Williston Observer 10/26/2023

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Selectboard approves ‘inclusionary zoning’

‘This is a really important step for our town’

BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Home builders in Williston will have to keep at least 10 percent of any new home construction perpetually affordable — or pay thousands of dollars into the town’s housing trust fund — under “inclusionary zoning” rules passed by the selectboard Oct. 17.

The regulations are designed to increase the availability of homes that are affordable to people making no more than the Burlington area’s median income.

They are suggested as a policy

Homes near Maple Tree Place make up some of Williston’s deed-restricted affordable housing stock.

OBSERVER FILE PHOTO

prescription in the Comprehensive Town Plan and in a planning commission housing needs study

completed last year.

“I think this is a really important step for our town,” select-

board member Greta D’Agostino said. “We know that housing is at a crisis point in this town, in this

INCLUSIONARY ZONING: Home builders in Williston must keep at least 10 percent of any new home construction perpetually affordable — or pay thousands of dollars into the town’s housing trust fund. see INCLUSIONARY page 2

Author Nancy Stone shares her ‘Indigo Hours’ Williston author and artist illuminates a caregiver’s journey

BY SUSAN COTE Observer staff

Nancy Stone PHOTO BY KATE FARRELL

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“It’s called the long goodbye or the journey. It can go for 20 years and sometimes it can go quickly. But it’s really a roller coaster ride with twists and turns, high peaks and low valleys,” said Nancy Stone, of the experience family members go through when a loved one is stricken with Alzheimer’s disease.

“The poetry got me through those things,” said Stone, the author and illustrator of a new book of poems called “Indigo Hours: Healing Haiku.”

2018 was a year of milestones

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for Ken and Nancy Stone. That year, the longtime Williston residents completed their goal of visiting every one of Vermont’s 251 towns, an effort that would lead to the publication of a book of postcard-sized watercolor paintings and journal entries – one for each town – created

by Nancy. It was also the year the couple faced Ken’s diagnosis with dementia caused by Alzheimer’s.

This latter milestone was not one the couple expected. Ken led an active and accomplished life. In addition to his career with the State of Vermont ensuring the safety of the state’s drinking water, he served on the Williston Selectboard, served as

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Rotary Club president and as scout master of Boy Scout Troop 692. In his volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, he built homes in Vermont, Kentucky and Georgia and participated in hurricane rebuilding trips to Georgia, Texas and Connecticut. He hiked the length of the Appalachian Trail.

Then Ken became one of the more than 6 million Americans who today are living with Alzheimer’s disease.

At an event celebrating the launch of her book on Oct. 21 at the Old Brick Church, Nancy described for the audience how she found see STONE page 14

LEARN MORE AT: https://www.vermontfederal.org/

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October 26, 2023

Inclusionary continued from page 1

state and in this country. So we need to do things right now.”

The board passed the regulations on a 4-1 vote with board member Mike Isham opposed. Isham said he preferred to wait until the Town Plan is updated again next year with input from residents. But planning commission co-chair Shayla Livingston said resident input went into the crafting of the new rules.

“This is a response to a lot of outreach and a lot of input from people in Williston,” she said. “It is a start, it’s not an end and it’s not perfect. We will have to make adjustments, most likely, in the future and we’ll have to monitor it.”

Isham also argued that the affordable housing incentives already in place in the town’s land development regulations are creating affordable homes. Chris Snyder of Snyder Homes agreed.

“These things are already being done,” Snyder said. “We are already achieving it.”

The housing needs study shows that 5 percent of Snyder’s Finney Crossing development is affordable (29 out of 587 homes) and his 276-unit development planned at the former Essex Alliance Church parcel on Route 2A will have 9 percent affordable units. Cottonwood Crossing, an Allen Brook Development project under construction in Taft Corners, is 32 percent affordable, according to the study, and the neighborhood planned for the Catamount Golf Course is expected to be 30 percent affordable homes.

The town follows the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of affordable: that a household pays no more than 30 percent of its income on housing costs, including mortgage, property taxes, homeowners association fees and insurance. For renters, costs include rent and utilities (heat, hot water, trash removal and electricity).

According to the Vermont Housing

Colorful

Cozy and

Fall

Finance Agency, the median income in the greater Burlington area is $113,600 for a family of four. Based on the 30-percent-housing-cost rule, that family of four can afford a $361,000 three-bedroom home, or a three-bedroom apartment with a $2,900 maximum monthly rent.

