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WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM

Lawmakers ramp up pressure on post office BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Hoofin’ it down Route 2A Alex Coyle of Williston walks his mule, Aspen, along the tight shoulder of Route 2A north of Taft Corners on Tuesday. “’Cause I can,” Coyle said when asked why he chose this highly trafficked route. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY JASON STARR

Vermont legislators are backing up their constituents in a push to return the U.S. Postal Service’s level of service to its pre-pandemic norm. The home delivery of mail in Williston has been slow and erratic since the middle of last year, according to several residents who have shared their experiences with the Observer. In the most extreme cases, residents accustomed to six-day-a-week delivery have gone more than a week without mail delivery. “I understand the problem is that they are terribly understaffed, but my attempts to communicate with the post office have been like shouting into the void,” said Finney Crossing resident Matte Brittenham-Jones. “We need mail delivered in a timely manner, and definitely more frequently than once a week.” Other Vermont towns are having similar issues, but Williston’s seem to be among the most acute. State representatives from Brattleboro, Bennington, Manchester, Putney and Londonderry, among others, brought a resolution (HR 15) addressing the issue to the floor of the House in January. Adopted Jan. 21, it targets the U.S. Postal Service’s 10-year “Delivering for America” plan as the root cause of the post office’s reduced level of service. “This legislative body urges the United States Postal Service to reassess its 10-year transformation plan with the goal of immediately restoring the reliability and timeliness of mail delivery to the standard that existed prior to the plan’s implementation,” the resolution states. The Delivering for America

‘My attempts to communicate with the post office have been like shouting into the void.’ Matte Brittenham-Jones Williston

plan was adopted in 2020 under the leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to make the postal service financially sustainable, streamline operations and change the business model in response to a market shift away from standard letter mail to package delivery. DeJoy says the plan will “reverse a projected $160 billion in losses over the next ten years by achieving break-even operating performance.” “Our business and operating models are unsustainable and out of step with the changing needs of the nation and our customers,” the plan states. Yet, it reiterates the postal service’s commitment to “providing the nation with six days of mail and seven days of package delivery” a week. The Vermont House resolution accuses the 10-year plan of focusing “more on profitability and less on timely service” and of intentionally slowing (from three days to six days) the delivery standard for first class mail. The shortcomings of the postal service are resulting in late arrival of medications, late payment on bills and financial losses for businesses, Vermont lawmakers say. “The … ‘Delivering for America’ plan is causing significant harm to the health and economic livelihoods of individuals and corporations in Vermont and nationsee POST OFFICE page 7

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Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

A biweekly trip down memory lane with members of the Williston Historical Society

Talking to ghosts in Williston The spiritualism of Angeline and Elisha Miller

BY ELIZABETH A. ALLEN Special to the Observer Angeline Miller (1804-1878)

was deeply interested in alternative pursuits. She believed in herbal medicine, which I discussed in my last article (“Past Times,” Jan. 6). In

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this article, I broaden my scope to include her husband, Elisha Miller, Jr. (1792-1871), as I explore another of the Millers’ alternative interests: talking to ghosts. The Millers were practicing spiritualists. Spiritualism, a large grassroots religious movement in the mid-19th century, believed that the living could communicate with the dead. According to spiritualist beliefs, sensitive individuals called mediums received messages from the spirits through table rapping, automatic writing or speaking in trance. Mediums reported that the dead resided in a tranquil, happy afterlife where they continued to grow and evolve. The beginnings of spiritualism in the U.S. are often traced to 1848, when sisters Kate and Margaret Fox of Hydesdale, N.Y., claimed to receive messages from a spirit who communicated in rapping sounds. The Fox sisters lived in upstate New York, a hotbed of revivalism and new sects at that time, and word of their discussions with the dead spread quickly. Spiritualism intertwined with other contemporary activist movements. The concept that spirits could reveal information directly to the living, without the intermediary of clergy or the Bible, appealed to religious reformers. The possibility that anyone, man or woman, of any race, could communicate with the dead fostered a belief in equality, attracting abolitionists and suffragists. Mainstream religion had various

perspectives on spiritualism. Some spiritualists felt that their spiritualist leanings coexisted with their Christianity. More liberal denominations of Christianity were open to spiritualism; in fact, the Universalists in Williston permitted spiritualists to use their church. Vermont Congregationalism, however, denounced spiritualism. It seemed anti-Biblical and blasphemous to their eyes. The Millers, being Congregationalists, eventually came into conflict with the doctrine of their local church.

Unchurched but undaunted, the Millers continued their spiritualist practices. Aimee Angus Barber tells the story in her 1940 master’s thesis, “A History of the Religious Life of Williston, Vermont” (available at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library). Quoting undated Congregational Church records, she writes that, in 1861, Elisha Jr. and Angeline were accused of spiritualist beliefs and summoned to the church to answer the charges. While Elisha Jr. sent in a written defense, Angeline made hers in person: “These charges were (1) breach of covenant in neglecting church service & ordinances, (2) departure from essential doctrines

in disbelieving the authority of the Bible — the doctrine of depravity & the atonement. Her defense admitted each charge and attempted a justification for the same.” (p. 111-112). In other words, Angeline avoided church service and did not believe in Biblical authority because she adhered to the spiritualist belief of direct communication from spirits, with no minister or Bible required. Her spiritualist beliefs in the essential goodness of humanity and the lack of punishment in the afterlife contradicted Christianity as well. Specifically, they went against the “doctrine of depravity & the atonement” — i.e., the concept that people are born depraved or sinful and that Jesus Christ died to atone for people’s sins. Angeline, seeing nothing wrong with her beliefs, did not deny them. Instead, she tried to explain them to the church. Members of the hearing, unimpressed, voted unanimously to excommunicate the Millers. Unchurched but undaunted, the Millers continued their spiritualist practices. In contrast to the massive conferences and popular demonstrations elsewhere in the state, spiritualism in Williston was not so popular. Elisha Jr. and Angeline, like many spiritualists across the country, gathered a small number of people in a private dwelling to listen to a medium. We have some insight of what happened at the Millers’ seances see PAST TIMES page 3

February 3, 2022 •

Past Times continued from page

because their granddaughter, Laura Jackson Meredith (1895-1989), found records among her family possessions. These included a notebook of some 36 unnumbered pages, most unattributed, containing communications from the years during and immediately after the Civil War. (Amy Barber’s thesis analyzes and quotes these messages at length.) “Mrs. M.L. Allen” was the medium in many cases. Most commentary seemed to come from dead friends and relatives of the people at the seances. The messages said the departed were at peace, continuing to love and watch over the living. Any statements that the country was in political turmoil also allayed listeners’ fears by promising deliverance soon. For people reeling from the national trauma of the Civil War, these statements of reconciliation and victory soothed their worry. Some of the dead appeared to support spiritualism. For example, Sheldon Douglas, who had also been excommunicated from the Congregational Church for spiritualism, supposedly heard from his wife at one seance. The ghost of his wife — almost certainly Mary Ann Brownell Douglas (18081858) — stated that, while she had not been a

An aged Angeline (Munson) Miller, on the left, as she appears in a photo from Dorothy Parker Alling’s scrapbook, available in the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library’s Vermont Room. On the right is Elisha Miller, Jr. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

spiritualist in life, she was now a believer in “the spirit world.” Sheldon Douglas and the Millers probably felt vindicated when they heard this. Communications with the dead also ap-

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parently validated Angeline’s practice of alternative medicine. As I mentioned in my previous article, she dispensed and promoted herbal remedies, preferring them over the dangerous and sometimes deadly medical treatments of the day. Messages from the medium backed her up. One “J.M.,” possibly

Williston Observer

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Page 3

a Miller ancestor, advised Angeline, “Your liver needs not tuning, but toning. Dr. T. will give you a prescription.” “Dr. Terrill,” another spirit, followed up, promising to send a prescription through the medium. Prescriptions from the afterlife were not wholly unknown. In fact, an entire branch of spiritualism developed: trance medicine. Its practitioners entered a trance and either spoke about topics of health in public or diagnosed and prescribed for patients in private. As we can see in the example of Angeline’s life, spiritualism’s celebration of an individual’s intuition and insight cross-pollinated well with other contemporary social movements, like that of herbal medicine. Even famous dead people supposedly dropped in to the Millers’ seances. None other than Abraham Lincoln showed up on Aug. 31, 1866, warning that Andrew Johnson was “a darker villain, a more consummate traitor than Jeff Davis.” Happily, though, Lincoln said that electing local politician “Baxter” could save the land from “selfish politicians who would betray their country.” Williston’s spiritualist side usually receives little notice in books, where it appears as an anecdote about Lincoln stopping by. But the Millers’ spiritualism was more than just a humorous eccentricity. This was their religion, a source of comfort and insight, and they joined thousands of people across the country for whom spiritualism provided profound significance.

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Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

Brady sharpens her focus at Statehouse BY JARED PAP Community News Service

It hasn’t been an easy transition into the state Legislature for Rep. Erin Brady. A lawmaker in her second year in the Vermont House of Representatives, Brady says that the process of getting familiar with the legislative system and with her constituents in Williston have only been made more difficult by the ongoing Covid pandemic. “I’m really trying to learn the process,” said Brady. “It’s only my second year, and this is the first time that we have been quasi-in the building,” Brady said. “I just need to figure out so much institutional knowledge. I’m trying to build relationships, figure out who’s who, so for me my biggest priority this session is to learn how to be effective over time.” Brady, a Democrat, was born in California but grew up in Minnesota. She worked for then-Minnesota Sen. Mark Dayton before entering the field of education. In 2019, she won Vermont’s history

teacher of the year award from the Gilder Lehman Foundation. Sitting on the House Committee on Education this year, she says that both Vermont’s K-12 schools and post-secondary education are

‘I think for a lot of kids who don’t go to high school with a family supporting them as college bound, they really struggle, and we struggle as a state to capitalize on their true potential.’ Rep. Erin Brady

areas she hopes to focus on and improve over the long term. “I taught high school for many years,” Brady said. “I’ve worked with far too many wonderful, smart, talented high school stu-

dents who just sort of evaporated after graduation … I think for a lot of kids who don’t go to high school with a family supporting them as college bound, they really struggle, and we struggle as a state to capitalize on their true potential.” This is an issue that takes more than money, Brady said. “I used to think for many years of teaching that it was, you know, we need more financial aid and counselors to help kids fill out applications,” Brady said. “I’m starting to see what some research has pointed to, which has been that a lot of post-secondary decision-making and challenges often come down to what sort of identity (a student has), what their experience has been, what they see possible for themselves as an adult.” On the primary and secondary level, Rep. Brady predicts that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will stay at the top of Vermont education’s issues for some time. “I worry that the level of challenges in our K-12 schools is being undersold,” said Brady. “I was teaching full-time up until a couple weeks

Rep. Erin Brady, Williston

ago … It is no doubt the hardest time in schools on so many levels. Teachers are demoralized and some are really scared about their health.” There is a community level of anxiety and stress that exists about so many things right now, Brady said. There may not be a legislative

solution to this rampant stress, she said. “I like to be an innovator. I like to think big for schools,” said Brady. “I’m trying to temper myself because I think we need to just kind of keep in survival mode, probably for a while longer.”

