Williston Observer 11/17/2022

Handling high drivers in the retail cannabis era

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Vermont’s retail cannabis mar ket is just weeks old, and if other states where shops have been open for years are an indication, Ver mont’s roads are about to get more hazardous.

According to St. Michael’s College psychology professor Ari Kirshenbaum, data from ear ly adopting states Colorado and Washington show an increase in car crashes after cannabis shops opened. Kirshenbaum has studied the effects of cannabis impairment and developed a mobile app with a National Science Foundation grant that illustrates how cannabis con sumption affects driving ability.

“I want it to become as taboo to smoke and drive as it is to drink and drive,” he said during a presen tation of his research at the college earlier this month.

But for law enforcement try ing to hold people accountable and create a deterrence to driving high, there isn’t as reliable a detec tion tool as there is for drinking and driving. Devices that mea sure blood-alcohol content (BAC) add strong evidence to underpin driving under the influence (DUI) charges. There are no reliable breath, saliva or blood tests to de tect cannabis impairment, Kir shenbaum said.

“There will be no BAC for THC — not now, not ever,” he said. “We have no ability to really detect it at roadside.”

Without “breathalyzer”-style see CANNABIS page 2

Beckett

bench dedicated

BY SUSAN COTE Observer staff

It is perhaps fitting that each year Veterans Day shortly pre cedes Thanksgiving. As we enter a season of gratitude, we remem

Gridiron glory

Veterans’ service honored

ber all those who serve or have served to defend our country. Our veterans come from every ethnic, gender and socioeconomic group and include those native born and those who arrived as immigrants. They have in common their will ingness to protect our democratic nation in peace and in times of conflict.

In our town of Williston, there is a small park that sits between Town Hall and the Town Hall Annex. It features a star-shaped granite war memorial fronted by a patio, which is gradually being filled with bricks inscribed with the names of veterans honored by families and friends.

This Veterans Day, four new

bricks were in place to honor vet erans Troy Lee O’Brien, Maxine Rosenthal, Kenneth C. Schaef fler and Arthur F. Tuthill. An observance hosted by the Willis ton-Richmond Rotary Club last Friday recognized those veterans and 31 others whose names are currently represented in the patio.

One of those bricks is dedicat

ed to Deb Beckett — Vermont Na tional Guard veteran, former town clerk and longtime Rotary mem ber. Beckett, who succumbed in 2020 to complications from can cer she developed after exposure to toxic burn pits during her two tours in Iraq, was honored at the event this year with a new granite

VETERANS

Deb

CVU football players celebrate the school’s first-ever state football championship Saturday in Rutland after the Redhawks defeated Middlebury with a last-second goal line stand. For more from the game, see page 20. CVU’s girls soccer team also took home a state title over the weekend (see page 21).

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL LAMONTAGNE/VTSPORTSIMAGES.COM

‘We have no ability to detect it at roadside’

detection technology, police are left with observational protocols such as pupil dila tion, eyelid tremors, blood pressure and bal ance tests to underpin what they call “DUIdrugs” charges. Officers spend weeks of training on these methods to become “drug recognition experts” (DREs).

The Williston Police Department has two trained DREs on staff — Officer Matt Cohen and Officer Brad Miller — accord ing to Lt. Josh Moore. When a driver is stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, either Cohen or Miller is called in to evaluate the suspect. If they aren’t available, a call for a DRE from a neighboring department is put out.

“If somebody is under the suspicion of DUI-drugs and that person does not pass roadside testing, that person is brought back to our office and Brad or Matt go through their DRE exam,” Moore ex plained. “If you’re not a DRE, there are a lot of things that a typical officer is not trained in. There’s a reason these folks are considered experts in that field. They are really versed in it, and they can usu ally pinpoint what kind of a narcotic an individual is on just based on their eval uation.”

Moore is not sure whether the retail

cannabis market will lead to increased im paired driving. Already this year, DUI ar rests in Williston — both for alcohol and drug impairment — have spiked signifi cantly, he said. As of Nov. 1, the department has more than doubled the number of DUI arrests it’s made compared to all of 2021 (76 so far this year; 31 in 2021). This year’s amount is also, in 10 months, ahead of all of 2020 (52 DUI arrests).

feeling of intoxication wears off. Impair ment includes slower reaction time, de creased attention span, decreased road- and lane-tracking ability (e.g., following curves and staying in lanes) and increased risk-tak ing. He said someone under the influence of cannabis is 2-to-6 times more likely to be in a car crash than a sober driver, which is not as drastic as alcohol impairment, when a driver is 6-to-13 times more likely to crash, he said.

Kirshenbaum noted that there is a dan gerous perception that it’s OK to drive while high. And with the new retail mar ket, there is a lack of understanding about the different THC concentrations in differ ent products. There are also more inexpe rienced users — new and returning users coming into the market now that the drug is easier to obtain.

Kirshenbaum said people start to think they are OK to drive about 90 minutes after cannabis consumption. He advises people to wait five hours.

Community tree lighting set for Dec. 4

The annual Williston Community Tree Lighting is scheduled for 4:305:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Town Gazebo in the village.

“That could be due to us having more officers on staff,” Moore said. “We’re final ly fully staffed so there’s more officers on the road.”

According to Kirshenbaum’s research, cannabis impairment lasts up to five hours after consumption and can persist after the

“Initially, 30 minutes after smoking, people understand that they shouldn’t be driving,” he said. “But something happens in that time after you’ve used, and maybe you’re not feeling as intoxicated anymore. I call that the danger zone. Impairment per sists longer than intoxication does.”

Sponsored by the Williston Feder ated Church and the Williston-Rich mond Rotary Club, the event will include the lighting of the tree, Christ mas carol singalongs, cookies and hot cocoa. The SD Ireland holiday truck will be on hand.

Attendees are asked to bring a do nation of new hats, mittens, gloves or socks for the Williston Community Food Shelf.

“There’s a reason these folks are considered experts in that field …

They can usually pinpoint what kind of a narcotic an individual is on just based on their evaluation.”

Lt. Josh Moore Williston Police Department

bench donated by the Rotary Club.

Daughter Ellie Beckett spoke of her mother’s life of service to the Guard and to the town, including her role on Election Day, describing it as “something quite akin to her personal Superbowl.

“Mom took a lot of pride in overseeing the elections each year and relished the opportunity to help community members exercise their civic duty. This would have been a good week for her.”

She also thanked community members for donating to the Staff Sergeant Debo rah Beckett Memorial Fund for Burn Pits 360, an organization dedicated to assisting veterans suffering the effects of toxic ex posures. The nonprofit was instrumental in

getting the PACT Act — a law expanding health care benefits and who is entitled to coverage — passed earlier this year on a bipartisan basis by Congress.

“While it doesn’t take away the inevi table health consequences, pain and lives cut short due to the U.S. Military’s use of toxic burn pits, (the PACT Act) does mean that those struggling with health issues due to exposure will not have the sig nificant burden of their health care costs weighing them down when they should be focused on their families and health,” said Beckett.

Other event speakers included Rev. Kimberly Hornung-Marcy, who gave the invocation; Rotary Club President Sal ly Stockwell-Metro; Rotary Club mem ber Phil Stevens; Navy veteran Charlie Magill; and Town Manager Erik Wells.