“This is a response to a lot of outreach and a lot of input from people in Williston. It is a start, it’s not an end and it’s not perfect. We will have to make adjustments, most likely.

Shayla Livingston Planning Commission co-chair

Under Williston’s new rules, a housing developer is required to keep 15 percent of the homes in any new development affordable for median income households, or keep 10 percent of the homes affordable for households with an income that is 80 percent of the area’s median income (currently $91,000 for a four-person household).

Proposals that follow these rules will be allowed to bypass the town’s Growth Man-

agement process, which otherwise limits total housing growth to 80 new homes per year in residential zones.

Developers who fail to follow the affordable housing requirements will be assessed a fee of between $3,500 and $8,500 — depending on the size of the development — per new home constructed. A 60-home development with no affordable homes, for example, will be assessed $365,000. That money will go into the town’s Housing Trust Fund to be managed by a newly created Williston Housing Committee that began meeting this month. These proposals will be routed through the town’s Growth Management approval process requiring that they compete for a limited amount of new home allocation annually.

The new requirements will add to the cost of construction in Williston, Planning and Zoning Director Matt Boulanger said, which could lead to increased prices for homes sold at market rate.

“If you ask a (developer) to include an affordable home that they would have to sell for less than they could get for it on the open market, they will be looking to make up for that expense, likely in the price of the market rate homes that are part of the project,” Boulanger said.

Projects that propose fewer than five new homes are exempt from the inclusionary zoning regulations.

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Lofty entertainment CLOCKWISE (l to r): Rik Palieri, in the white hat, and his band open The Great Vermont Barn Dance Show on Thursday evening at the Isham Family Farm in Williston. Two-time Grammy Award nominee Guy Davis, an American composer, guitarist, banjo player and storyteller, takes his place on the stage. Storyteller Bill Torrey entertains the crowd with his unique humor. Nashville’s Jen Larson lends her voice to the evening.

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National Guard gets 25-year airport lease extension F-35’s dominate lengthy City Council debate

BY PATRICK CROWLEY VTDigger The Burlington City Council approved a 25-year airport lease extension for the Vermont Air National Guard on Monday night during a marathon meeting that was dominated by debate over the basing of F-35 fighter jets.

The measure, passed in a packed City Hall by a vote of 8-4, ensures that the air guard can be headquartered on 281 acres at the city-owned Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport until 2073.

All four Progressives on the council — Zoraya Hightower, P-Ward 1; Joe Magee, P-Ward 3; Gene Bergman, P-Ward 2 and Melo Grant, P-Central District — voted against the lease extension.

Opponents of the extension rallied outside City Hall near the start of the meeting. The rally was organized by Safe Landing BTV, a climate advocacy group focused on the Burlington airport. Many who took part in the outdoor rally then filed into Contois Auditorium in City Hall and implored the council to use the lease as a lever to stop the basing of F-35 jets at the airport, arguing that the planes make too much noise and emit too many greenhouse gasses.

But those in favor of the lease extension set aside the impact of the jets and instead focused on

Jimmy Leas speaks against extending the lease for the Vermont Air National Guard at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport before a meeting of the Burlington City Council on Monday.

PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

the air guard itself, saying that it played a crucial role in the community, provided employment and helped with emergency response.

Proponents of the measure said it was necessary to secure military funding for the airport.

Department of Defense regulations require more than 25 years remaining on a lease in order for projects on a base to be funded.

According to a press release issued by Mayor Miro Weinberger’s office on Oct. 12, that requirement prompted the air guard to seek this extension.

The air guard said during a

press event last week that $51 million could be made available for projects at the base.

Monday night’s public comment period ran for two hours and featured over 60 speakers, most weighing in on the lease extension proposal.

The council didn’t take up the proposal itself until 10:15 p.m. Its members would discuss the proposal for almost two hours.

Councilors first heard a defense of the extension offered by Gen. Gregory Knight, adjutant general of the Vermont National Guard; Col. Daniel Finnegan,

wing commander of the Vermont Air National Guard; Burlington airport director Nic Longo; and Burlington Fire Chief Michael LaChance.

While their comments mostly focused on the role of the air guard in general and left out the subject of the F-35s, Finnegan did acknowledge the jets, offering some assurances that the air guard changes aircraft every several years, so the F-35s may not be a lasting presence.

Progressive councilors praised the role of the air guard but pushed back on the lease, seeking to use

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the opportunity to discuss the guard’s mission and F-35s.