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Williston Observer

•

Spring Programs 2022

WWW.WILLISTONREC.ORG 802-876-1160 • recreation@willistonvt.org

Below is a listing of upcoming programs for the Spring – March through June. Detailed information on each program can be found on the Recreation Website: www.willistonrec.org. Program offerings are Virtual-Live Instructor or In-Person.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS - Online Live

UKULELE CLINICS - AGE 18+

Online Live with Clare Innes Detailed Program info and registration links available on the Rec. website.

HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE) CONTROL WORKSHOP 8 Wednesdays, March 9-April 27, 1:30-3:00pm Free Workshop on Zoom Register at 802-847-7255 or MyHealthyVT.org

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IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

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Grades 3rd-8th Early-Bird Registration Deadline: March 6. Teams need to be formed and registered in leagues. A minimum number and coach are needed to have a team. Separate competitive leagues are offered to boys and girls in grades 3rd/4th, 5th/6th & 7th/8th. Programs will start with outdoor practices in April. Volunteer Coaches are needed in each program. Be sure to sign up to coach when you register your child. US Lacrosse Membership - You will need to register or renew your child’s membership with USA Lacrosse. Best to wait until teams are formed and coaches have been found. Grades 1st-2nd Saturdays, May 7-June 4, 8:30-9:30am $50/$60. Parent/Child Program

YOUTH TENNIS - GRADES K-2 & 3-5 Wednesdays, April 27-June 1 2:00-3:00pm - 3rd-5th 3:00-4:00pm - K-2nd $90/$100. Instructor: The Edge at Essex

SAFE SITTERS BABYSITTERS COURSE - GRADES 6-8 Thursday, April 21, 9:00am-3:00pm $60/$70. Instructor: Rec. Staff

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Page 5

Page 6 •

Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

GUEST COLUMN

Williston’s Community Newspaper Since 1985

www.willistonobserver.com P.O. Box 1401, Williston, VT 05495 | 802-489-5499 PUBLISHER Susan T. Cote susan@willistonobserver.com 802-489-5499

TO ADVERTISE Submission deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. for next Thursday issue. rick@willistonobserver.com

ADVERTISING Rick Cote Associate Publisher Sales & Marketing rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136

CLASSIFIED ADS Paid Classifieds: There is a fee for business, real estate and help wanted ads. Free Classifieds: Must be 25 words or fewer. Printed on a space-available basis. Submission deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. for next Thursday issue. susan@willistonobserver.com

EDITOR Jason Starr editor@willistonobserver.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN Jan Kenney jan@willistonobserver.com BILLING INQUIRIES Michael McCaffrey office@willistonobserver.com MEMBER:

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SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS Send to editor@willistonobserver.com • Deadline is Monday at noon • News/story tips welcomed • Letters must be 300 words or fewer • Include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we can verify the letter’s author. Phone numbers and street addresses will be kept confidential • Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity • Letters that have been submitted to multiple media outlets may not be printed CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Send to editor@willistonobserver.com Must include • Name of event and organization • Date, time and place of event • Contact information We print submissions for nonprofit groups and organizations only.

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 paper.

A publication of Twin Ponds Publishing LLC

A return, better than normal BY KELLIE CAMPBELL

If you have been to a restaurant lately, you have probably seen signs on the door about being short-staffed and asking for your patience. Perhaps you are a parent who received a message from your childcare provider about having to close early or shorten hours due to staffing challenges. If you have read the local newspaper, you might have seen an article about nursing shortages around the state. There is no way around it: Times are tough and there are many systemic reasons we are faced with these challenges. For many in certain fields of work, the challenges that surfaced during Covid were no surprise. These challenges existed before Covid, with years of social structures that have perpetuated inequity. The fact is that many of the shortages we are witnessing in the workforce today are an outcome of women leaving the workforce. In Vermont, 91 percent of nurses are women, 82 percent of healthcare workers are women, 82 percent of personal care workers (including childcare professionals) are women, and 81 percent of tipped workers are women. These professionals were named “essential workers” during the pandemic and were justly honored and recognized for their work and the critical role they play in our communities. But why are we challenged as we face another surge to keep

the doors open to many of these services? Nationwide, Covid is impacting women disproportionately. In Vermont, before Covid, women were at least four times more likely than men to reduce their hours or leave the workforce for a period of time to care for children and aging family members. Unemployment claims from the U.S. Department of Labor suggest Vermont women faced un-

‘Let’s not rush to get back to the way things were … We can and should do things better.’ employment rates higher than men during Covid. Data from April and May of 2020, just after Covid hit, revealed over 80 percent of U.S. adults who weren’t working because they had to care for their children who were not in school or daycare were women. As we approach a hopeful pivot from pandemic to endemic, we must find a way to re-engage women in the workforce by understanding the barriers that might prevent them from doing so. While we seek to rush back to normalcy, we must understand that, for those who choose to re-engage, support is needed. Many of these positions before the pandemic were lower

The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday. In addition, we provide rack distribution to locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex.

If you would like copies for your location call Rick Cote at (802) 373-2136 or email Rick@WillistonObserver.com

see CAMPBELL page 7

Get more

Williston

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paying. Tipped work is most often low-wage work, with a higher poverty rate for workers, and barriers such as a lack of regular schedules, no access to health benefits and paid time off, and little room for advancement. National research indicates the practice of tipping is often discriminatory as well, with white service workers receiving larger tips than black service workers for the same quality of service. In addition, the median salary for a lead preschool teacher is less than what Vermont estimates as the basic wage needed for a single adult to live on their own. If you want engagement, you must recognize the lived realities. A Franklin County educator shares: “I can remember crying in the parking lots during my lunch break — I would then go back and hold the children as they woke up. I spent my days holding them, wiping their noses, wiping their tears … We get sick every time they do. We don’t all have healthcare, we don’t all have paid sick days — and even if we do, we don’t always have the support or ability to take them. I left the classroom. It is not sustainable.” Let’s not rush to get back to the way things were. As we seek hope and look for normalcy, let’s understand we can and should do things better. To quote a recently released Public Assets Institute report: “The data

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Reach readers in northern Vermont’s most thriving communities — in print and online! Contact Rick Cote at rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136

February 3, 2022 •

Post office continued from page

Campbell

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ally and should be immediately reassessed,” the House resolution states. The resolution was forwarded to DeJoy, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform and Vermont’s Congressional delegation. “I enthusiastically supported this resolution,” Williston Rep. Erin Brady said,” although I know it is largely symbolic.” Rep. Peter Welch’s office has fielded constituent concerns about the postal service from across the state, with a particularly high volume from Williston residents, according to Welch’s communication director, Emily Becker. Welch backs the removal of DeJoy as postmaster general. “Rep. Welch’s office has reached out to the USPS to inquire about delivery delays repeatedly, but we have received conflicting reports on numerous issues from the USPS under the leadership of Postmaster General DeJoy,” Becker wrote in an email to the Observer. “Rep. Welch remains committed to pushing for reforms and a leadership change at USPS to ensure better service for all Vermonters.” Williston Town Clerk Sarah Mason has talked with supervisors at the Williston Post Office to ensure that early voting for the upcoming Town Meeting Day election runs smoothly. Requests for mailed ballots are already coming into the clerk’s office, and ballots will begin going out by mail on Feb. 10. “They assure me the ballots will be out within the standard 1-2 days,” Mason said. Ballots that are mailed to residents can be returned to the drop box behind Town Hall by Feb. 28, or to the polls at the National Guard Armory next to Town Hall on election day, March 1. On that day, polls will be open for in-per-

Backing gun reform bill

Staffing has been a problem for the Williston Post Office for months. OBSERVER FILE PHOTO

son voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone mailing ballots back to the Town Clerk should be advised not to do so after Feb. 25, Mason said, to avoid the risk that it won’t arrive at the clerk’s office by the March 1 deadline to be counted. “It is strongly encouraged that you return your ballot to the secure drive-up ballot drop-box installed in the back of the Town Hall last year,” Mason said. “This has proven incredibly popular and convenient, with people using it 24/7 and feeling safe with the knowledge that I will have it without issue.” The delivery slowdown in Williston and in other Vermont towns is largely due to staffing issues exacerbated by the pandemic, said Steve Doherty, strategic communications specialist for the post office’s Northeast Region. He characterized them as “short-term employee availability issues.” Postal employees throughout the region have worked overtime, off hours and covered for the absences of postal workers in neighboring communities throughout the pandemic, he said. “We appreciate customers’ patience and understanding and we’re proud of our … employees who are working to deliver for our customers during the pandemic,” Doherty said.