Ways to support and honor veterans

BRICKS TO HONOR VETERANS

Those interested in recognizing a vet eran with an inscribed brick installed at the town war memorial may contact the Rotary Club at RotaryClubofWilliston VT@gmail.com.

VERMONT VETS TOWN HALL

Participate as a speaker or listener at town hall events aimed at increasing understanding between veterans and non-veterans. Online at www.vtvetstown hall.org.

BURN PIT EXPOSURE

Visit www.BurnPits360.org to learn more about how the use of burn pits has affected those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and to donate.

WARRIORS S.O.A.R.

Support Warriors S.O.A.R. (Support, Outreach, Assistance and Recovery), an organization based in Shelburne whose mission is to assist in the healing and rein tegration of wounded veterans. Online at www.WarriorsSOAR.org.

The

COUNTER CLOCKWISE from top right: Rev. Kimberly Hornung-Marcy, center, offers the invocation for Williston’s Veterans Day observance last Friday, while Williston-Richmond Rotary Club President Sally Stockwell-Metro, left, and former Town Manager Rick McGuire look on. Stockwell-Metro unveils a memorial bench dedicated to veteran and longtime town employee, Deb Beckett.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY SUSAN COTE

children of Deb Beckett, Sean and Ellie Beckett, sit on the newly installed bench dedicated to their mother, which faces the war memorial located in the small park between Town Hall and the Town Hall Annex. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO BY SALLY STOCKWELL-METRO

‘Shelters aren’t the answer’

into permanent solutions.

“Shelters aren’t the answer,” Farrell said in an interview. “Housing is the answer.”

BY PATRICK CROWLEY VTDigger

Jonathan Farrell admits that the name of the organization he is about to lead creates a miscon ception.

The Committee on Tempo rary Shelter, a Burlington-based agency focused on helping peo ple experiencing homelessness, has grown since its founding in 1982, Farrell said. The work it does has evolved beyond the “temporary” part of its name

Farrell, who has worked at COTS for 11 years, takes over as executive director this week, replacing longtime director Rita Markley, who announced she was retiring earlier this year.

Markley said COTS conduct ed an external search, and Far rell, who most recently served as director of facilities and opera tions, emerged as the best can didate.

“It makes it a lot easier for me to leave this organization I’ve loved and built for 30 years,

knowing that someone with his experience and his heart and his talent will be stepping into my former role,” Markley said.

In addition to Farrell’s mana gerial experience, Markley said, “he also has a deep understand ing of the people who need us, and that’s invaluable.”

The organization provides emergency shelter for individ uals and families, permanent housing and services to help those experiencing homeless ness find and keep their housing.

“It’s a pivotal moment for COTS,” Farrell said. “It’s a lead ership change after a long ten ure, which in and of itself can be a challenge for any agency or organization. And we’re fac ing a lot of new pressures in the community that we haven’t seen before.”

Farrell will take over at a crucial point in the fight against homelessness in Burlington. Mayor Miro Weinberger has detailed a plan to “end chronic homelessness,” and as part of that, the city is planning to open a community of “pod” shelters by the end of November, provid ing temporary housing for up to 40 people. Champlain Housing Trust will run the pods, current ly under construction on Elm wood Avenue.

Farrell said he is looking at ways that COTS can help sup port people who move into the pods, which could include mak ing referrals to the organization’s Waystation, an emergency over night shelter. He also suggest ed members of the COTS team could assist people living in the pods to find permanent housing.

Beyond the housing crisis, Farrell cited other challenges, noting that mental health and substance use disorder have been growing problems during his time at COTS. Farrell said in particular he observed an uptick of people with opioid addictions that “become so severe so quick ly, which is very different.”

But he said that COTS, which focuses on housing, can’t solve those issues alone. It partners with other agencies, such as the Howard Center, to provide help when needed to “see that there’s hope and there’s people who care.”

Farrell grew up in the Phila delphia area, he said, and came

Jonathan Farrell, the new executive director of the Committee on Temporary Shelter in Burlington, sits in his office last Wednesday.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

to Vermont after falling in love with the state during a camping trip to Groton State Forest.

“Back then,” he said, “I had a small car, a little snowboard, a dog and a girlfriend and I fig ured that was a good time to move.”

Before joining COTS, Farrell had been working in architec tural salvage. COTS at that time was seeking someone “entre preneurial” to grow its Housing Resource Center, a service that helps move people experiencing homelessness into housing.

Following his work to ex pand the housing programs, Far rell took on the new position of director of facilities and opera tions. He oversaw COTS’ move to its renovated headquarters on North Avenue and its work on a housing development expected to break ground soon. That proj ect, to be located behind a fami ly shelter on Main Street, would create 16 units of housing.

To further expand its perma nent housing offerings, COTS will need to take a “multi ple-pronged approach,” Farrell said, including both new con struction and making “inroads to existing housing” through partnerships with landlords.

Farrell has a background in historic preservation and served on the board for Preservation Burlington.

Rebekah Mott, COTS’ direc tor of development and commu nications, cited his role in mak ing many of COTS’ facilities well-integrated with their sur rounding neighborhoods. Mott said that is particularly import ant when considering a family shelter where a child might feel stigmatized for being in a shel ter.

When asked about the future of COTS, Farrell said he doesn’t plan to go it alone.

“It’s not all my vision,” Far rell said. “We really want to get a lot of input from our staff to see what we’re missing.”

That staff will soon be saying goodbye to Markley, who Farrell said has been a great leader and a mentor for him.

“I’ve learned so much from Rita,” Farrell said. “And one of my hopes is that I can also be that kind of mentor and role model for our staff moving for ward.”

GlobalFoundries warns employees of job cuts

BY FRED THYS VTDigger

GlobalFoundries, the multi national company that owns a gi ant semiconductor plant in Essex Junction, sent a memo last week to employees around the world warning that it intends to reduce its workforce.

“Based on the current micro economic environment, we are taking a very disciplined, pro active approach to contain costs, and, like many in our industry and across the technology sector, we too are initiating a hiring freeze and taking a set of focused actions to selectively reduce our work force,” GlobalFoundries spokes person Gina DeRossi said.

DeRossi cited “rapidly devel

oping uncertainties in the global economy,” including inflation, el evated energy costs and rapid in

at the Essex Junction plant would be affected.

The company is the largest pri

GlobalFoundries recently se cured $30 million in federal fund ing to accelerate development in Essex Junction of semiconductors that would allow devices to con nect more quickly to the internet and power electric vehicles.

terest rate increases. She said the company would not disclose any additional details at this time.

It is not clear if any of the more than 2,000 employees who work

Gina DeRossi GlobalFoundries spokesperson

vate employer in Vermont, accord ing to the Essex Junction plant’s general manager, Ken McAvey. It also has factories in New York, Germany and Singapore.

Last week, before warning em ployees of job cuts, GlobalFound ries announced that it would cut costs by $100 million next year and another $100 million after that in anticipation of a global decline in demand for semiconductors as the world economy slows down.

The Vermont Public Utili ty Commission recently granted GlobalFoundries permission to set up its own electric utility that would sell power directly to the Essex Junction plant as the com pany seeks to cut energy costs.

“Based on the current microeconomic environment, we are taking a very disciplined, proactive approach to contain costs … We too are initiating a hiring freeze and taking a set of focused actions to selectively reduce our workforce.”