“This is the one opportunity I have to make good on a promise that I made to my constituents and people across Chittenden County” to try to make a change on F-35s, said Magee.

Later, both Grant and Hightower questioned whether the lease extension needed to be a full 25 years. In response, Finnegan urged caution, saying any change to the lease language could derail federal funding. Despite that, Hightower introduced a motion to change the extension to five more years past 2048, but the motion failed, as did a motion Hightower made to postpone the lease vote to the next council meeting. Both motions fell by votes of 8-4.

Ben Traverse, D-Ward 5, pushed back on the five-year option, calling it “unrealistic.”

“If I felt it was a realistic option, that’s something that I would likely support,” Traverse said.

Hightower responded, saying that she was hearing from Democratic councilors that the council both lacks the power to change the mission but also has “devastating” power to disrupt the military funding.

“Both of those can’t be true,” Hightower said.

During the debate, Bergman said he wasn’t done talking about F-35s. He stated his intention to introduce a motion to change the mission of the air guard at a future meeting.

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VT Truth and Reconciliation Commission holds first meeting

BY MAYA PORTER Community News Service More than 30 people turned out for the first meeting of Vermont’s new Truth and Reconciliation Commission last Tuesday, in which officials introduced themselves and set an open-minded tone for their work.

The committee was set up by Act 128 last year to record and make recommendations regarding instances of discrimination and harm against marginalized communities caused by state laws and policies.

Commissioner Melody Mackin led the virtual meeting, noting that the gavel would change hands every time between her two fellow commissioners, Mia Schultz and Patrick Standen.

Faith Yacubian — the commission’s newly appointed executive director — was also in attendance.

Commissioners said they want to ensure representation and visibility for all Vermonters through their work and in their meetings. Case in point: Mackin began with a statement acknowledging Vermont as the homeland of the Western Abenaki and Mohican tribes. The meeting also featured a sign language interpreter, and each commissioner gave a

physical description of themselves to aid attendees with vision problems.

Commissioners spent time letting attendees know what to expect during the group’s meetings, which are set to run once a month. Attendees should be honest, open-minded and respectful — and commissioners will be held to those same standards, Schultz said. By showing up, she continued, attendees should expect

The committee was set up … to record and make recommendations regarding instances of discrimination and harm against marginalized communities caused by state laws and policies.

mission accomplish — mostly in general terms, but one speaker did offer a specific critique: the officials’ failure to note their race when describing themselves.

“White is not the default,” said the speaker, who only identified themselves as Rhy, adding that everyone should say “who and what they are.”

That prompted each commission member to state their race; Yacubian said that she has white privilege and Standen thanked the community member for the reminder.

State Rep. Kevin Christie, D-Hartford, one of the three lead sponsors on the bill that created the commission, said at the meeting that seeing the commission in action “was humbling” and he

was “looking forward to the journey.”

Schultz echoed the sentiment: She said she was excited “to come to a place where we can be heard, the invisible now be visible.”

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is set to meet once a month. People can send questions and suggestions via email to VTRC@vermont.gov.

Maya Porter reported this story on assignment from the Rutland Herald.

The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. The Observer was not involved in the reporting of this story.

discomfort, be aware of others and their differences and accept the nonclosure that often can come with discussions of race.

Three people in attendance spoke about what they’d like to see the com-

NOV. 9

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GUEST COLUMN

We broke a promise to our mountains

BY ZACK PORTER “We made a promise to this mountain — a promise that the only changes it will ever undergo are Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Perhaps any other possible change to so solid a landmark would seem incredible, but we have seen it happen in other places where mountains have been stripped of trees, terraced, scarred by permanent roads. … We don’t want this to happen here, and neither do all our friends who visit us each year.”

—Excerpted from a Vermont Development Department advertisement in Vermont Life magazine, autumn 1967 Camel’s Hump is not just any mountain. Vermont’s state lands are not just any land. But to the State of Vermont, very little — it would seem — is sacred.

Two years ago, on the same day that Vermont released its much-anticipated Climate Ac-

tion Plan, the state also quietly released another plan that takes the state in the wrong direction.

The revised management plan for Camel’s Hump State Park and surrounding lands calls for 3,750 acres of logging over 15 years, putting profits ahead of the public good, and severing the promise that all Vermonters should expect its state government to keep: that some places are too sacred, and too important for our future, to put on the chopping block.

But the siren song of shortterm economic gain is always calling, and the threats keep multiplying.