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GunSense Vermont applauds the passage of S.30 last week in the House of Representatives. Firearms have no place in our hospitals, which have increasingly become highly stressed, emotionally charged environments during the pandemic. Healthcare professionals deserve a safe work environment, particularly given the sacrifices they make to keep us healthy in these difficult times. By closing the “Charleston Loophole,” S.30 also helps ensure that firearms are kept out of the hands of those who pose a risk to themselves or others. Extending the maximum background check waiting period to 30 days will only impact 3 percent of buyers, but could very well be the difference in preventing another tragedy. This is a small but meaningful step to protect our family, friends and neighbors. Seventy-four percent of Vermonters believe common sense legislation is necessary to save lives and prevent reckless behavior. We are grateful to the House Judiciary Committee members for their good work and urge the Senate to pass this lifesaving bill. Conor Casey Executive director GunSense Vermont

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half the sea turtles in the world have digested plastic pieces. The amount of plastic production has gotten larger over the years. That means we put more plastic in the ocean. It has nowhere else to go. We are destroying the oceans. This is one of the reasons we should be mindful of what we put in the garbage and what we put in the recycling bins. A few ways you can help change what is happening to the ocean are: Be sure to recycle whenever you can; try to reuse as much as possible; and don’t buy single-use plastic. Rachel Williams Fifth grade Williston Central School

•

Kellie Campbell is co-chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, online at www.women. vermont.gov.

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are not all in, but one thing is clear: Universal healthcare, livable wages, affordable childcare and paid family leave would improve the lives of all workers and their families.” With increased awareness and attention to these inequities, we’re seeing public policy conversations about labor in our state evolve toward changing the status quo and responding to, and supporting, women and BIPOC workers. This is progress, but we have more to do.

Problems with plastic Do you ever think about where the piece of plastic you just threw away goes? Probably not. Most of it goes to the ocean. A piece of plastic may not mean very much to you, but it kills many different types of sea life and pollutes our oceans. Some scientists estimate about

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Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

SPORTS

Redhawk skiers take Essex meet at Smuggs

BY LAUREN READ Observer correspondent

The CVU boys and girls alpine ski teams both came in first place in the Essex Carnival at Smuggler’s Notch last Thursday. Jake Strobeck came in first place on the boys side, with George Francisco following right behind in second place. Kyle Marive was fourth, Ray Hagios came in fifth, Remy Schulz followed in sixth and Peter Gilliam rounded it out in seventh place. On the girls side, Carlynn Strobeck finished in third place with Ella Lisle coming in fourth place. Dicey Manning was sixth and Elizabeth Nostrand crossed the finish line in 10th place. CLOCKWISE L to R: Redhawk Alex Provost launches a three-point shot during CVU’s game vs. the South Burlington Wolves Jan. 25 in Hinesburg. Sam Sweeney gets into the lane for two points and Logan Vaughn gets by South Burlington’s Ethan Sandberg for a bucket.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Champlain Valley 37, Rice 20: The Champlain Valley girls basketball team avenged one of its two losses this season by beating Rice 37-20 on Monday. Shelby Companion had 12 points to lead all scorers for the Redhawks (10-2). Chloe Snipes added eight points and Addi Hunter grabbed 10 rebounds for CVU, which handed

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Rice its first loss of the season. It was the third win a row for the Redhawks, who beat BFA-St. Albans 45-20 on Saturday. Companion scored 21 points to lead CVU, with Snipes adding five points and six rebounds.

Nic Menard added a goal and Jack Averill made 19 saves to earn the victory in goal. The win helped CVU rebound from a 4-0 loss to Essex on Saturday. James Douglas stopped 37 shots in net for the Redhawks in the loss.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Champlain Valley 47, BFA-St. Albans 31: Champlain Valley went on a 20-2 run in the second half to earn a comeback win over BFA-St. Albans on Monday. Alex Provost scored 12 points for the Redhawks, who move to 10-2 with the win. Kyle Eaton and Logan Vaughn each chipped in with 11 points for CVU. CVU also grabbed a win on Friday, beating Mount Mansfield 41-39. Provost (10 points) scored on a layup with just under three seconds remaining to put the Redhawks ahead for the win. BOYS HOCKEY

Champlain Valley 3, Middlebury 1: The Champlain Valley boys hockey team snapped a losing streak with a win over Middlebury on Monday. Harper Anderson tallied twice for the Redhawks, who moved to 4-7-1 with the win.

GYMNASTICS

The Champlain Valley gymnastics team came in second in a meet with South Burlington on Saturday. Ruby Opton finished in second place on the uneven bars and tied for second in the floor exercise. Cadence Haggerty was second in the vault and the beam. Opton finished second in the allaround competition, with Haggerty right behind in third place. GIRLS HOCKEY

Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield 5, Rice 1: Samara Tucker tallied twice and the Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield girls hockey team got the win over Rice on Friday. Karina Bushweller, Tess Everett and Riley Erdman each added a goal and an assist for the Redhawks, who move to 7-4 with the win.

February 3, 2022 •

SPORTS I believe I can fly

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Cats on the prowl Left, UVM’s Ryan Davis gets into the paint for the layup during the Catamount’s 73-61 victory over the Albany Great Danes at Patrick Gym on Monday evening. Below, UVM’s Isaiah Powell gets off a shot over Albany’s Chuck Champion. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

CLOCKWISE L to R: CVU’s Sally Wahl does a back hand spring during her floor exercise at the Redhawks’ tri-meet with Randolph and Milton Jan. 26 at Green Mountain Training Center in Williston. Ruby Opton leaps to an aerial split during her floor routine. Warner Babic leaps to the high bar. Cadence Haggerty performs a hand stand on the beam. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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• February 3, 2022

After Coventry:

What happens when Vermont’s only landfill reaches capacity? BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger

In early December, the driver of a tractor-trailer made his way down a dirt road carved into the side of a brand new, 14-acre cell — the newest phase of Vermont’s only operating landfill. At the bottom, the driver dislodged the body of the truck from the cab and hooked it up to a lift, which hoisted it diagonally into the air. Discarded objects from the everyday lives of Hyde Park residents tumbled from its opened back doors. A new, 51-acre expansion makes the landfill — what locals not-so-lovingly call “Mount Casella” — a 129-acre behemoth. It accepts the majority of trash produced in the state, and it’s a welloiled machine. Like cars on a model train set, trucks descended into the new cell every few minutes to lift, empty and drive away. Bulldozers and trash compactors intercepted the flow, spreading and compressing the mounds of plastic, splintered wood and dried septic sludge to make room for years’ worth of trash to come. Casella Waste Systems, Inc., which owns the facility, plans to build three more cells like this one. When they’re full, around 22 years from now, no one’s sure where the state’s waste will go. “There are site limitations with future expansions at Coventry,” said Matt Chapman, director of the Department of Environmental

Conservation’s waste management division. “You have the road on one side, the airport on the other, the Black River surrounding it and the wetland complex surrounding it on the other sides.” The state “basically serves the function as a regulator in this capacity,” Chapman said. On a broad scale, the state does some planning — determining how to divert and lessen waste, for example — but the state does not have a long-term plan that outlines where waste will go when Coventry’s landfill is full or how it will be handled. Casella could, theoretically, expand one more time. To do that, it would need to excavate an old, unlined section of the landfill — otherwise known as Nadeau’s dump — and move it to a new, lined area, which would be filled with old and new trash. The project would be called Phase V. Constructing that project would be incredibly challenging, Chapman said, partly because it is located next to a wetland. “That means, when you start digging into it, you’re likely to have wetter, saturated soils and waste material in it,” he said. “So it’s gonna be smelly — there are going to be all sorts of challenges.” That section would provide 3 million yards of capacity for new trash, said Jeremy Labbe, general manager at Casella, compared with the 13 million yards included in the new expansion. Even if Casella decides to move ahead with those plans and gains the necessary approval, Labbe said

the expansion would provide only “another few years of life.” Labbe said it’s impossible to say, this far out, what other disposal options could emerge on the

Meanwhile, members of the grassroots organization DUMP, or Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity, have tried to limit the landfill’s impact on residents

sion, and they pushed back against the landfill’s expansion for nearly a year and a half. They have argued that its location near wetlands and Lake Memphremagog makes it the wrong place to dispose of the state’s waste. The group reached a settlement agreement with Casella in November 2019 stipulating that Casella would increase odor monitoring measures, provide DUMP with copies of permit applications and reports submitted to the state and other measures. Several members of DUMP told VTDigger they are calling for the Legislature to require the Agency of Natural Resources to create a plan for the future of solid waste in Vermont by 2025. According to members of DUMP, residents of Coventry are tired of hosting the dumping grounds for the rest of the state. SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES

Henry Coe of DUMP — Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity — urges state officials to find other places to get rid of Vermont’s waste in August 2021. PHOTO BY EMMA COTTON/VTDIGGER

company’s land in Coventry, which totals more than 1,000 acres.

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Vermont has around 22 years to figure out what to do with its waste. While that sounds like an ample amount of time, solutions can get complicated fast. Vermonters should not be worried, Chapman said. Garbage is “an interstate commodity,” and Vermont is better poised in that respect than many other states in southern New England where landfill capacity is tighter. “Having said that, I think we should all be cognizant of what’s going on” in Coventry, he said. The state is relying on another entity — either a private company or a municipality — to propose a new facility, such as a landfill or an incinerator, also known as a waste-to-energy facility, Chapman said. Landfills are “highly regulated, highly engineered environments,” Chapman said, and opening another one is a multi-year process and a significant financial challenge — one estimate puts the cost between $300,000 and $800,000 per acre. Many of the problems cited by DUMP members are linked to the magnitude of the 129-acre facility, along with its location. But economically, according to Chapman, it’s hard to make something smaller work. “What happens behind the scenes is an incredible upfront capital investment that a company or a municipality needs to make in order to site, design, permit and then ultimately construct the landfill,” he said. “It’s a really hard thing to do.” Two municipal solid waste management districts, in Sheldon and Hartland, have considered see COVENTRY page 11

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hosting small landfills — though Chapman said neither plan is likely to move forward anytime soon. These conceptual sites “face significant obstacles to being viable for operation,” the report said. Sheldon’s Northwest Vermont Solid Waste Management District Landfill site has retained a conceptual design permit from the state, according to the Report on Landfill Operation in the State, prepared by the Department of Environmental Conservation in January 2021. Located on a 155-acre parcel in the northwestern corner of the state, the landfill would be 13 acres and hold trash for 16 years at a rate of 20,000 tons per year. In 2020 alone, the Coventry landfill accepted a total 496,170 tons of trash. Hartland’s proposed site, which would be managed by the Greater Upper Valley Solid Waste Management District, “was long regarded as a technically and environmentally promising location for the development of a regional lined landfill,” according to the landfill operations report. The district voluntarily revoked its standing certification before it expired in 2015 because of anticipated operational costs. “The previously issued conceptual design permit was for an operational capacity of 50,000 tons per year; however, it was estimated that 75,000 to 125,000 tons per year would need to be accepted in order for this landfill to make economic sense with consideration of potential capital and operating costs,” the report said. Generally speaking, capacity for landfills in New England is shrinking, Chapman said. “There’s definitely a pinch from that perspective and tightness in the regional disposal markets,” he said. Another option, Chapman said, would be to follow the lead of southern New England and ship waste to other states, such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. Or, Vermont could push forward and accomplish an age-old goal: shrinking the amount of waste consumers produce. “To some degree, there’s limits to what we can do … with respect to consumer behavior,” Chapman said.