Improving school facilities with solidarity in mind

BY ELIJAH HAWKES

When I was a principal, I used to receive big, glossy pur chasing catalogs in my mailbox. It wasn’t my area of expertise, but I was always interested in the furniture and facilities cata logs  —  because how you design a space has a big impact on how people behave in the space.

I’ve been thinking of this re cently as it relates to discussions about locker rooms and students of diverse identities. The compa nies that design locker rooms are thinking about this too,  as well as other ways to improve the learning environment.

In one extensive online cat alog called “SchoolFix” you’ll find a little of everything, from

“must-have” equipment “to prevent break-ins” to bulletin boards with “professional fit and finish.” You can also find this guidance about inclusivity: “It’s more important than ever that locker rooms be designed with inclusiveness in mind,” includ ing more privacy for bathrooms and changing rooms. The cata log rightly notes, “Schools need to make sure that all groups of students feel safe and secure no matter where they are on cam pus, especially locker rooms.”

Locker rooms are just one of many areas where facilities need to catch up with current expec tations and norms. Many locker rooms haven’t even caught up to the norms of past decades. Very few kids used the group show ers when I was in high school in the early 1990s. But then, as now, many locker rooms have just a few simple sections: the big locker area, the big group shower, and the bathroom stalls with doors that don’t allow full privacy.

Whether it was generations ago or today, no matter the grade level or identity, young peo ple expect more privacy when it comes to changing in locker rooms and using bathrooms.

Some Vermont schools work ing on matters of gender inclu

sivity and common spaces have been targeted by national media that tell flawed and incomplete stories, increasing local feelings of derision and division. But even school communities not in the national spotlight are bound to experience strong emotions when it comes to such topics.

School officials may be sim ply following state regulations, but local communities can still become divided. Focusing cer

And a solidarity dividend awaits us, because centering the needs of the vulnerable is often the best way to meet the needs of all. This is the case wheth er we’re talking about school meals, reading instruction, cul turally relevant teaching, or upgrading school facilities for all-gender inclusivity.

Students will be grateful if we consider other facilities up grades while we’re at it, such as water fountains that just trick le, dark parking lots that need lighting, and those south-facing classrooms that swelter in the spring without air conditioning. Teachers and paraprofessionals will appreciate such improve ments, too.

tain discussions on improv ing school facilities could be a productive way of channeling people’s thoughts about locker rooms, access and privacy.

I’m not saying we should avoid important conversations  —  and listening sessions  —  that affirm the humanity of queer and trans students. They deserve ac ceptance, love, and  —  as people in our communities targeted for harm  —  they deserve support and protection, too.

Intentionally seeking com mon ground is important in a polarized time. Investments in public infrastructure, like im proving school facilities, can be a way to work toward solidarity and to create healthy learning and living environments for ev ery child in town.

Elijah Hawkes is the director of school leadership programs at the Upper Valley Educators Institute and author of “Woke Is Not Enough: School Reform for Leaders With Justice in Mind.” He lives in Middlesex.

so that we can verify the letter’s author.

Centering the needs of the vulnerable is often the best way to meet the needs of all.

plan’ process has no benefit, substantially

We would like to thank the Williston Observer for its cov erage of the plan to develop the Glaser property (“Glasers pro pose 100 homes,” Nov. 3). It has been informative and illuminat ing for the residents of our town.

The decision to consider a specific plan process for the de velopment of this property at the corner of Mountain View and Old Stage roads has no benefit for Williston in the long-term.

Williston’s residential growth has benefited from care ful and gradual planning. This has allowed for feedback, con sideration of impact and the ability to adapt. The proposed process not only shrinks the time for considered growth, but also pushes developments that contain problematic elements, including traffic flow, road in frastructure and low to no af fordable housing. This is even

as other currently planned and approved developments have had to go through substantially more complex processes.

In essence, the specific plan process sets a precedent to un necessarily weaken the town’s tested growth management method with limited opportuni ties for public input.

As anyone who uses Route 2 and Route 2A knows, Mountain View, North Williston, and/or Old Stage roads have high traf fic volumes. Adding 100 homes concurrently to over 200 homes already approved nearby will probably overload these roads’ ability to conduct and support even higher traffic.

Residents whose children or relatives attend our public schools know the extensive ef forts being made to meet staff ing and space requirements for learning. A rapid increase in student population, as opposed to a gradual increase, could dis rupt the school system in an en during way.

While we do not oppose fur ther growth in Williston, jetti soning the current regulations and measured development pace will not allow for smart growth that is inclusive of a wide range of future residents.

Chris Sedic-Lawton Secretary Heritage Meadows Homeowners’ Association Board

A caring community

What a gift of community and care we have in Williston.

The Williston Federated Church coordinated a Thanks giving Food Drive, and we would like to thank all of those who made it a success. Togeth er we provided 35 area fami lies with food for Thanksgiving Day, including gift cards and food for the week that kids are on vacation. On top of that, we delivered 200 pounds of food to the Williston Community Food Shelf.

Members of the church, in cluding the youth group and members of the local Scout troop #692, received, sorted and pack aged the hundreds and hundreds of pounds of donated food.

We would like to thank Han naford and Healthy Living for donating reusable grocery bags. We would like to thank the Wil liston elementary schools for receiving and distributing the bags of food. And we want to thank all who provided support in the community-wide effort. It took all of us! Bless you and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Gary Lewis Williston Federated Church

Campaign gratitude

Thank you, Williston, for allowing me to campaign to be your representative in the Ver mont House. Thank you for your consideration and your votes. Though I am disappointed by

the outcome, I truly appreciated the opportunity to hear from so many of you over the past weeks.

My intent in running was to offer a change and a choice to Williston voters, I believe I did that. The most respectful and honorable voice is your vote. The town has spoken and I accept and respect the results. My thanks to everyone who voted.

Special thanks to Town Clerk Sarah Mason, the town clerk staff and the many Election Day volunteers who made voting a smooth and friendly operation.

I am proud of the campaign we ran, and I am so very grate ful for my many supporters and volunteers who gave of their pre cious time and financial support.

My congratulations to Erin Brady and Angela Arsenault on their win. I truly appreciate the civility and respect that was ev ident throughout the campaign. Best of luck to you both in Mont pelier.

Bruce Roy Williston

in

MaxMara Halston Shoshanna Hutch Soia &Kyo Alice & Olivia Brochu Walker Joseph Ribkoff Monique L'hullier Mac Duggal

Pay as you throw

Residential waste hauler rewards sustainability

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

A new Williston company is taking a com post-first approach to residential waste man agement, and in the process giving people an incentive to reduce their landfill-bound trash.

Curb Resource Collection was launched in October with a waste hauling truck and a business model that rewards sustainability. Kristen and Tommy Lyga, a Williston cou ple, co-founded Curb with their friends from Hinesburg, Brian Somers and Anna Stuart.

A weekly, bi-weekly or monthly compost (food scrap) collection is included with every subscription on a flat fee. Recycling pickup is also charged on a flat fee. Trash pickup, how ever, is charged on a per-bag basis. Residents purchase Curb’s stickers to place on their bags bound for the landfill, paying $3 per bag. The less trash, the lower the cost.

Curb also offers compost-only plans. The service is available to homes in Wil liston, South Burlington, Burlington and some of Shelburne.

