories, or interviews with survivors and first responders, about what happened that day. Each year, on Sept. 11, families of the victims gather at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza to read out loud the names of 2,983 people who lost their lives that day and in the 1993 bombing at the same site.
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial honors the 184 people who lost their lives when a plane crashed into the building. The memorial is designed with 184 stainless steel benches, each marked with the name of a victim of this attack. Each bench is set over a lighted pool of water, so the light and water reflect off the benches.
photo courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Our Country’s 9/11
Virginia site
Mini Fact:
Flight 93 memorial
The Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, includes a Wall of Names. This marble wall, which lies under the flight path of the plane, features the names of the 40 passengers and crew who were aboard that morning. A Tower of Voices at the site, which stands 93 feet tall, has 40 wind chimes, one for each victim.
photo by Found5dollar
Issue 36, 2026
Resources On the Web:
• bit.ly/MPSept11
At the library:
• “Heroes of 9/11: True Stories of First Responders” by Allan Zullo
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Try ’n’ Find Observer rack locations Mini Jokes
Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd) Simon’s Mobil Williston Simply Divine Café Island Homemade Ice Cream Sonesta Chef’s Corner KwikMStop Dorothy Alling Memorial AIRPLANE, ATTACK, I L NKorner N A E S C ESunoco N TStation E R R Town Marriott Courtyard Library BENCH, CENTER, CRASH, E A C F B P A S S E N ofGWilliston E R Offices E UPS Store Men At Wok Fairfield Inn CREW, DECADE, FLIGHT, N I F L I G H T F A W E R C B Call Rick Cote at ail Vermont Meat & Seafood M&T Bank Folino’s Pizza A R H S A R C U I R B E N C H ) 373-2136 or emMEMORIAL, (802HIJACK, r.com Gardener’s Supply ve er Williston Coffee Shop Ramunto’s bs nO to is ill PASSENGER, L O A D L R O W V I C T I M S Rick@WNAMES, pies coORAL, e lik ld ou w Rehab Gym Green Mountain Bagel u yo if n Williston Words that remind us of 9/11 are hiddenHannaford in this puzzle. Some Healthy Living Williston Adams Farm Market words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are Home2Suites Aromas of India used twice. See if you can find:
r your locatio foPENNSYLVANIA,
PENTAGON, SKYSCRAPER, TRADE, VICTIMS, WALL, WORLD.
P M R R E P I M H A T R
P A P A
E R L D
N N S C S Y P E N E B D
Y K T F
L S A E
V L G D
A N I A L A W G O N E F A C E D
Essex/Essex Jct. Price Chopper Essex Automotive Quality Bake Shop Frank: What’s a firefighter’s Five Corner Variety favorite snack? River Road Beverage Hannaford Richmond Fran: Hot chips! Inn at Essex Farms Felicia: What’s on everyCumberland fire department’s Mac’s Marketdinner menu? Richmond Free Library Martone’s Fred:Deli Five-Alarm Chili! Richmond Market Williston
Eco Note Climate change, habitat
Brave passengers and crew on Flight 93 heard about the other attacks when they made calls from the jet. They decided to stop
At the library:
to read out loud the names of 2,983 people who lost their lives that day and in the 1993 bombing at the same site.
• “Heroes of 9/11: True Stories of First Responders” by Allan Zullo September 3, 2026
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Try ’n’ Find
Williston Observer •
I L N N E A C F N I F L A R H S L O A D P M R P R E P A I M H P A T R A E H V A
A M E S C B P A S S I G H T F A R C U I L R O W V E N N S Y R C S Y K L P E N T D E B D F T T A C K
Frank: What’s a firefighter’s favorite snack? Fran: Hot chips!
E N T E R R E N G E R E A W E R C B R B E N C H I C T I M S L V A N I A S L L A W G A G O N E F E D A C E D C A J I H P
Felicia: What’s on every fire department’s dinner menu? Fred: Five-Alarm Chili!
Eco Note
Mini Spy Classics
Climate change, habitat disruption and emerging diseases are creating new challenges for both snakes and the people who encounter them, according to two recent studies. Researchers led by the World Health Organization found that warming temperatures are driving some venomous snakes into new regions, potentially raising the risk of snakebites for people in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. At the same time, scientists studying wild snakes in the southeastern United States found that fungal, bacterial and parasitic infections are becoming increasingly common, with some rattlesnake species particularly vulnerable to serious illness. adapted with permission from Earthweek.com
For later:
Look in your local newspaper for items about 9/11 anniversary remembrances.
Mini Spy Classics appear in the first issue of each month.