The state’s only operating landfill in Coventry recently expanded by 51 acres, providing about 22 more years of space. After that, no one knows where Vermont’s trash will go. PHOTO BY RILEY ROBINSON/VTDIGGER

duction in the amount of annual waste generated — down to about 606,000 tons generated per year — by 2024. “However, Vermonters continue to generate more waste each

year, with per capita waste disposal up 8 percent since 2014, and diversion remaining at (around) 35 percent,” according to a 2021 Biennial Report on Solid Waste, created for the Legislature.

“More work needs to be done to meet the diversion and disposal goals” of the 2019 Materials Management Plan, it said. Evidence suggests the Universal Recycling Law — which

banned food scraps from landfills and single-use products from stores and restaurants on July 1, 2020 — is working. Food scrap see COVENTRY page 12

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REDUCING WASTE

Though the state has designed a plan to reduce waste, called the Materials Management Plan, it has yet to show meaningful progress. In 2019, the Coventry landfill accepted the most household trash from Vermonters in any year since 2004. The same year, the state created the plan, which sets goals for the amount of reduction, disposal and diversion that will take place in the next several years. For example, it calls for a 10 percent re-

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collection has increased every year since 2016. Since 2014, Vermont has seen a 10 percent increase in recycling, and 72 percent of mandated recyclables are recycled, the report said. Still, it likely isn’t enough to meet the goals outlined in the Materials Management Plan. “Even with improved recycling, food donation, and composting rates, waste generation in Vermont increased 11 percent from 2016 to 2017,” the Materials Management Plan said. “Unfortunately, this reversed decreasing disposal trends seen in 2015 and 2016.” Data from 2020 shows some progress. Vermonters produced about 625,000 tons of municipal waste, according to the state’s 2020 Diversion and Disposal Report. That’s 6.8 percent less than Vermonters produced in 2019, which the state attributes to ripple effects from the pandemic. “Periods of economic downturn often correspond with decreases in waste generation,” the 2020 report said. “As the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered many businesses and institutions, waste, recycling, and organics from these commercial sectors dropped off and haulers reported an increase in the amount of these materials collected from the residential sector.” In 2020, Vermont sent around 74,000 tons of household waste and 17,000 tons of construction waste to facilities in New Hampshire or New York.

February 3, 2022 While the Coventry landfill does not take household waste from other states, it accepts construction materials, sludge from sewage treatment plants, asbestos, ash, contaminated soil, medical waste and more. Last week, state Sen. Chris Bray, D-Addison, introduced S.236, an “extended producer responsibility” bill, which he said would hold manufacturers responsible for reducing their waste. “There always is a cost to handling trash,” Bray said. “If the manufacturer is going to have a role to play in paying part of that cost, then they may think differently about the packaging being used.” The bill would encourage manufacturers to shift to materials that can be more easily recycled, use more recycled products in the materials, and reduce the total materials used in the product and its packaging, Bray said.

is located several thousand feet to the east. Odors also present a problem. Bob Fortunati, a Coventry resident who lives on a ridge overlooking the landfill, said the smell near his home can be unbearable. He moved into his house in 1983, back when the landfill was small and handled only local waste. Now, the landfill has grown to “something bigger than a small town like Coventry, really, is capable of even comprehending,” he said. In an essay written before

Vermont has around 22 years to figure out what to do with its waste. While that sounds like an ample amount of time, solutions can get complicated fast.

PLANNING AND COMMUNITY IMPACT

One of the biggest hurdles for prospective landfill operators is community opposition, according to the 2021 Report on Landfill Operation in the State. Locals and members of DUMP say their opposition is backed by good reason, particularly because the landfill places an outsized burden on a small number of people — and an international body of water. The Black River runs to the west of the landfill and empties into Lake Memphremagog, a drinking water source for more than 175,000 Canadians. The lake’s South Bay

Casella expanded, Henry Coe, a leader of DUMP, wrote that one of the group’s main points of opposition is the “social and environmental injustice of transporting 70 percent of Vermont’s garbage long distances from areas of greater population and affluence which generate such waste, through formerly quiet small communities, to a remote community at the source of a major international drinking water body.” Canadian officials have already detected trace amounts of the toxic

chemical group PFAS in a body of water connected to the lake. The news sparked concern from locals on both sides of the border that the contamination may be coming from the Newport wastewater treatment facility, which treated leachate from the landfill, though that has not been confirmed by state officials. A February 2020 report from Vermont’s Department of Conservation shows that water exiting wastewater treatment facilities in Montpelier and Newport, which both treated leachate from the Coventry landfill at the time, contained significantly higher amounts of PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, than other wastewater treatment facilities. Chapman said the facility is monitored frequently and extensively. At least once a year, state officials conduct a “canoe survey” in the wetlands, among other quarterly inspections and an annual third-party report. While other landfills in the state, now closed, have received complaints that have caused the state to deny permit renewals, “we haven’t seen similar levels of complaints or issues at Coventry,” he said. The environmental concerns have prompted DUMP to call for the state to play a bigger role in solid waste management. DUMP members Peggy Stevens, Teresa Gerade and Coe outlined their suggested plan in a joint statement to VTDigger. It would include an evaluation of new waste technologies and “of potential regional landfill sites close to areas of

greatest population density, whose geology, land use, ground and surface waters are found appropriate for siting.” Communities in the state that produce the most waste should handle it locally or regionally, they wrote, and waste disposal should “not be left to the initiative of the private waste industry.” The state should work to site any forthcoming landfills away from waterways, wetlands, public drinking water sources or wildlife management areas, they said. The Legislature, they said, should “oversee and approve the development of an updated set of criteria, rules, and regulations for landfill siting, operation, and leachate pretreatment management, requiring input of local and state level public agencies.” Bray, the state senator from Addison County, chairs the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. In the past, legislators have had some conversations about siting another landfill, he said, but not in the context of Coventry’s eventual closure. Other issues — Covid-19, the state’s new Climate Action Plan, the opioid crisis, the housing shortage — have taken precedence over an issue that’s decades away. What will happen when the “day of reckoning” built into the landfill’s eventual closure arrives is still an open question, Bray said. Labbe, general manager for Casella, thinks the state needs a broader plan for solid waste. Whatever comes next, he said the company wants to be involved.

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February 3, 2022 •

A burst of color for winter’s greys

BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE Special to the Observer

As winter goes on, the monochromatic landscape can get dull. One way to extend fall color through this long, snowy season is to plant shrubs with red berries. There are many native shrubs that sport beautiful, red berries. One of my favorite shrubs is “red sprite” winterberry. Some winterberries can grow up to 12 feet high and wide, while this cultivar is shorter, growing 3 feet high and wide. This adaptable shrub likes full sun to part shade and medium to wet soils. While its flowers and fall color are not exciting, the berries that develop in the fall are a beautiful fire-engine red. With this shrub, the trick to produce berries is to plant a male and female cultivar in close proximity for cross pollination. “Jim dandy” is a common male cultivar that grows 3-6 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide. The rule of thumb is that one male winterberry will pollinate approximately 6-10 female winterberries. Looking for something low-growing with red berries?

“Gro-Low” sumac is a fantastic shrub with fuzzy, jewel-like clusters of red berries. It has incredible fall foliage that can range from orange to red to burgundy. Although it only grows to a height of 1-2 feet tall, each plant will grow 6-8 feet wide, creating a showy carpet that changes with the seasons. This shrub prefers full sun to part shade and dry to medium soil moisture. American cranberry bush offers lovely white flowers in the spring and clusters of red drupes (fleshy fruit containing one seed) in the fall. These berries are bitter, yet edible, and can be made into jams and jellies. When planted in full sun to part shade, this shrub will grow 8-12 feet tall and wide. Birds and butterflies find it particularly attractive. Another beautiful native shrub with red berries to add to your list is red chokeberry. Although this shrub will tolerate partial shade, for the most fruit, plant in a location that gets at least six hours of sunlight daily. It’s a popular landscape plant for its white, apple-like blossoms in the

Offering the best

Winterberry, with its red berries, adds color to the winter landscape. For a winterberry shrub to produce red berries, a male and female cultivar must be planted in close proximity for cross pollination. COURTESY PHOTOS BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE

spring and showy red foliage in the fall. It also has great winter appeal for its glossy clusters of red berries

that persist through the cold weather if the birds don’t get to them first. Something to consider, howev-

Williston Observer

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er, is its growth habit. This shrub tends to naturalize and may be 6-8 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide when fully mature. So make sure to plant it in a place where you don’t mind it spreading. Another option to control this habit is to cut back any suckers annually. Planting shrubs with red berries can create more dynamic winter landscapes with the colors and textures they offer against the gray and white background of snow. They also attract birds, which is another way to bring in more color and excitement into the garden. What new shrubs will you try this year? Bonnie Kirn Donahue is a UVM Extension Master Gardener and landscape designer from central Vermont.