“The pay-as-you-throw model changes your mindset,” explained Somers, who start ed his waste management career with Green Mountain Compost after graduating from Champlain College. “If you’re filling a bin or not filling a bin, you are paying the same price. But with a pay-by-the-bag program, you are seeing the value of what you’re putting in that trash bin, based on the volume. At $3 per bag, it realigns the mindset of what waste is costing us.”

The two couples were friends during their college years in Burlington between 20092013. They launched a venture together in 2013 that continues on as an annual event in the Adirondacks — the Otis Mountain Get Down music festival.

“That’s a passion project and we found that we work really well together,” Tommy

WILLISTON: BUSINESS HUB OF VERMONT

Tommy Lyga, Williston entrepreneur, is co-founder of Curb Resource Collection.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

Richmond company makes bike bottle sans plastic

BY FRED THYS VTDigger

When Carina Hamel was ready to place her daughter in day care, she was trying to teach her to drink out of bottles.

Hamel tried all kinds, but she did not like that the bottles she found were all made out of plas tic. If heated in a dishwasher, the plastic can leach, she said. It can also leave a bad taste. And when the bottle wears out, there’s only about a 5 percent chance of the plastic being recycled, according to a recent Greenpeace report.

One day, while living in Port land, Ore., Hamel and her hus band, Robby Ringer, were out skiing and talking about what bottles they could use to feed their daughter. They realized that they, too, were drinking out of plastic bottles.

Hamel is a former University of Vermont cross-country skier who was a teammate of Lt. Gov. Molly Gray. Hamel and Ringer are also both passionate cyclists.

They went back to their home that day and started researching bottles for outdoor sports. With

the exception of one made in It aly that was mostly sold in Eu rope, they could not find a biking bottle on the market that was not made out of plastic. (A biking water bottle differs from other sports bottles in that it fits into a holder on the bike frame and can be handled with one hand so

They wanted to locate the com pany in a town where they could attract talent that understood cy cling. They chose Richmond, the home of Rooted Vermont, the annual gravel bike race, and Co chran’s Ski Area, which offers summer mountain biking trails.

“We picked Richmond be cause it is such a huge cycling hub,” Hamel said. When she was on the UVM cross-country ski team, she would head to Rich mond to train on its roads and trails in the summer and fall.

that the biker can drink and keep biking at the same time.)

In 2019, they started design ing and developing their own plastic-free bike bottle.

When the Covid pandemic hit, they moved from Oregon to western Massachusetts to live with Hamel’s parents, who pro vided child care for their daugh ter. They launched Bivo in 2020 out of her parents’ winery.

A year and a half ago, Hamel and Ringer moved to Vermont.

At a June pitch event at Hula in Burlington sponsored by LaunchVT, Hamel recounted how she and Ringer decided on the product.

“We found a hole in the mar ket,” she told the audience.

The bottles are made of metal and cannot be squeezed. Ring er demonstrated Bivo’s gravi ty-flow system, which, if held above a cyclist’s mouth, delivers a strong stream of water.

Since she and Ringer began their bike bottle research, sev eral other metal bottles have been introduced on the market.

Bivo water bottles are made of stainless steel and have a unique, high-flow nozzle.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

“We picked Richmond because it is such a huge cycling hub.”

Carina Hamel Bivo founder

Bivo

But Hamel said that gravity-flow technology is the biggest differ ence between Bivo and the other bottles.

“Bivo bottles open and close like a normal sport nozzle and pour really quickly and with no air in the stream of water,” Hamel said. “The nozzle sys tem we invented allows riders to

drink on the fly and get enough water.”

Bivo makes 21- and 25-ounce bottles, the former selling for $39. At customers’ request, Hamel said, Bivo now offers a dirt cap and an insulated bottle.

They sell about half their bot tles from their website, with the rest sold at stores that include Outdoor Gear Exchange on Bur lington’s Church Street; a few bike shops in or near Richmond; and more than 40 retailers across

the country and in Canada. So far, Bivo has only two employees in Richmond besides Hamel and her husband. A third works in Portland, Ore. Hamel estimates Bivo will create 13 full-time jobs in Vermont by 2028. The bottles are manufac tured in China.

Hamel told the LaunchVT audience that she expects Bivo sales to reach $617,000 this year and predicted a positive cash flow by early 2024. She said she

was raising capital from friends and family.

Bivo’s target market is avid cyclists, which Hamel defines as people who ride their bikes at least twice a week. She esti mates the annual bottle market for those cyclists to be $714 mil lion.

Hamel and her husband plan to grow the company by eventu ally offering bottles for running, hiking, yoga, golf and soccer.

Curb

Lyga said.

After some career shifts brought on by the pandemic, and with Somers’ background in waste man agement, the foursome began dis cussing the residential waste-haul ing landscape in Chittenden County, especially in light of Act 148, the law that bans food scraps from the state’s only landfill in Coventry. The law has spawned several food waste collection startups and led existing trash haulers to offer a food waste add-on. Curb’s compost-first ap proach sets it apart.

“A lot of other haulers out there don’t necessarily include it, so the homeowner is needing to go out and find multiple companies to fill the different services,” Tommy Lyga said. “We include compost in every plan.”

Curb provides full service sub scribers with a trash bin, recycling bin and compost bucket, as well as a starter pack of 10 “landfill-bound” stickers for residents to put on their trash bags. Future stickers can be ordered on the Curb website (www. curbyourwaste.com).

The company takes residential trash to the Casella transfer station off Industrial Avenue, recycling to the Chittenden Solid Waste District recycling center in the same area, and food scraps to the Green Moun tain Compost facility on Redmond Road.

“The customer can control their monthly (expense) by how much they throw away,” Kristen Lyga said. “It’s giving them the tool to think about the financial and environmental decision about how much waste is leaving their house.”

OBSERVER

the What

Vermont’s ‘most

promising jobs’ identified

The State of Vermont has re leased a “Most Promising Jobs” list of occupations that pay above the state median wage of $22.55 per hour and are expected to have at least 500 openings over the next de cade. Atop the list are K-12 teachers, bookkeeping and accounting clerks, carpenters and registered nurses. The full list includes information on median wages, number of projected openings and minimum education requirements.

Energy consultations available for businesses

Efficiency Vermont is offering free on-site energy visits to Vermont businesses of all sizes. The consul tations give business owners access to rebate offers, financing solutions

and technical advice to lower energy costs and increase resiliency.

They offer a clear understanding of what systems are wasting energy and money. Financial incentives on lighting, HVAC, weatherization and renovations are available.

Schedule a walkthrough at www. efficiencyvermont.com/bizconsult.

VCF launches venture capital fund

The Fund at Hula, a venture capital firm that invests in seed and early-stage technology start-ups, has partnered with the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) to create a new fund, “VCF at Hula.”

Investment returns from VCF at Hula go toward participating char itable funds, giving VCF fund holders an opportunity to invest charitable assets in growth-stage,

Vermont-based companies.

VCF at Hula will prioritize in vesting in local startups that have the greatest potential to generate venture returns, create jobs, ad vance economic activity and make positive change in their industries. It aims to raise at least $3 million.