The Mini Page® © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Mini Spy and her friends are visiting the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. See if you can find the hidden pictures. Then color the picture.
Based on materials originally produced and/or created by Betty Debnam.
• kite • caterpillar • pencil • word MINI
• dragon • sheep • ruler • fan
Page 19
Mini Jokes
Words that remind us of 9/11 are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: AIRPLANE, ATTACK, BENCH, CENTER, CRASH, CREW, DECADE, FLIGHT, HIJACK, MEMORIAL, NAMES, ORAL, PASSENGER, PENNSYLVANIA, PENTAGON, SKYSCRAPER, TRADE, VICTIMS, WALL, WORLD.
•
• ladder • watering can • letter A • number 2
• basket
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 • September 3, 2026
SAVVY SENIOR
Flu shots for seniors: what’s new this fall
By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, I always get my annual flu shot, but I never know whether I’m getting the right one. Can you explain which flu vaccine is best for seniors this fall and whether there are any other recommended vaccines I should get? — Trying to Stay Healthy Dear Trying, If you’re 65 or older, getting your annual flu shot is one of the most important things you can
do to protect yourself during flu season. But with new vaccines and changing recommendations, many older adults aren’t sure which shots they need. The good news is that this fall’s advice for seniors is simple: Get an enhanced flu vaccine, and use the opportunity to make sure you are up to date on other important vaccines, including RSV, pneumonia, shingles and, depending on your health situation, COVID-19. BEST FLU SHOT FOR SENIORS
Influenza can be especially dangerous for older adults. As we age, our immune systems don’t respond as well to infection, which is why people 65 and older account for most flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 65 and
older receive one of three enhanced flu vaccines, instead of a standard-dose shot: Fluzone High-Dose, Fluad or Flublok. Each of these vaccines is designed differently, but all produce a stronger immune response in older adults. Studies have not shown that one works better than the others, so there’s no need to wait for a specific brand. The important thing is to get one when it’s available. Also new for the 2026-27 flu season is Moderna’s mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA flu vaccine authorized in the United States. It is fully approved for adults ages 50 to 64 and has received accelerated approval for those 65 and older, pending additional study results. While mRNA technology could eventually allow flu vaccines to be updated more quickly to match circulating strains, adults 65
and older should continue to follow CDC recommendations and choose one of the three enhanced flu vaccines whenever possible. The best time to get your flu shot is September or October, but it’s not too late if you miss that window. Even a flu shot in November or later can still provide valuable protection. Medicare Part B covers one flu shot each flu season at no cost when it’s given by a Medicare-participating doctor, clinic or pharmacy. OTHER VACCINES
While you’re getting your flu shot, it’s also a good time to review your other vaccinations with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. The CDC recommends a one-time RSV vaccine for everyone age 75 and older, as well as adults ages 50 through 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV illness. Medicare Part D covers RSV vaccines. Adults age 50 and older who have not received a pneumococcal vaccine should also consider getting protected against serious forms of pneumonia. The preferred options are Prevnar 20 (PCV20) or Capvaxive (PCV21). Most people need only one dose, and Medicare Part B covers these vaccines.
If you have not received the Shingrix shingles vaccine, it is another important vaccine to consider. The two-dose vaccine is more than 90 percent effective at preventing shingles and the painful nerve problems that can follow. Medicare Part D covers both doses. COVID-19 recommendations have become more individualized in recent years, but older adults remain at higher risk for serious illness. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether an updated COVID vaccine is appropriate for you. Medicare Part B covers COVID vaccines. VACCINE TIMING
Flu, RSV, COVID-19 and other recommended vaccines can generally be given during the same visit. But if you’re concerned about temporary side effects such as fatigue, muscle aches or a sore arm, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about spacing them out. To find pharmacies and other providers offering vaccines near you, visit vaccines.gov. Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
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September 3, 2026
•
Williston Observer • Page 21
CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1783, the signing of the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War. • In 1838, abolitionist leader and author Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Baltimore. • In 1939, France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia declared war on Germany. • In 2004, a three-day hostage situation at a school in Beslan, Russia, ended with a gun battle that killed more than 300 people, including 186 children.
TODAY’S FACT:
• Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the automobile company of the same name, designed the first hybrid gasoline-electric car, the Lohner-Porsche Mixte hybrid, which began production in 1900.
SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 22
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Page 22
• Williston Observer • September 3, 2026
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
LEGAL
TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA Tuesday, September 8, 2026 – 7:00 PM
Town Hall Beckett/McGuire Meeting Room (7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Webinar ID 813 6162 7981 on www.zoom.us/join
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
Career Opportunities
Puzzle found on page 21
DP 21-18.5 Rieley Family Partners, LLC c/o Andy Rowe requests DP for the approval of a Master Sign Plan at Beaudry Lane, Eden Lane, and Alpine Drive in the MRZD. DP 21-18.6 The Snyder Williston Properties LLC c/o Andy Rowe requests DP to modify the site layout and architectural design of a 66-unit apartment building on Lot 1A of The Annex at 90 Alpine Drive in MRZD. 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
City of Burlington
PARALLEL JUSTICE PROGRAM SPECIALIST
Support your local newspaper.
This position provides trauma-informed, victim-centered advocacy, case management, resource coordination, referral, and restorative justice services for individuals impacted by crime and harm throughout Chittenden County. The position will also work with non-criminal community referrals, in collaboration with agency staff and community partners. This position exercises a high degree of independence, initiative, and professional judgment and will support program volunteers. While primarily based at the South Burlington CCCJC office, the position will also spend time in the Williston office and the Essex Police Department office. Salary: $65,936.00-$73,486.40 and comprehensive benets
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COMMUNICATIONS, VOLUNTEER AND OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
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SUDOKU SOLUTION
This position serves as a key ambassador for the Chittenden County Community Justice Center (CCCJC), helping create a welcoming, organized, and community-centered environment for participants, volunteers, partners, and visitors. This position coordinates volunteer recruitment, engagement, and support; maintains communications and outreach activities; and provides front-office, operational, and administrative support to ensure the efficient day-to-day functioning of the CCCJC. The Specialist also coordinates communications activities, maintains communication platforms, supports volunteer engagement, and assists with community outreach under the direction of CCCJC leadership. Salary: $55,244.80-$61,505.60 and comprehensive benets
SHOP ADVERTISERS.
Puzzle found on page 21
To learn more and to apply: governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt
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September 3, 2026
•
Williston Observer • Page 23
SERVICE DIRECTORY ANTIQUES ANTIQUE SHOP
BUILDING SERVICES
BEAGLE BUILDERS, LLC F IVE C ORNERS F IVE C ORNERS FIVE CORNERS ANTIQUES NTIQUES ANTIQUES A RABIES BAIT RABIES saliva. If left BAIT untreated, rabies is almost alWINDOWS & DOORS
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Proprietor
64 Steeplebush Road Services: Brushhogging Shelburne Brush Clearing/Mulching MassageWorksVT Chain-Sawing 802-985-8984 Deep Tissue, Hot Stones Delivery/Haul-away repair cell 338-7001 &Driveway Swedish Massage Phone: 802-578-8347 Excavating adamdantzscher@aol.com Roadside Mowing Intro Offer email: for New Clients
CORBIN & PALMER Tim Gould
Family PT, owned and operated since 1921 MS, DPT Pre-planning services available South Burlington Shelburne 23 San Remo Drive 166 Athletic Drive 209 Falls Road, Shelburne, VT tel 865.0010 tel 985.4440 www.DeePT.com (802) 985-3370
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RESIDENTIAL PAINTING FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES CORBIN & PALMER
Adam Dantzscher Certified Massage Therapist
T CH T E ED S
Roofing • Exterior Paint & Stain Siding • Siding & Trim Repair Renovations Painting • Decks, Stairs & Landings Decks 802-343-4820 802-343-4820 www.pleasantvalleyvt.com www.pleasantvalleyvt.com
Health Health
Since 1988
Tim Gould PT, MS, DPT
4281 Shelburne Office: 985-2453 South Burlington Rd Shelburne San Remo Drive 166 Athletic Drive PO23 Box 476, Shelburne Cell: 363-0590 tel 865.0010 tel 985.4440 titus@titusinsurance.net Fax: 985-8620 www.DeePT.com
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Page 24 •
Williston Observer •
September 3, 2026
SPORTS
Autumn athletes active again
CLOCKWISE (l to r): Champlain Valley Union’s starting 11 gather before the start of the second half during the Redhawks’ 5 - 1 home opening win over Rutland on Aug. 29 in Hinesburg. CVU’s Wyatt Decker blocks a potential Rutland strike. Creston Lea-Simons competes for a header in the box. Ezra Ziter gets by his Rutland defender. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY
A quarterly special section in the Williston Observer devoted exclusively to local eateries! Includes an “owner/restaurant bio” to connect you with our readers!
Yum! We’ve got the one ingredient that’ll make your restaurant a success ...
Special pricing for participating restaurants!
Contact Adam Geffken!
PATRONS! Williston
802-338-1655 or email:
adam@willistonobserver.com
Serving our community since 1985