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Williston Observer

• February 3, 2022

Burlington rejects acting police chief for permanent job BY JACK LYONS VTDigger After a debate that stretched late into Monday night, the Burlington City Council declined to confirm Jon Murad as the city’s permanent police chief. Democratic Mayor Miro Weinberger’s nomination of the acting chief, which was announced Thursday, failed in a 6-6 vote, with all six Progressive councilors voting no. Still, the acting chief will remain on the job indefinitely, the mayor announced in a statement minutes after the council adjourned. “Chief Murad will be Burlington’s Chief so long as he continues to serve as a full partner with the Administration and the Burlington community in forging progress on our urgent public safety challenges and advancing police transformation,” the statement said. “It is my sincere hope that at some point soon a majority of the Council joins us in this critical work.” In voting against Murad, Progressives cited what they called a flawed selection process as well as disagreements some councilors had with his approach to policing.

Burlington Acting Police Chief John Murad

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Councilor Zoraya Hightower highlighted comments made by three members of the city’s Police Commission during the meeting’s public forum period, in which they accused Murad of being disrespectful and defensive during portions of commission meetings that were closed to the public. Stephanie Seguino — who shared the comments along with Suzy Comerford and Melo Grant — told councilors that a supermajority of the seven police commissioners did not support Murad’s appointment.

In voting against Murad, Progressives cited what they called a flawed selection process as well as disagreements some councilors had with his approach to policing.

Hightower compared the allegations to those leveled against former Burlington International Airport Director Gene Richards, whom the council fired for mismanagement last year. When asked about the allegations by Councilor Ali Dieng, Murad told councilors he was concerned by the comments. He said he’s “committed to a respectful and collaborative relationship” with the Police Commission. Shireen Hart, another member of the commission, expressed support for Murad in front of the council. She said that she spoke for her fellow Commissioner Kevin Garrison as well. In supporting his nominee, Weinberger told councilors that Murad was the clear choice to be top cop, citing the city’s police union’s support among Murad’s assets. In a speech, the mayor asked councilors if their objections to Murad outweighed the need, in the mayor’s eyes, to install a permanent police chief as soon as possible. “What has happened in the last 18 months under Chief Murad’s leadership that is worth depriving our officers of your confidence, depriving a dedicated city employee a title and distinction that he has earned and depriving our city a chief for even one day longer?” Weinberger asked. Hightower also said she found troubling Murad’s views on racial

disparities in Burlington’s policing statistics. The acting chief told councilors Monday night that he acknowledges the statistical disparities but needs to further examine the data to determine whether they were driven by racial bias. “If I find bias that drives these disparities, I will take action on that,” Murad said. “I will also work with partners to address upstream sources of these disparities because what I see is not bias in the hearts of officers.” He added: “Bias is universal. We all experience it. We all have it, and of course it is in hearts of officers. Does it cause the actions? Or is it the behavior that officers encounter causing it?” Murad touted his record on addressing the racial disparities as acting chief. Burlington police stopped a disproportionate number of drivers of color in previous years but not in 2021, he said, citing preliminary data. Murad also instituted a “racial training” program for officers, he said. Councilor Joe Magee, took issue with Murad’s opposition to a Progressive-led effort that would give a citizen committee authority over discipline for police misconduct. The debate at Monday’s meeting was the latest chapter in a twoyear effort that has laid bare the fractious relationship Democratic and Progressive city leaders can have on issues of public safety. A supermajority of the City Council criticized the process to search for the police chief, including Karen Paul and Sarah Carpenter, two Democrats who voted to appoint Murad. Two Progressives, Jack Hanson and Jane Stromberg, said it was the process of selecting Murad, and not Murad himself, that convinced them to vote no. At the end of Monday’s debate, Weinberger declared he would not reopen the police chief search. While the council’s rules prevent it from taking up Murad’s nomination again with its current makeup, the body can vote again on the issue once a new council is seated after the March 1 election. Councilor Joan Shannon — one of the mayor’s closest allies — said the decision to confirm a new police chief would be left up to the voters, a nod to the election. Councilors met in a fully remote manner Monday night, the first time they have done so since summer 2021. While members of the public have been encouraged to attend meetings remotely since early January, there previously was an opportunity to watch the meetings in person at City Hall.

Essex woman makes masks her mission By VTDigger The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended in January that for maximum protection against Covid-19 infection, people should upgrade to a N95 or KN95 mask. For Vermonter Anne Miller, masks and personal protective equipment are personal. In April 2020, her mother-in-law was among the first Vermonters to die after contracting Covid-19. After that, the health care consultant and resident of Essex made it her mission to find and disseminate top-quality personal protective equipment, or PPE, to anyone who wanted it. Miller is the executive director of Project N95, a “PPE clearinghouse” that connects people who need personal protective equipment to companies that make it. Project N95 has delivered more than 12 million units of PPE and Covid-19 tests. The U.S. government is now offering a limited number of free N95 masks through pharmacies and other outlets. When it comes to finding high-quality masks, “The big

Anne Miller, founder of Project N95, a clearinghouse for PPE, holds up a face shield at her home in Essex in 2020. FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

part of this is fit and filtration,” Miller said. “An N95 has those straps across the back, they mess up your hair. These are the ones that are going to confer the best protection for you.” Miller warns that when the CDC tested masks, “60 percent of the KN95s that they tested were found to be fake … in the sense that they didn’t do what they claimed to do. They didn’t filter 95 percent.” She said it’s important to order from sources, such as Project N95, that test and certify that their masks meet rigorous standards.

Speak up at Rotary’s high school speech contest

Area high school students are invited to compete for cash awards of up to $800 in a speech contest sponsored by Rotary International District 7850 and the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club. Registration deadline is Feb. 18. Contestants must prepare and deliver a five-minute speech addressing the topic “How can your school partner with Rotary to change lives?” Memorization is not required, but adherence to the time limit is critical. The contest consists of three rounds. The first will be hosted by the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club on Thursday, March 3. The second area round will take place later in March and the final district competition will take place on Saturday, May 7 at Jay Peak Resort. Students may request information and a registration form from their guidance counselor or speech/English teacher. High school students who reside in Williston, St. George and Richmond are eligible to register. Students outside these towns should contact their local Rotary club. Registration forms must be returned by email to sonjakste-

vens@gmail.com no later than Feb. 18.

February 3, 2022 •

Jan. 16 at 2:46 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft on Dorset Lane. The officer provided a case number to the citizen. Jan. 17 at 7:04 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a vehicle off the road on South Road. The officer stayed on the scene while a wrecker removed the vehicle. Jan. 17 at 11:14 a.m. — Police provided a case number and documented a reported theft on Holland Lane. Jan. 17 at 1:06 p.m. — Police completed a records check for local employment. Jan. 17 at 1:33 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a vehicle off the roadway on St. George Road. The officer had dispatch contact a towing company and provided traffic control for the towing truck to remove the vehicle. Jan. 17 at 4:45 p.m. — Police provided a case number for a reported fraud on Heather Lane. Jan. 17 at 7:05 p.m. — Police responded to a report of retail theft at Maple Tree Place. Jan. 18 at 8:15 a.m. — Police took custody of found property on Harvest Lane. The officer contacted the owner of the property. Jan. 18 at 8:40 a.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on East Hill Road. Upon arrival, there were no motor vehicles on the scene. Jan. 18 at 11:12 a.m. — Police took custody of found property on Harvest Lane. The officer contacted the owners of the property. Jan. 18 at 12:53 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance on Boxwood Street. Upon arrival, the individual had left the scene. Jan. 18 at 1:06 p.m. — Police re-

sponded to a vehicle collision on Hawthorne Street. Upon arrival, there were no hazards or injuries on the scene. Jan. 18 at 1:52 p.m. — Police conducted a records check for employment. Jan. 18 at 2:59 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision on Williston Road. Upon arrival, there were no hazards or injuries on the scene. Jan. 18 at 5:32 p.m. — Police responded to assist Williston Fire Department with a medical call at Whitney Hill Homestead. Jan. 18 at 5:54 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance on Martel Lane. The officer attempted to contact the owner of the vehicle. Jan. 18 at 5:58 p.m. — Police responded to a motor vehicle complaint on South Road. Upon arrival, the vehicle had left the scene. Jan. 19 at 1:13 p.m. — Police responded to provide education regarding a town ordinance on St. George Road. Jan. 19 at 3:21 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a violation of court orders on Industrial Avenue. The individual was cited accordingly. Jan. 19 at 3:52 p.m. — Police provided a case number for property damage on Harvest Lane. Jan. 19 at 9:45 p.m. — Police conducted a welfare check at Maple Tree Place. Jan. 20 at 10:33 a.m. — Police completed multiple VIN verifications on Mountain View Road. Jan. 20 at 12:46 p.m. — Police completed a records check for employment. Jan. 20 at 1:11 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a traffic

Williston Observer

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hazard on Williston Road. The officer provided blue lights and traffic control until the hazard was removed. Jan. 20 at 1:33 p.m. — Police completed a records check for employment. Jan. 20 at 3:48 p.m. — Police assisted Richmond Police Department with a vehicle off the roadway on West Street. Jan. 21 at 10:22 a.m. — Police provided a tour of the department for students studying policing. Jan. 21 at 5:09 p.m. — Police responded to assist Williston Fire Department with a medical call on Forest Run Road. Jan. 21 at 9:28 p.m. — Police responded to a vehicle collision at Maple Tree Place. Jan. 21 at 11:06 p.m. — Police responded to assist Williston Fire Department on Fay Lane. Jan. 22 at 1:25 a.m. — Police conducted a commercial vehicle inspection on Miller Lane. Jan. 22 at 4:07 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a suspicious event on Market Street. The officer called Williston Fire Department for medical assistance and separated the parties involved. Jan. 22 at 12:55 p.m. — Police responded to take custody of found property on Simons Plaza. Jan. 22 at 5:07 p.m. — Police responded to complete a requested escort on Market Street. Jan. 22 at 7:52 p.m. — Police took custody of found property and contacted the owner of the property who came and retrieved their items. The incidents above are not a full recount of police activity, rather a highlight of some of the events that occurred. Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorneys Office and can be amended or dropped.

We are celebrating American Heart Month at PT360 throughout February! We encourage you to exercise often, even if it’s for 10 minutes a day, anything can help make an impact on your heart. Some ideas we have to encourage you to stay healthy this month include: taking one of our classes either in person or online, asking about our salt water aquatic therapy, or reading our newsletter to access healthy recipes. • Sports medicine • Orthopedics • Athletic training • Post-operative care • Custom orthotics • Lyme rehabilitation • Lymphedema/oncology rehabilitation • Post-concussion treatment • Aquatic therapy • Massage and more!