ARPA ag grants available

Producers of farm and forest products can now apply for federal grants from the 2021 American Res cue Plan Act through the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initia tive. A first round of grants totaling $1 million will be available this year, and a second $1 million round is an ticipated in 2023.

Examples of eligible primary production activities are farming, livestock rearing, maple sugaring, dairy production and logging. Ap plicants will need to demonstrate

how their business experienced a negative economic impact due to the Covid pandemic, even if that impact was not sustained.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 16. Email clare.salerno@vermont.gov or call (802) 917-2637.

BBB warns of jobseeker scams

Job-seekers looking for tempo rary seasonal work around the hol idays should be aware of scams, according to the Better Business Bureau. The organization offers the following advice:

— Beware of businesses that ask applicants to pay for job supplies, application or training fees. These expenses are the employer’s respon sibility.

— Be wary of job offers that don’t require an interview. Even

during the peak hiring season, repu table companies prefer to talk to top job candidates before hiring them. If a job offer is presented without an interview or is offered only via the internet, question the company’s hiring practices and do a little more digging.

— Be wary of big money for small jobs. If an employer is prom ising outrageously good wages for what seems like simple tasks such as reshipping packages, stuffing enve lopes or answering phones, this is a red flag. These too-good-to-be-true offers are an attempt to steal your personal information.

— Don’t work before you are hired. Before beginning any work, request an offer letter or written confirmation of what the job entails, including an official start date and compensation details.

The Williston Recreation and Parks Department is located at the Annex Building at 7878 Williston Rd. For on line program registration, visit www. willistonrec.org. For department infor mation, email recreation@willistonvt. org or call 876-1160.

THANK YOU SOCCER COACHES

The Recreation Department would like to thank all the parents and community members who volunteered their time this fall in the Youth Rec Soccer Programs. They gave of their time for practices and games. Thanks for your time and commit ment. Without you there would not be Rec Soccer.

Thank you also to David Antonioli’s Girls 14 and under soccer team for volun teering their time to referee the Saturday games for K-5 grades. The ladies did a great job, and their help was greatly appreciated by all. Thank you also to all parents, grand parents and others who helped support the coaches and referees by being a positive in fluence.

BASKETBALL REFEREES WANTED

The rec department is looking for bas ketball referees in January and February for Youth Rec Basketball programs. Refer ees are needed for grades 1-8. If interested, please contact the rec department at recre ation@willistonvt.org.

This year’s Holiday Decorating Contest will take place in December. It has been a great event and we hope more families will enter. If you have a business and would like to donate a gift basket as a prize, please contact the rec department at recreation@ willistonvt.org.

PROGRAMS

PICKUP BASKETBALL/ VOLLEYBALL PROGRAMS

Pickup programs are by pre-registration only. They are not free drop-in programs. There are programs for men’s 20-plus and 30-plus basketball; and women’s 19-plus basketball and 18-plus volleyball. Register at www.willistonrec.org.

SNOWMOBILE SAFETY

Age 12-plus. This course provides the opportunity to earn the certification neces sary to legally operate on Vermont’s state wide snowmobile trails system.

KINDERREC BASKETBALL

This is a parent/child program designed to teach the fundamentals of the game. Each week youngsters will be introduced to a new skill and fun activities that will en hance their learning. This program meets on Saturdays in January and February.

GRADE 1-2 BASKETBALL

This program provides the opportunity for youngsters to learn the game, improve their skills and enjoy playing. This program

meets on Saturdays in January and Febru ary. The hour session will consist of a prac tice and scrimmage time. Parent volunteers are needed to coach teams. Sign up to coach when registering your child.

GRADE 3-6 BASKETBALL

There are separate boys’ and girls’ pro grams offered if numbers allow. The pro grams provide the opportunity for young sters to play and improve their skills. The programs meet twice a week for one hour each time with one practice and one game. Parent volunteers are needed to coach. Sign up to coach when registering your child.

GRADE 7-8 BASKETBALL

There is a league for boys’ if the num bers allow. The team meets twice a week for one hour each time with one practice and one game. The league includes teams from

other rec departments. Parent volunteers are needed to coach. Sign up to coach when registering your child.

LEARN TO SKI/RIDE

Registration is now open for the Learn to Ski/Ride Program. Be sure to register before the early bird discount deadine (Dec. 18) to save. There will be two fitting dates for equipment in late November and early December. You must register your family for a fitting time.

CHESS WIZARDS

Ages 6-12. Join these programs for tons of challenging chess lessons, exciting games and cool prizes. You’ll improve your chess skills, meet new friends and work out your most powerful muscle — your brain.

Instructors: Chess Wizards staff. December 27-29 or Feb. 27-March 3.

HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST

OBITUARIES

Elinor “Ellie” Morency,

Elinor “Ellie” Morency, artist, retired art teacher and beloved wife, mother, grand mother, sister and friend, died peacefully on Oct. 27 at home in Williston, with her loving fami ly by her side.

Born in Worcester, Massa chusetts, to the late Elinor “Nel lie” and Thomas Bowes, Ellie grew up in Salem, Mass., where she met her future husband and love of her life, Dave, for the first time while in elementary school. They would reconnect years later – in 1961 – and mar ry in 1962.

Ellie attended Emmanuel College on a full scholarship, where she studied English and minored in French and German. While not part of her formal ed ucation, painting was a passion for Ellie since childhood, and she studied privately with sev eral painters in South Carolina,

Virginia and Ohio.

In the early 70s, when she settled in Vermont with Dave and her four children, Ellie re turned to school full time to study art education at UVM, earning her teaching certificate in 1978. She began teaching art that year, first in Shelburne and then in St. Albans, until taking up a post in 1983 at Founders Memorial in Essex, where she stayed until her retirement in 2001.

She was a dynamic and pas sionate teacher who reached be yond the ordinary to inspire and educate her students. In 1999 she was presented with the Ver mont Art Educators award by the National Art Education As sociation, nominated by several colleagues and her principal for her dedication, professionalism and masterful teaching style. Ellie continued to paint into

retirement and was a member of a painting group made up of much-loved friends, the Monet Mamas, who met every week for many years. Ellie was also an avid reader – she loved mystery novels in particular – and had a passion for the arts in all forms, including music and dancing.

She was a devoted, kind and energetic mother, offer ing endless love and support while skillfully balancing work and home life. Her creativity, warmth and sense of humor in fused her parenting (and grand parenting), making for a home filled with laughter, song and copious crafting projects.

Ellie was predeceased by her husband Dave in 2015, and missed him every day. She is survived by her son David and his wife, Tracy Drake and their son Eamon, of Burlington; son Steve of Williston; daughter Elise Minadeo and husband, John and their children Nick, Marisa and Dominic of Essex; daughter Anne and husband Dave Mulleady, of Co Long ford, Ireland; sister-in-law Syl via Wahl and husband Ted; brother-in-law Joseph Morency and wife Pauline; cousin Joan

White; and several nieces and nephews whom she loved and adored. She was predeceased by siblings Thomas Bowes, Patricia Raynes, Robert Bowes and Lin da Aucone, whom she missed greatly.

The family would like to thank Dr. Cheung Wong and Kim Spina, RN, at UVM Med ical Center, Nancy Carlson and Lisy McIntee from Home Health & Hospice, Dr. Caitlin Baran and the “jolly good” fellow Dr. Gervais for their compassion and care.