In June, the public learned about long-running backroom discussions between Vermont’s Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and two ski resorts about building a new gondola through the Mount Mansfield Natural Area, which is supposed to be permanently protected from development.

We are grateful that the Barre

Williston’s Community Newspaper Since 1985

www.willistonobserver.com P.O. Box 1401, Williston, VT 05495 | 802-489-5499 ADVERTISING Rick Cote, Associate Publisher rick@willistonobserver.com 802-373-2136 EDITOR Jason Starr editor@willistonobserver.com PRODUCTION & DESIGN Jan Kenney jan@willistonobserver.com

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Without accountability and transparency, state land management is an open-ended adventure in executive privilege, removing the ‘public’ from public lands.

State agencies can cut trees, build damaging roads, and amend management plans with impunity.

District Stewardship Team, comprised of Forests, Parks and Recreation and Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff, recently went on record in opposition to the proposal. But a less principled team could have reached a different conclusion, with little recourse afforded to the public.

With the new Camel’s Hump management plan, the State of Vermont had an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate vision and leadership to match the urgency of the climate and extinction crises. For example, solid evidence in Forests, Parks and Recreation’s files demonstrated that limiting logging and road-building on much of Camel’s Hump would help protect downstream lands from flooding. But the Camel’s Hump management plan failed to even mention that evidence, much less incorporate its recommended practices.

In 1911, Joseph Battell gifted the people of Vermont 1,200 acres atop the summit of the state’s most iconic mountain to be forever “preserved in a primeval state.” The gift was prescient: In the ensuing 111 years, all other Green Mountain summits over 4,000 feet have been scarred with roads, resorts, lifts, communications towers and ski trails. Camel’s Hump, in contrast, is the centerpiece of a 26,000-acre, largely undeveloped block of public land.

Camel’s Hump stands alone,

but not only for what is absent.

Far more important is what is there: Mature forests stretch for nearly 12 miles between Appalachian Gap and the Winooski River; a rich mosaic of forest, wetland, cliff and alpine habitats span nearly 4,000 vertical feet, providing astounding connectivity for an incredible array of plants and animals.

For millennia, Camel’s Hump has been known as Tawapodiiwajo, a personal seat for the Abenaki cultural hero Gluskabe.

Today, Camel’s Hump stands proud and tall on the horizon as a lofty anchor of our common Vermont-ness, a compass point showing us the way homeward.

Camel’s Hump might be exceptional, but its plight is indicative of threats facing all state lands in Vermont. State land managers are required by law to develop binding rules for what is and isn’t appropriate on state lands, balancing management goals to protect our climate, public health and biodiversity.

To date, no such rules have ever been issued. Without accountability and transparency, see PORTER page 7

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - POETRY EDITION Sliver of cake A silver flake clustered surprise reflects off the surface While vivacious colors awaken from the horizon tomb Glistens the sun on the summer morn Away from it all I gather my purist thought paths Tempted not by the digital norms Media storms industrial horns mother nature hugs and surrounds me with a clarity those that do not know could never yet understand Another perspective guild in

Porter

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state land management is an open-ended adventure in executive privilege, removing the “public” from public lands.

State agencies can cut trees, build damaging roads, and amend management plans with impunity.

Standing Trees petitioned the Vermont Agency of Natu-

my imagination on a quiet morn Steeped banks lost lonely beside a cluster of white birch Frail bark peeling away to kindle fires in lives Near shelter where strange stories outline a blotter Amber glows the morn on this weekend wonder Lake still but alive with previous winds stories she only knows The hills of her circumference fade with layers of contemplative hues Change as the morn light grows stronger The oars dangle aside a strident egg colored canoe Leaving ripples in the ral Resources more than a year ago to begin rulemaking. The state agreed in theory but has kept the public in the dark ever since. In the meantime, logging is moving forward on the slopes of Vermont’s most sacred mountain and on other state lands, despite an unresolved lawsuit that we filed last fall.

This summer, Vermonters had a front-row seat in the unfolding horror show that is the climate crisis. How many more

Collection Day

water as the boat lingers on Wandering to the next lean to where I can rest Warm blankets to deflect the chill in the dusk air The moon filled with glow and compassion is a spot light The stars I wish to know what they ask of me The night and my dreams an escape There she is again at my streaming mind matters Waiting for the hermit thrush to sing his famous song Sometimes it is difficult to sleep Scott Wege Williston disasters will it take for the state to break with the status quo? We aren’t going to wait to find out.

It’s past time to make good on our promises.