•

Better Together Employee Owned Physical Therapy Cooperative

To schedule an appointment, contact us at: • 426 Industrial Avenue, Suite 190, Williston, VT 05495 802-860-4360 • 80 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 802-657-7990 • 10 Farrell St. Suite 7 ,South Burlington, Vt 05403 (802) 448-9190 • or at 120 Graham Way, Suite 110, Shelburne, VT 05482 802-985-9360 www.pt360coop.com

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February 3, 2022

release dates: Feb. 5-11, 2022

06 (22)

Next Week: Presidents Day

Issue 06, 2022

Founded by Betty Debnam

Valentine’s History

Mini Fact: Teachers receive more Valentine’s Day cards than any other group.

photo by Lynette Horner

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Will you be showering friends and special people in your life with cards, candy, messages or festive gifts? During the years, valentine cards have changed a lot. The Mini Page takes a look at the history of Valentine’s Day this week.

Valentine’s Day

Pope Gelasius established St. Valentine’s Day in the 5th century to celebrate at least two Catholic saints. However, it wasn’t until the 1300s that Valentine’s Day became a symbol of romantic love. A French duke wrote a poem to his wife in 1415, and that is the oldest record of a valentine being sent. People from England brought the idea of exchanging valentines to the United States more than 200 years ago, in the 1700s.

Printed valentines

In the early 1800s, stationery stores sold little machinemade “scraps,” or pieces photo by Tabbi Kat of paper featuring roses, cupids, flowers and beautiful women. People pasted them on paper or paper lace and added their own messages.

Nancy

In the 1840s, before the Civil War, printed valentine cards and other cards assembled in small workshops became very popular. As more people moved to the cities, stationery stores sold valentines in greater numbers.

Be my valentine

In the United States, Valentine’s Day is the second-biggest day for giving greeting cards. (Christmas is the biggest.) About 150 million cards are exchanged every year. This number does not include the packages of valentines used for exchanging in the classroom. In 2020, nearly 27.6 million American households gave Valentine’s Day gifts to their dogs, while cats received gifts from about 17.1 million photo by Wiktoria Fraszczak American households.

Kids’ valentines

Valentines for kids became popular in the early 1900s. Kids often buy their valentines in collections that they pass out to their classmates. Many valentines that are meant to be sent to kids are based on wellknown toys, TV shows, books and movies. What kind of valentine cards will you share this year?

Do you want to get creative for Valentine’s Day? Follow these instructions to make a clever Valentine’s Day greeting. Stick With Me You’ll need: • 2 wrapped sticks of gum • 2 red pipe cleaners • glue • 1 piece of red construction paper What to do: 1. Squeeze glue onto one side of one stick of gum. 2. Lay pipe cleaners on the glue, placing them to make arms and legs. 3. Lay the second piece of gum on the first. Let glue dry. 4. Cut out a red heart for the head. Draw a face on the heart and glue onto the gum. 5. Bend pipe cleaners to position arms and legs. 6. Cut a small piece of paper and write “I’m stuck on you,” “I’ll stick with you” or another friendly greeting. Tape onto one of the hands. 7. Give it to a friend, family member or anyone else who is important to you this Valentine’s Day.

Resources On the Web:

• bit.ly/MPvalentines

At the library:

• “Love Is My Favorite Thing” by Emma Chichester Clark • “The Day It Rained Hearts” by Felicia Bond BY OLIVIA JAIMES

Try ’n’ Find

Mini Jokes

Words that remind us of Valentine’s Day are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: CARDS, CATS, CUPID, DOGS, FEBRUARY, FRIEND, FLOWERS, GREETING, KIDS, LOVE, PAPER, SAINT, SCRAPS, SPECIAL, STATIONERY, SYMBOL, TEACHERS, VALENTINES.

Make a valentine

L O V E D B Z R T U

E F L M I S N S N E

W E A U P R S G I S

L B I S U E C O A D

O R C T C H R D S R

B U E A K C A M S A

M A P T I A P F E C

Y R S I D E S R N X

S Y P O S T P I I F

H Y A N M S O E T L

F K P E K H Q N N O

K I E R T K N D E W

B O R Y Q W I A L E

G R E E T I N G A R

I C A T S D L A V S

Valentina: What do you call the world’s smallest Valentine’s Day card? Victor: A valen-teeny.

photo by Tabbi Kat

of paper featuring roses, cupids, flowers and beautiful women. People pasted them on paper or paper lace and added their own messages.

Chichester Clark • “The Day It Rained Hearts” by Felicia Bond February 3, 2022 • Williston Observer • Page 17

known toys, TV shows, books and movies. What kind of valentine cards will you share this year?

Try ’n’ Find

Mini Jokes

L O V E D B Z R T U

E F L M I S N S N E

W E A U P R S G I S

L B I S U E C O A D

O R C T C H R D S R

B U E A K C A M S A

M A P T I A P F E C

Y R S I D E S R N X

S Y P O S T P I I F

H Y A N M S O E T L

F K P E K H Q N N O

K I E R T K N D E W

B O R Y Q W I A L E

G R E E T I N G A R

Valentina: What do you call the world’s smallest Valentine’s Day card? Victor: A valen-teeny.

I C A T S D L A V S

Eco Note Scientists say they have found evidence that microbes in the soil and sea are evolving to eat plastic. Scientists at Sweden’s Chalmers University say the evolution is occurring most rapidly in places containing the most plastic pollution. The global proliferation of plastic over the past 70 years has given the microbes enough time to evolve and to produce enzymes to degrade different plastics.

Mini Spy Classics

Mini Spy Classics appear in the first issue of each month.

• • • • • •

word MINI bell bird lion snake arrow

• • • • • •

duck fish ring heart ladder book

• • • • • •

pencil seal snail number 7 letter E ruler

In the United Kingdom, as of Jan. 29, flouting a new highway code rule will cost you up to 1,000 pounds, the Mirror reported. The rule requires someone inside a car to open the door with the hand farthest from the door, employing a technique known as the Dutch Reach. In other words, if you’re driving (on the right side of the car), you would use your left hand to reach around and open the car door. (The technique is borrowed from the Netherlands, thus the

name.) Rule 239 reads: “This will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder. You are then more likely to avoid causing injury to cyclists or motorcyclists passing you on the road, or to people on the pavement.” If a person in a car injures someone by opening with the wrong hand, a fine will be levied. Cycling UK estimates that more than 500 people are injured every year by car doors.

When Pigs Swim Veteran surfer Ingrid Seiple

adapted with permission from Earthweek.com

For later: Look in your newspaper for articles about Valentine’s Day.

Teachers:

Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

• exclamation point • kite

News of the Weird

Government at Work

Hey Mini Spy Fans! Order your Mini Spy Booklets (Volumes 1, 2 and 3) with 48 of your favorite puzzles! Visit MiniPageBooks.com, or call 844-426-1256 to order. Just $4 plus $1 shipping.

Mini Spy is giving her mom some chocolate. See if you can find the hidden pictures. Then color the picture.

was catching a wave on Dec. 18 off Oahu, Hawaii, when she saw something floating like a log in the water, KITV reported. She at first thought it was a Hawaiian monk seal, but, she said, “That’s when I realized it was a pig, and it saw me. It started swimming toward me as fast as it could! It was very close and getting closer. I pushed the board between the pig and I and it bit my board.” Seiple thinks the wild boar was chased into the ocean by hunting dogs. “It looked like it had an injury on its face,” she said. Seiple escaped the boar

without harm, but no word on the pig’s condition.

Don’t See That Every Day Motorists on I-59 in Tennessee on Jan. 12 got a closeup look at the world’s largest cast-iron skillet as it made its way on a flatbed truck to the future Lodge Cast Iron Museum in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. The big fry pan measures 18 feet from handle to handle and weighs more than 14,000 pounds, United Press International reported. It will be used outside the museum, which is set to open in late summer. Get your selfie

stick ready!

Just Rewards Mayor Chen Qimai of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, has ordered a clever punishment for people convicted of drunk driving. Oddity Central reported that offenders will have to clean funeral parlors to give them the experience of being close to death. In January, 11 drunk drivers spent hours cleaning a mortuary, refrigeration unit and crematorium. “I had never been close to death, and it felt disturbing,” one offender said. When they were finished, they reportedly expressed their deep remorse and said they wouldn’t drive drunk again.

Page 18 •

Williston Observer

•

February 3, 2022

SENIORS

Home modification tips for ‘aging-in-place’

Dear Savvy Senior, My wife and I would like to make some affordable changes to our home so we can remain living there for as long as possible. Can you recommend some good resources that can help us determine what all we need to consider? Getting Old

Savvy Senior By Jim Miller

Dear Getting, Many older adults, like you and your wife, want to stay living in their own home for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older. Here are some helpful re-

We’re listening. From Green Burial to Pet Memorials, our goal is to provide the services and care you need. To learn more, contact us today. • Burial/Cremation Services • Green Burials • Traditional Funerals • Memorial Services

sources you can turn to, to get an idea of the different types of features and improvements that will make your house safer and more convenient as you grow older. HOME EVALUATION

A good first step in making your home more age-friendly is to do an assessment. Go through your house, room-by-room, looking for problem areas like potential tripping or slipping hazards, as well as areas that are hard to access and difficult to maintain. To help with this, there are several organizations that have aging-in-place checklists that point out potential problems in each area of the home, along with modifications and solutions. For example, Rebuild Together has a two-page “Safe at Home Checklist” that’s created in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Go to www.AOTA.org and search for “Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist.” You also need to get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide.” This excellent, 36-page guide has more than 100 aging-in-place tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or in-

• Pre-arranged Funeral Planning

• Pet Memorials

FUNERAL

CREMATION CENTER

IN-HOME ASSESSMENTS

If you want some personalized help, you can get a professional inhome assessment with an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist, or OT, can evaluate the challenges and shortcomings of your home for aging-in-place, recommend design and modification solutions, and introduce you to products and services to help you make improvements.