A remembrance of her life was held at All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne, Nov. 10.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Amer ican Cancer Society or your fa vorite charity.

To view a complete obituary please visit www.gregorycrema tion.com.

Judith (Judy) M. Letourneau

Judith (Judy) M. Letourneau, 77, died surrounded by her fam ily on Oct. 26, 2022 at the Mc Clure Miller Respite House in Colchester.

She was born Nov. 28, 1944, in Burlington, the daughter of Wilbur Gorton and Blanche Bleau (Taft).

Judy graduated from Rich mond High School, class of 1962. After graduation, she fol lowed her gypsy soul wherever it led her, living her best life. She married her forever love Nelson Letourneau on Decem ber 13, 1986 and they celebrated 35 years of marriage together, eventually settling in the Bur lington area to live out their lives.

In addition to her parents, Judy was predeceased by her sister, Rebecca (Becky) Leveil lee, her brothers Paul Gorton & Wayne Gorton. Her son Christo

pher (Chris) Gamelin, her grand daughter Mariah Gamelin, her father-in-law Leon Letourneau and mother-in-law Solange Le tourneau.

Judy is survived by her hus band Nelson Letourneau, her daughters Jean Thibault and husband Rolland, Jennifer Rock and husband Patrick, her step

sons, Pierre Letourneau and wife Charlene, Ron Letourneau, Travis Letourneau and wife Sara. Her sister Linda Aldrich and husband William, her broth er-in-law Gaeton Letourneau and wife Christine, her sisterin-laws Nicole Lafleur and hus band Steve, France Letourneau and significant other Pete. Syl vie Perkins and husband Steve, Carmen Columbia and husband Shawn.

In addition, she is survived by many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grand children.

A celebration of life was held on Sunday, November 13th at the VFW 176 S. Winooski Avenue in Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the McClure Mill er Respite house: https://www. uvmhomehealth.org/donations/ make-an-online-donation/

Tongue Twisters

Have you ever heard someone say, “She sells seashells by the seashore”? If so, you might have then decided to say it yourself.

This is known as a tongue twister, a phrase which can be difficult to say. Tongue twisters serve many purposes, including strengthening reading skills, clarifying word pronunciation and helping stretch the muscles we use to speak.

Tongue twisters can also be fun and educational, and The Mini Page learns more about them this week.

Sounds

A tongue twister is defined by a series of sounds or words that are often difficult to pronounce when recited, or said, together quickly. They use something called alliteration, which is the repetition of the same sound. An example is: “Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.” Once you say this one out loud, you’ll probably notice the “k” sound being repeated. That’s alliteration.

Benefits

Scientists have found that tongue twisters kick-start the brain.

Practicing tongue twisters can be a fun thing to do with friends, and saying them

NancyBY OLIVIA JAIMES

Next Week: Algae

Mini

twisters aren’t only fun; they also help improve reading skills.

also improves our vocabularies. While tongue twisters can be a challenge, when recited correctly, they help people focus on sounds and the pronunciation of words and phrases.

Tongue twisters help with reading skills and have also been shown to assist people with speech difficulties.

By practicing saying these phrases over and over, we’re strengthening the muscles in our tongues and mouths.

History

“She sells seashells by the seashore” might be a tongue twister, but it’s also based on a real woman. In England during the 1800s, a woman named Mary Anning collected and sold seashells.

As a girl, Mary collected, labeled and recorded details about seashells. She later went on to discover many fossils, including dinosaur remains.

Your turn

Now that we’ve learned about tongue twisters, it’s your turn to give some a try. Repeat them three times fast for an extra challenge.

No need to light a night light on a light night like tonight.

Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep.

Betty bought a bit of butter, but the butter Betty bought was bitter.

Six sick chicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.

Fresh fried fish, fish fresh fried, fried fish fresh, fish fried fresh.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Resources

The history of tongue twisters goes back a few hundred years, as teachers would use them to teach their pupils, or students, how to pronounce phrases. The first book about them is called “Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation” by John Harris.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he? Words that remind us of tongue twisters are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 47, 2022

kick-start the brain. Practicing tongue twisters can be a fun thing to do with friends, and saying them

Try ’n’ Find

about them is called “Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation” by John Harris.

Words that remind us of tongue twisters are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

ALLITERATION, BRAIN, FRIENDS, MUSCLES, PRONOUNCE, PUPIL, READ, RECITE, REPEAT, SEASHELL, SKILLS, SOUNDS, SPEECH, STRENGTHEN, TEACHER, TONGUE, TWISTER.

Cook’s Corner Graham Cracker Topping

You’ll need:

• 2 cinnamon graham crackers

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

What to do:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place graham crackers in a small plastic bag and smash into crumbs. 2. Mix crumbs with brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. 3. Combine melted butter with vanilla; pour over crumb mixture. 4. Coat a small baking pan with cooking spray. 5. Pour crumb mixture into pan; bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 6. Use as topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt. Makes 2 servings. * You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.

Europe could pose a threat to human and animal health. It’s known that exposure to blue light from TV monitors and mobile phones can interfere with sleep as our eyes control the release of the sleep hormone melatonin based on the colors seen. Studies have shown that blue light may also contribute to such conditions as diabetes and obesity. Beyond its effects on humans, blue light can also change the behavior of animals such as bats and moths.

For later: Look in your newspaper for puzzles.

Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

BY DAN THOMPSON

P H H N T R E T S I W T S A P E S L L I K S R E C I T E D I A A A L L I T E R A T I O N

T V S T R E N G T H E N A T G D Q S D N E I R F W Q T Q S B D A E R A L T E A C H E R V

Estate Planning, Elder Law & Medicaid Planning

Peace of mind for families and loved ones

What we do:

• Protection of assets without spending all down to qualify for Medicaid

• Wills & Living Trusts

• Assistance with Medicaid Applications

Ellen B. LaPlante, Esq.

Stephen A. Unsworth, Esq. Wendy S Hillmuth, Esq.

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

Savvy Senior

Daily money managers can help seniors with financial chores

Dear Concerned, It sounds like your mom could use a good daily money manager (or DMM). These are financially savvy professionals that can help older adults who have difficulty managing their own day-to-day personal financial affairs.

teers to provide basic DMM tasks, such as bill-paying, at no cost. To find out if this is available in your mom’s area, contact her Area Aging Agency. Visit www.Elder Care.acl.gov or call 800-677-1116 for contact information.

Keep in mind that neither federal nor state governments regulate the DMM industry, and there is little oversight of these services. So before turning over your mom’s bills, make certain it’s someone you can trust.

26 Railroad Avenue

Essex Junction, VT (802) 879-7133

For FREE consumer reports, articles, and estate planning webinars, please visit us at www.unsworthlaplante.com

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that can help my elderly mother with her financial chores? My dad always used to handle the bill paying and pa perwork, but he passed away last year, and mom struggles to keep on top of things. And I don’t live close enough to help her on a regular basis.

Concerned Daughter

The types of services they provide typically include paying bills, maintaining financial re cords, balancing checkbooks and negotiating with creditors. DMMs can also prepare checks for clients to sign, help older people organize bank and financial records, pre pare and deliver bank deposits, gather and organize documents for tax returns, help decipher medical bills and review bank statements in order to detect potential finan cial abuse or fraud.

WHERE TO FIND DAILY MONEY MANAGERS

Depending on where your mom lives, DMM services may be available through private non-profit elder assistance orga nizations or government agencies. These agencies often use volun

In addition to the non-profit DMMs, an increasing number of individuals and private, for-profit companies have started offering DMM services for a fee. Cost for these services varies by region but it often ranges between $25 and $100 per hour. Most clients need approximately four hours of ser vices per month, but this too var ies according to the complexity of the person’s financial situation.

The best place to look for a professional DMM in your mom’s area is through the American As sociation of Daily Money Manag ers (www.AADMM.com), which offers an online directory that lets you search by ZIP code. All the pros listed there have signed the group’s code of ethics. Some have passed a certification exam to earn the designation of Certified Daily Money Manager.

Before hiring a daily money manager, however, get references from two or more of their clients and check them. Also, find out what they charge and what type of insurance coverage they have.

One other highly rated bill-paying service you should know about that’s specifically de signed for older adults and care givers is SilverBills (www.Silver Bills.com). Available nationwide, this is a secure concierge bill man agement service that will manage your mom’s bills and pay them on her behalf, on-time and correctly, for a flat fee of $50 per month.

If you opt for this service, your mom will be paired with an account manager who will com municate and work with her over the phone, or through email, text or mail (her preference) – no com puter is required. SilverBills also reviews all bills for errors and fraud and provides monthly state ments showing the date, amount and manner of each payment.

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.

From Green Burial to Pet Memorials, our goal is to provide the services and care you need. To learn more, contact us today.

Burlington - (802) 864-5682 | Elmwoodmeunier.net

TODAY’S HISTORY:

• In 1800, the United States Congress met for the first time in Washington, D.C., in the unfinished Capitol building.

• In 1869, the Suez Canal was officially opened.

• In 1871, the National Rifle Association was granted a charter by the state of New York.

• In 1962, President John F. Kennedy dedicated Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

TODAY’S FACT:

• The U.S. Capitol dome is made of 8.9 million pounds of cast-iron.

Sports

CVU captures first football state title

BY LAUREN READ Sports correspondent

All season long, the Champlain Valley football team has been led by a high-pow ered offense that has helped CVU blow teams away. But on the night of the Divi sion I state championship game Saturday in Rutland, and with a title on the line, it was the defense that saved the day.

Champlain Valley stopped Middlebury from completing a comeback with a goal line stop as time expired to win the D-I title game 24-19 and capture the program’s first state championship.

“We legitimately lost our mind,” said CVU coach Rahn Fleming. “The ball gets knocked away, the clock ticked to zero and everybody on the defense began to run to ward the sideline and everybody on the sideline began to run toward the defense.

“It was so symbolic of how it didn’t mat ter if you set foot on the field for a single competitive rep, we got there together.”

For most of the second half, it looked like the Redhawks would not need any late

game drama to ensure the title win. But with just over three minutes remaining in the game, Middlebury cut the CVU lead to 24-19.

Then the Tigers defense made a stand and CVU turned the ball back over with

a chance to put together a game-winning drive. Middlebury moved up the field — a 26-yard pass and a penalty on the CVU de fense helped — until they got to the 8-yard line.

There the Redhawks stood tall, keeping the Tigers out of the end zone and clinching the win.

“In those final plays when it mattered most, they gave everything and it was enough,” Fleming said. “It was a bend-butdon’t-break performance at a moment when the breaking would’ve been irreparable.”

Jack Sumner started off the scoring for CVU, capping off the game’s opening drive with a 9-yard touchdown run halfway through the fourth quarter. The Tigers tied the game early in the second quarter, then took the 13-7 lead on a 21-yard TD run.

Quarterback Ollie Cheer put the Red hawks back in front with under two min utes to play in the first half, hitting Brian Rutherford with a 15-yard TD pass. Aidan Morris hit the extra point to put the team ahead 14-13.

CVU forced a turnover with 15 seconds

left in the second quarter and Morris hit a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the half to give the Redhawks a 17-13 lead.

Sumner helped extend the lead, scoring on an 11-yard run midway through the third quarter to put the Redhawks up 24-13.

But Middlebury stopped CVU on the goal line in the fourth quarter, then scored to close the gap to 24-19 with 3:01 left in the game, setting up the late defensive heroics from the Redhawks.

The Redhawks can be excused for hav ing flashbacks to last season’s champion ship game, when they lost to Essex late in the game.

“For those who were there for the game last year, there was a kind of collective, ‘oh no, not this, not again, no way,’” Fleming said. “It was an interesting time of increased urgency and of a very painful memory that made it stronger when we most needed it.”

The championship was a culmination of a multi-year march to the top of Division I. After CVU did not make the postseason in 2018 and 2019, Covid changed the 2020 season when the sport played a 7-vs-7, touch football season to get the athletes on the field, and the Redhawks advanced all the way to the final.

“I really don’t look at the Covid season as a lost year,” Fleming said. “It was a year for building character and beginning to es tablish character as a team and beginning to experience ourselves differently, which was you look around the locker room, you see a group of winners, you see guys who get it.”

They turned that success into an appear ance in the championship game last season, falling to Essex in a heartbreaker in the snow.

That loss served as fuel for CVU this year as the Redhawks pushed for a return to the title game, this time to win it.

CVU finished the season unbeaten against Vermont opponents, with a 10-0 record.

“We legitimately lost our mind … Everybody on the defense began to run toward the sideline and everybody on the sideline began to run toward the defense,” said Rahn Fleming, CVU head coach, after the game.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL LAMONTAGNE/VTSPORTSIMAGES.COM

Sports

Redhawk soccer gets back on top

fast start, with three looks at the Mount Mansfield goal. But Car dinal (five saves) was equal to the task and the Cougars and CVU settled into a midfield battle.

To break the game open a bit, Williams and Klein discussed a change at halftime, moving the forward to the right side where she could find more space. The move paid off almost immediately when the junior found the back of the net.

“We’ve done that at times just to mix up matchups and to

get different looks,” Williams said. “That was a heck of a shot. (Klein’s) a strong-minded kid, and I had no doubt that she would be on the top of her game today.”

CVU made the switch to a more defensive formation after the score and relied on its stout de fense and goalkeeper Emma Al laire (two saves) to clinch the title.

Champlain Valley finishes with a 15-0-1 record and the pro gram’s 20th state championship, the most titles in state history in boys and girls soccer.

BY LAUREN READ Sports correspondent

The last two high school girls soccer seasons have ended in heartbreak for Champlain Valley.

On Sunday at Norwich Uni versity, Redhawks forward Zoe Klein made sure this season was different.

The junior fired a shot into the net from just inside the 18-yard box and the Champlain Valley de fense did the rest as the Redhawks earned a 1-0 win over Mount Mansfield and the Division I state title.

“Our seniors, they worked so hard for this to happen and they just drove our motivation to do

Redhawks bumped in championships

this,” Kelin said. “We all worked as a team and we all wanted this for our seniors.”

Klein broke through just six minutes into the second half, find ing some space on the right side to beat Mount Mansfield goalkeeper Tonie Cardinal.

“When I got past that defender I was like, ‘I’m taking the shot,’” Klein said of her game-winner. “This is gonna go in and I saw it go in … I was so excited.”