To find an OT in your area, check with your physician, health insurance provider or local hospital, or seek recommendations from family and friends. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by your doctor. However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home. Another option is to contact a builder who’s a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). CAPS are home remodelers and design-build professionals who are knowledgeable about aging-in-place home modifications and can suggest ways to modify or remodel your home that will fit your needs and budget. CAPS are generally paid by the hour or receive a flat fee per visit or project. To find a CAPS in your area, visit the National Association of Home Builders website at www. NAHB.org/capsdirectory where you can search by state and city. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Observer not yet arrived?

• Out-of-town & Foreign Services

ELMWOOD-MEUNIER

corporated into designs for a new residence. It explains how a smartly designed or modified home can meet the varied and changing needs of older residents. It also features easy-to-do, low-cost and no-cost fixes that lessen the risk of trips and increase the safety of high-use areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway. In addition, AARP also offers videos and a HomeFit app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a “lifelong home,” free from safety and mobility risks. Visit www.AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide, or to watch the videos.

View the current edition anytime at

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February 3, 2022 •

Williston Observer

•

Page 19

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22

Almanac ANDREWS

MCMEEL

TODAY’S HISTORY: • In 1690, the Massachusetts Colony printed the first American paper currency. • In 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified, prohibiting state and federal governments from denying the right to vote based on race or color. • In 1913, the federal income tax was authorized with the ratification of the 16th Amendment. • In 1959, rock pioneers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. • In 1962, President John Kennedy announced a ban on nearly all trade with Cuba.

Wings are such a classic football snack no matter which team you’re rooting for! For this year’s big game, why not make something everyone already loves but just a little different and more exciting? By changing the sauce on a classic like chicken wings, they become new and enticing again, but still somehow what everyone at the party is expecting. A perfect combo of sweet, spicy, and savory, our recipe for Korean BBQ wings will do just that.

TODAY’S FACT: Norman Rockwell’s body of work is estimated at more than 4,000 original pieces.

Korean BBQ Chicken Wings Ingredients:

Directions:

2 packages Chicken Wings

In a small metal bowl combine the garlic, ginger and scallion.

1 Head garlic, minced

In a small pot heat the canola oil to almost smoking, then pour it over the garlic, scallion, and ginger. They should become very fragrant and lightly cooked, but not browned at all.

1 Bunch scallion, sliced 2 Tbsp ginger, minced 3 Tbsp canola oil 3 Tbsp Gochujang

Add the remaining ingredients except the sesame oil, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Once mixture is combined whisk the toasted sesame oil in slowly to emulsify.

1/4 cup Brown sugar 1-3 Tbsp Siracha (adjust for spiciness) 2 Tbsp Soy sauce 3 Tbsp Oyster sauce 3 Tbsp Toasted sesame oil

Deep fry or roast wings to your liking, then toss them in a bowl with the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and whole cilantro leaves.

1 Tbsp Black and white sesame seeds, mixed, for garnish Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

You’ll Love These Great Deals: Smart Chicken Organic Chicken Party Wings

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Page 20

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Williston Observer

•

February 3, 2022

Family Fun Page

February 3, 2022 • p.m. Create flowers to make a beautiful bouquet.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

YOUTH PROGRAMS Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by a person over 16 years of age. Register for programs online at www.damlvt. org or by calling 878-4918. The library will notify registrants of cancellations or changes.

TO-GO CRAFTS

Available while supplies last: Valentine’s wands (Pre-K to grade 1), bird feeder ornaments (grades 2-6), 3-D paper cactus (grades 7 and up).

INDOOR STORY TIME

Mondays, Feb. 7 and 14, 1010:30 a.m. or 11:30-12 p.m. Come for stories, songs and a craft. Register for either session.

GOLDEN DOME BOOK DISCUSSION

Monday, Feb. 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Grades 4 and up. Meet up to chat about this year’s Golden Dome Award nominees.

TEEN NIGHT ONLINE: CREATIVE PLANNERS

Monday, Feb. 7, 5-6 p.m. Grades 7 and up. Pick up a bullet journal from the library, then join us on Zoom to share ideas.

STORY TIME ON THE GREEN

Tuesdays, Feb. 8 and 15, 1010:30 a.m. Bundle up for outdoor stories, rhymes and songs. Register once for all sessions.

AFTER-SCHOOL MOVIE: “POKÉMAN DETECTIVE PIKACHU”

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. Grades K and up. A wisecracking Pokémon sleuth is on the case. (Rated PG, 1 hour 44 minutes.)

PRESCHOOL MUSIC

Thursdays, Feb. 10 and 17, 10:3011 a.m. Sing along with musician Linda Bassick. Registration required.

ONLINE GUIDED MEDITATION

Online programs are held via Zoom. Email programs@damlvt. org or call 878-4918 to receive an invitation, unless online registration is specified. The library will notify registrants of cancellations or changes.

ADULT CRAFT KIT: PINE CONE OWLS

Pick up a kit to make an adorable shelf-sitter, while supplies last.

WINTER READING CHALLENGE

BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK

Fridays, Feb. 4 and 11, 12-12:30 p.m. Maryellen Crangle leads a short Zoom meditation.

MAH-JONGG

Friday, Feb. 4, 1-3 p.m. Play at the library with other community members. All levels welcome.

CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 10:30 a.m.12 p.m. Meet online to discuss newsworthy topics.

SPANISH CONVERSATION MEETUP

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 4-5 p.m. Join our online guided conversation en Español. All levels welcome. Register at www.damlvt.org.

Bundle up for savings

Thursday, Feb. 10, 3-4 p.m. Build with the library’s LEGOs.

AFTER-SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 5:30-6:30

Tuesday, Feb. 15, 12-1 p.m. Join us online to discuss “The Social Animal” by David Brooks. Available as an eBook in LUV/Overdrive or in print from the library.

AFTER-HOURS BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 6:307:30 p.m. Join us online to discuss “The Greater Journey” by David McCullough. Available in print from the library or as an eAudiobook on Hoopla.

BROWN BAG BOOK DISCUSSION

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 12:30-1:30. Join us online to discuss “A Burning” by Megha Majumdar. Available as an eBook or eAudiobook in LUV/ Overdrive or in print from the library.

• Protection of assets without spending all down to qualify for Medicaid • Wills & Living Trusts • Assistance with Medicaid Applications

When you choose Allstate to protect what matters most, you get an expert agent who will make it easy for you to save. Like with bundling your insurance. It’s the simplest way for you to save time and money, while getting protection for the things that matter most. Stop by or call today and let’s get you bundled up.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN (ZOOM PROGRAM)

FAMILY FUN NIGHT: PAPER FLOWERS

NEW PERSPECTIVES BOOK DISCUSSION

What we do:

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2-3 p.m. Grades 3 and up. Have fun with hands-on STEAM activities.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS

Page 21

Peace of mind for families and loved ones

LEGO TIME

Thursday, Feb. 17, 4-5 p.m. Make something yummy with a Hannaford Dietitian. Grades 1-5 with a caregiver. Register to receive the recipe and an invitation.

•

Estate Planning, Elder Law & Medicaid Planning

The Coburn Agency 802-658-7800

1134 South Brownell Rd. Williston, VT 05495 michaelcoburn@allstate.com

Ellen B. LaPlante, Esq. Stephen A. Unsworth, Esq. Wendy S Hillmuth, Esq.

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The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is open for in-person service during the following hours: • Monday/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 place holds, apply for a card, renew materials, get programming updates and access digital offerings. Public wifi is available 24/7 from the patio. Ages 2 and up must wear a mask inside the building.

Stop in and take a chance with one of our “blind date” books. Through Feb. 12, while supplies last.

Williston Observer

Members of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys & National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.

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Page 22 •

Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

OBITUARIES Raymond William Newman

great-grandchildren. Raymond served in the US Air Force as a Military Policeman and

Services Coordinator Join our team of professionals providing case management for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. In this position you will work with individuals to create and realize goals while supporting them in maintaining a safe and healthy lifestyle. Compensation package is $45k annually plus mileage and on call stipend; and includes affordable health insurance, paid time off plus 12 paid holidays, retirement match, dental plan and so much more. In addition, CCS has been voted as one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont for three years in a row. Continue your career in human services in a compassionate & fun environment. Join us today and make a career making a difference.

worked as a Facilities Maintenance Technician for IBM Essex Junction for over 28 years. Raymond was a dedicated member of the St. John Vianney Knights of Columbus Council 7525. His hobby and passion was time spent with his precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be loved and missed dearly. The family will have a private funeral at the St. George Cemetery. Memorial donations may be sent to Knights of Columbus, St. John Vianney Council 7525,160 Hinesburg Road, So. Burlington, VT 05403. Our family would like to express our deepest gratitude for the loving care given by South Harbor Assisted Living, Bayada Hospice and Green Mountain Nursing. Arrangements are in care of Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant Street, Essex Junction, VT.

To the profound sorrow of those who loved him, Matthew Alexander died on December 27, 2021. Born Matthew Jacob Noury in Barre, Vermont on May 18, 1987, Matt soon found his way into the hearts of many. He made his home with Debra Alexander for many years before proudly celebrating becoming an official member of the Alexander family on his adoption day, April 8, 1999. He loved fishing, kayaking, football, basketball and bounding into the swamp to catch the best frog for racing in the Williston Fourth of July Leap Frog contest. His pride in overcoming his fear of the water and learning to swim was only surpassed by the pride of those who celebrated that accomplishment with him. Among his “Kodak moments” was a trip to Disney World with his Mom Debbie and his siblings

SUDUKO SOLUTION

Raymond William Newman, 95, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2022. Raymond was born in Brooklyn, NY to Charles and Elizabeth Newman (Keyes) and was happily married to Beverly Ann Newman (Merriam) for over 67 years. Raymond is survived by his wife Beverly, children; Robert and Lynn Newman of Underhill, Kevin Newman of St. George, Deborah and David Russell of Milton, Craig and Julia Newman of Alvin, TX, seven grandchildren and eight

Matthew Jacob Alexander

Send resume to Karen Ciechanowicz at staff@ccs-vt.org ccs-vt.org EOE

and grandmother. One of the highlights of that trip was the opportunity to “put the pedal to the metal” driving a race car. In keeping with his adventurous spirit, Matt (now known as Zander to many) tried his hand at flying a plane and built his own kayak, using it to traverse many miles on Lake Champlain. A hard-earned milestone was the day that Matt graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School in June of 2006. Job well done! Matt’s family remembers with a grateful heart those who provided support and guidance along the way. Matt is survived by numerous family members and friends and was predeceased by several others, including his grandmother Dorothy, with whom he is now reunited. Those who knew Matt are invited to spend some time in private, remembering moments spent with him and sending his spirit off with love. The family also invites you to share your memories and condolences by visiting www.awrfh.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

CROSSWORD SOLUTION PUZZLE FOUND ON PAGE 19

LEGAL TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA Tuesday, February 8, 2022 – 7:00 PM Town Hall Meeting Room, (7900 Williston Road) or

Shared Living Provider Provide an accessible home for an easy-going 38-yearold, gentleman who enjoys being part of a dynamic household. This individual has a comprehensive team, strong family support, along with respite and weekday supports. The ideal provider will have strong interpersonal communication and personal care skills as all aspects of ADL’s will be provided. This position includes a comprehensive training package, tax-free stipend and a handicap accessible van for transportation. Contact Jennifer Wolcott at: jwolcott@ccs-vt.org or 802-655-0511 x 118 for more information ccs-vt.org EOE

Zoom Meeting ID 864 8114 4825 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656 Due to COVID-19, virtual participation on Zoom is strongly encouraged. Masks required indoors. HP 22-01 Andrew and Angie Conforti request a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace the windows at 23 Old Stage Road located in the Additional Review Area of the VZD. DP 10-34.5 (Changed from DP 22-05) Chittenden Solid Waste District c/o Sarah Reeves (Executive Director) requests pre-application review of a proposed access and scale house for the Organic Diversion Facility including an access road with scale, conversion of a residential home to a scale house, parking area, utilities and stormwater system located at 860 Redmond Road in the IZDE. Project details and site plans are available online, go to bit.ly/DRBagendas. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org

52 Consecutive Weeks $18.00/week $936 February 3, 2022 •

Williston Observer

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Page 23

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Page 24 •

Williston Observer

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February 3, 2022

OBITUARIES John James Burns John James Burns, 90 of Burlington/Colchester, VT and Vero Beach, FL passed away January 13, 2022 in Vero Beach, FL. Born May 19, 1931 to John Burns, Sr. and Isabelle McAuliffe Burns in Burlington, Vermont, he graduated from Cathedral High School in 1949, served as a drill Sgt. in the U.S. Marines at Parris Island and graduated from University of Vermont. He married the love of his life, Joan McKenzie, May 11, 1951 in Burlington, Vermont and together raised their eight children in Burlington. John was a Claims Adjuster for Travelers Insurance until he retired. He served on the Burlington, VT Police Commission, and was active in the North End (Burlington) Little League and Burlington High School Boosters. To know John Burns was to know a man who loved to spend time with Joan walking, skiing, golfing, travelling, gambling, boating and lake adventuring, enjoying Vermont and Florida, and most importantly spending time with family. Having bought one of the first camps in the Sand Dunes in Colchester, VT, John has been a presence there for over 65 years. He loved to be on Lake Champlain. John adored fishing, hunting, and spending time at the beloved Blarney Castle in the mountains. John never met a dog he didn’t want to hug. He built a sense of family with Joan, that has forever bonded the family with many annual family gatherings where love, laughter, stories, and a good dose of joking have been the tradition. His unforgettable presence will be dearly missed. John was predeceased by his mother and father of Burlington, VT. He is survived by his wife Joan (McKenzie), children Stephen and Valerie Burns of Williston, VT, Barbara Burns Maynard of Waterbury Center, VT, Ju-

lie Burns of Montpelier, VT, Linda and Tim Riley of Colchester, VT, Thomas and Wendy Burns of Colchester, VT, Catherine Peltier of Burlington, VT, Robert Burns of Colchester, VT, William and Maria Burns of Colchester, VT, daughter in-law Jerri Burns of Colchester, VT; ten grandchildren; Chris Burns and Jessica Restivo, Merrie-Beth Cleary, Stephen Maynard, Megan Jacob, Michael Riley, Heather Chandler, Tim, Sean and Colin Burns, sixteen great-grandchildren and counting, Aiden and Thomas Burns, Luca, Ava and Isla Restivo, Addison, Brynnleigh, Emerson and Sutton Cleary, Brady and Kinley Jacob, Aubrie and Kenzie Riley, Cam and Cole Chandler, Chase Burns, his special friend Glen Critchlow, who he met in first grade and were together through grammar school, high school and the Marines. Services are to be arranged in Vermont at the family’s convenience in summer 2022. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John’s memory be made to the charity of your choice.

Daniel A. Novembrino Daniel A. Novembrino, 84, of Williston, Vermont, passed away January 13, 2022. He was born April 17, 1937, to Eliso and Mary Novembrino of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dan served in the United States Air Force for four years on active duty, and four years in reserve, obtaining the rank of A1C airman first class. Following his service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, graduating from the University of Scranton in 1963. He went on to work for the United States Internal Revenue Service for over 40 years, retiring as an Appeals Officer. In 1964, Dan married Alice Williams, and moved to Vermont. As a devout Catholic, he was very active in both his church and his community. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was ever present at church events, cooking dinners, providing transportation for disabled persons, and helping with the work of the cemetery committee. He served as a treasurer for the library in Underhill, Vermont, and coached Little League baseball there. In addition to his church and community service, Dan enjoyed cooking, gardening, listening to music, watching old westerns on TV, and traveling. He was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, and an avid fan of the New England Patriots. Most of all, he enjoyed caring for his wife, and spending time with friends

and family. Dan will be deeply missed by everyone whose life he blessed with his humor, kindness, and generous spirit. Dan is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Alice (Williams) Novembrino, his son Eliso Novembrino, his daughter Lucy Newton, and his son Mark Novembrino and his wife Joanna. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his half siblings Richard Novembrino, Vito Novembrino, and Elsie Fazio. A memorial service is pending for spring, 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Knights of Columbus Rosary Council 4684, PO Box 71, Richmond, VT 05477.

Dorothy Dickinson Darling It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dorothy Dickinson Darling on January 16, 2022. Dorothy was born in Bellows Falls, Vt. on January 7, 1921, daughter of George and Marjorie (Lovell) Dickinson. She graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1928 and from the University of Vermont in 1942. While at UVM she met Raymond Darling and they were married on December 19, 1942. While Ray was overseas during WWII, Dorothy worked for Walter Kidde & Co. until their first child was born in 1945. When Ray returned from serving in Italy and the Philippines in 1946, they moved to Burlington where they raised their four children. Dorothy was always active in her church and community affairs, especially the Red Cross and PTA groups as her children grew up. In 1965 she went to work part-time in the office of St. Paul’s Cathedral and soon became full-time Parish Secretary. She served in that role for twenty years until she retired in 1985. After her retirement she became very active in Cathedral and Diocesan activities, including serving as Junior and Senior Warden, a member of several Search committees, Chairman of the Bazaar, Chairman of the Wreath Committee, and Clerk for the Diocesan Convention for many years. She is predeceased by Raymond, her husband of 80 years, and survived by their four children: Dee (Thomas) Mitchell of Mason, NH; Ray, Jr. (Ann) of Vero Beach, FL; Susan

(Brian) Becker of Vero Beach, FL; and Carolyn (John) Boone of Edmonds, WA, along with her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She is also predeceased by her five sisters and two brothers. The family would like to express their deep appreciation to UVM Home Health & Hospice, especially Sarah Kennedy, Kacey Sonia & Nancy Carlson, for their wonderfully loving care and support during her final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts in her honor be made to St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05401. A celebration of her life was held on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, at 9:30 AM.

Susie Hennessy

We lost our beloved Susie on January 22, 2022 from complications of MSA (Multiple System Atrophy), a devastating, degenerative neurological disorder. Susie was born on June 8, 1961 to Joseph and Dorothy Hennessy, in Plattsburgh, NY. She had an idyllic childhood with her siblings Nora, Lisa, and Larry with whom she had many childhood adventures. Susie played high school basketball at Plattsburgh High School and was awarded a basketball scholarship to Union College. She then went on to Buffalo State to earn a degree in graphic design. But her true calling was as a mom to her sons, Andrew and Mikey, and then later to her daughters, Emily and Hannah, as her blended family with her spouse, Margaret flourished. She found her professional calling when she got her nursing degree from the University of Vermont in 1996. She worked as a Visiting Nurse and Nurse Manager at UVM Home Health and Hospice (VNA), and then at UVMMC as a Nurse Case Manager. She made many lasting friendships from both places and was a role model for new nurses, imparting her wisdom and compassion. She was smart, funny, fiercely competitive, and generous to a fault. She ran seven marathons, the crowning achievement being the qualifying and running of the Boston Marathon at age 40. She was immensely proud of this achievement. She loved cooking, dancing, a good glass of rose or a gin martini, traveling, playing blackjack, and generally living every day to its fullest. She especially enjoyed taking monthly trips to the casino with her special gambling friends. Most of all she loved her family and loved nothing more than cooking a special meal for

them celebrating holidays, playing games, and just being in their company having lively conversations. She is survived by her spouse Margaret Pickett, sons Andrew (Stacy) Staples and Mikey Staples, daughters Emily Pickett and Hannah Pickett, treasured grandsons, Aaron Brock and Owen Brock, siblings Nora (Keith) Smith, Lisa (Tony) Italiano, and Larry Hennessy, nieces Nicole Hennessy, Danielle (Henry) Poburka, and Josie Hennessy, precious grand-nephews Henry Poburka and Charlie Poburka, nephew Sean (Amy) Lanigan, and many close and cherished friends. She was predeceased by her parents and sister-in-law, Joanna Hennessy. Susie will be in our hearts forever. It will be hard to forget someone who gave us so much to remember. A life, so well lived, deserves a special observance — Saturday, January 29th, at St John’s Club, Burlington, from 11 am to 3 pm.