After Klein put CVU up 1-0, the Redhawk defenders went to work shutting down the middle of the field and keeping the Cougars from finding the equalizer.

“We always feel if we can dominate in the middle, we’re

generally gonna be in good shape and we have a lot of trust in our outside backs,” said CVU coach Stan Williams. “We have a lot of comfort that they’d be able to han dle those attacks.”

Champlain Valley, who lost to South Burlington in the finals the last two years, has now won four state championships in the last six years.

“There’s a lot of pressure put on them by others and by themselves, and to see them fight through that was awesome,” Williams said. “It was pretty special. There are a lot of kids here that I’ve known for a long, long time, so it’s pretty spe cial.”

The Redhawks got off to a

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The CVU girls soccer team celebrates its state championship win over Mount Mansfield on Sunday in Norwich.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL LAMONTAGNE/VTSPORTSIMAGES.COM

CVU’s Merrill Jacobs keeps the ball in play. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

The Redhawk girls lost to the Essex Hornets at the Vermont State Volleyball Championships on Sunday at St. Michael’s College.

WE’RE HIRING! WE’RE HIRING!

LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 – 7:00 PM

Seasonal Shipping/Manufacturing - Williston

Seeking: A person who enjoys physical work, takes pride in the details, and enjoy the thrill of a busy holiday season in a chocolate factory!

Duties: producing, packaging/gift-boxing, and/or shipping our products with care and detail in a safe and supportive work envi ronment.

Qualifications: Ability to stand on your feet for long periods of time, lift up to 50 lbs, and have reliable transportation.

Seeking: A people person that will strive to provide an exceptional in-store experience for the diverse community of chocolate-lovers who visit our Waterbury store.

Duties: Assists store Manager, ensure customers receive out standing service, take inventory, assist with tours, etc.

Qualifications: High School, Cashier Experience, dedicated to quality

CLASSIFIEDS

Beckett/McGuire Meeting Room (Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or

Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656

DP 23-06 Pre-App Jonathan Maguire (c/o

Don Welch) request pre-application review to construct one (1) residential building with 3 new dwelling units on a 6.2-acre parcel at 376 Mountain View Rd. in the RZD.

DP 21-19 GPA, LLC c/o Scott Ireland request a discretionary permit to develop three (3) commercial/ industrial buildings (approx. 103,750 SF total) with parking, loading areas, and related appurtenances on Lot 4 of the Robear Subdivision, a vacant 8.74-acre parcel located on Williston Rd. opposite Munson Dr. in the IZDW.

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

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS

There is no better time to join our Team!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest banking institution headquartered in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all. Are you looking to start or continue a career in the finance industry? Consider joining our team as a Community Banker! To see all our available positions, please visit www.NSBVT.com/careers/open-positions.

Job Responsibilities & Requirements

This frontline position is crucial in creating a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience for NSB customers. The successful candidate will have exceptional customer service and communication skills. The Community Banker will be responsible for receiving and processing customers’ financial transactions as well as opening and maintaining customer accounts and services. We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain relationships with our valued customers, protect bank and customer information, and uphold customer confidentiality. A high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent is required.

If you have customer service, previous cash handling, or banking experience we encourage you to apply!

Opportunity for Growth

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Well-rounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work-Life balance!

We understand the importance of having evenings and weekends with our friends, families, and the communities we serve!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com or Northfield Savings Bank Human Resources | PO Box 7180, Barre, VT 05641

The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday.

RACK LOCATIONS

Williston

Adams Farm Market Belle’s Café

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Fairfield Inn

Gardener’s Supply

Green Mountain Bagel Hannaford

Healthy Living Williston Home2Suites

Korner Kwik Stop

Marriott Courtyard Men At Wok

People’s United Bank Ramunto’s Rehab Gym

Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd)

Simon’s Mobil Williston

Simply Divine Café Sonesta Sunoco Station

Town of Williston Offices UPS Store

Williston Coffee Shop

Essex Junction

Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety

Hannaford (Essex Shoppes) Inn at Essex

Mac’s Market

Martone’s Deli

Price Chopper

Quality Bake Shop

River Road Beverage

Richmond Cumberland Farms

Richmond Free Library

Richmond Market

Richmond Mobil Mart

Community Bankers Chittenden County

Retail Sales Associate – Waterbury

Williston

continued from

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

ways fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100percent effectivewhengivensoonafter a person is bitten by a rabid animal.

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their nor mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4

LAND MAINTENANCE

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food ven dors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

Driveways, Ponds, Land Clearing, Trails, Farms, Ski Areas, Natural Disaster Recovery, Logging Cleanup, Invasive Vegetation, Excavation

burne-Hinesburg headtotheLittleLeaguefield the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

Visit our website for more information

www.vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com

Visit our website for more information: www.vtlandmaintenance.com Email: vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com Brian Washburn: 802-434-5533 • 802-373-1755 (cell)

Brian Washburn 802-434-4533 • 802-373-1755 (cell)

Office: 985-2453 Cell: 363-0590

Forestry Mulching Services for private and commercial projects

Vermont sees record high midterm election turnout

BY SARAH MEARHOFF AND ERIN PETENKO VTDigger

This year marked a historic election cy cle for Vermont with record turnover, which appears to have propelled Vermonters to the polls — or their mailboxes — at record num bers.

Nearly 3 in 5 Vermont adults cast ballots this year, according to a VTDigger analysis of vote totals provided by the Secretary of State’s Office and statistics kept by the U.S. Census Bureau showing age demographics.

The 57 percent participation marks the highest turnout for a midterm election in re corded history. Overall, it was bested only by the 2020 election, in which 73 percent of adults voted.

“And that’s something that Vermonters should be proud of,” outgoing Secretary of State Jim Condos told reporters on Tuesday.

Earlier, sitting at the helm of a long table in the Secretary of State’s Office, flanked by his staffers and representatives of each major po litical party, Condos canvassed and certified this election’s statewide vote totals for the last time of his career.

Other marquee years for election turnout were 2018, which previously held the record for highest midterm participation at 55 percent. In 2016, a momentous presidential election year that also marked Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s first gubernatorial race, 63 percent of Vermont adults cast their ballots. In the 2010 midterms, when former Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin was first elected, 49 percent of Vermont voters went to the polls.

Rewind to the 2006 midterm, which, pri or to this year’s election, saw Vermont’s most recent open race for Congress: That year, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch won his first term in the U.S. House, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders graduated from the House to the Senate, and 54 percent

of Vermont adults cast their ballots.

Also driving Vermont’s voter participa tion is its newly implemented universal mailin balloting system, which the Secretary of State’s Office first rolled out in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Initially devised as a way to keep election workers and the public safe amid Covid-19, the Vermont Legislature elected to keep the system in place in hopes of making it easier for the public to vote.

The percentage of Vermonters voting by mail declined in 2022 compared to 2020, de spite the state sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

About 64 percent of votes in the 2022 General Election were cast by mail, com pared to 75 percent of ballots in 2020, the office reported.

But it remained far higher than in previ ous years. Only about 22 percent of ballots were cast by mail between 2000 and 2018.

We Can Take It!

From an armoire to a zucchini, check our A-Z list and learn how to reuse, recycle, or dispose of items and materials you no longer want.

Now serving you with eight Drop-Off locations in Chittenden County.

Visit cswd.net for locations and materials accepted.