Zack Porter is executive director of the Vermontbased nonprofit Standing Trees, which works to protect and restore forests on New England’s public lands.

Saturday was my paper route collection day, Mrs. Graham always tipped me With a coin and a graham cracker; Misunderstanding the significance of her Nurturing and sustenance until now.

Friendships gathered and maintained, Along life’s journey Benchmark lasting memories of shared experiences; A compendium of joyous times Toasted at reunions.

Baseball cards, coins and comic books Aggregated, cherished items, current Portals to an innocent past Alive only in a consciousness Evoking longing and loss.

One Saturday, Mrs. Graham failed to answer her door, No tip or cracker.

Her son paid the bill and canceled her subscription.

Unknown at the time, apparently Saturday Was God’s collection day too.

Letter Policy We ask that letters run no longer than 300 words.

We edit only for length, clarity, style, spelling and grammar. Please include your name, town or city where you live and a daytime phone number (which we won’t print) so we can verify you wrote the letter. The deadline is Monday at noon for letters to be printed in Thursday’s paper. Send to: editor@willistonobserver.com

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October 26, 2023

Homeowners, it’s time to button up

BY MELINDA SCOTT Special to the Observer

The leaves are falling, the mornings are cooler and we’ve even turned on the heat a few times. Winter is around the corner.

There’s no reason to shiver in your own home every time the snow flies. Weatherization is key to helping you keep the warm air in and the cold air out. More comprehensive projects can ease energy consumption further still, helping to lower your heating bills.

If your home is losing heat, it’s likely you’ve noticed one or more of these common problems: Drafts — If cool air leaks in while your heat is on, you can be

sure energy is being wasted. Drafts can originate in many places, including windows, doors, exterior cellar entryways, outlets, dryer vents and bathroom ceiling fans.

Snow melt — Snow melting in some areas of your roof and not others can indicate that your attic is not properly sealed and insulated.

A lack of insulation is a sure way to waste heating energy and make your home colder.

Icicles — They may look pretty, but icicles often indicate that heat is escaping through your roof, as well as being dangerous if they fall on you. They can also lead to ice dams and roof water leaks.

Mold — Lack of insulation can cause moisture to rise and get

trapped in the attic and walls. This is a serious problem that can result in significant health issues.

WHERE TO START WITH WEATHERIZATION

Buttoning up is an exercise that will be as unique as the home in which you live. This is especially true here in Vermont, given our state’s older housing stock.

Efficiency Vermont and partners around the state are available to help you evaluate your home’s unique efficiency opportunities and develop a plan that’s right for you.

Here are some of the ways you can get objective guidance on buttoning up your home: Virtual and in-person events

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— Attend some of the events sponsored by Efficiency Vermont as part of its Button Up campaign.

Virtual events are convenient, and you don’t have to waste any gas getting there!

In-person events are an excellent opportunity to learn about ways to save energy. Check to see if there is an upcoming event in your area at https://www.buttonupvermont.org/events.

Virtual home energy visits — Have an Efficiency Vermont energy expert perform a virtual home assessment over video chat or phone. Together, you’ll identify specific opportunities and develop a custom plan to save you energy at home. Sign up at https://www.

efficiencyvermont.com/visit.

If you’re a Vermont Gas customer, you may be eligible for an “Energy Snapshot” or comprehensive energy audit from Vermont Gas. Learn more at https://vgsvt. com/savings/residentialrebate/energy-audits-weatherization/ GETTING IT DONE

Once you’ve identified your home’s specific needs, you’ll want to take the appropriate steps to address them. Below are four ways you can get to work on efficiency upgrades.

Do it yourself — DIY weatherization projects usually won’t noticeably reduce your energy bills, but they can limit drafts and see BUTTON UP page 9

October 26, 2023

Weatherization is key to helping homeowners keep the warm air in and the cold air out.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EFFICIENCY VERMONT

Button up

continued from page 8

keep you more comfortable. Learn which DIY projects will give you the biggest bang for your buck with Efficiency Vermont’s DIY Guide (https://www.efficiencyvermont. com/rebates/list/diy-weatherization). Plus, when you complete three or more eligible projects you can get $100 back to help offset the cost of materials.

Find a qualified contractor — Every home is a unique system of windows, doors, attics, basements, insulation, ventilation and heating systems. When weatherization is done correctly, it helps these components work together more effectively.

A professional weatherization contractor who is part of Efficiency Vermont’s Efficiency Excellence Network (EEN) can help you identify which projects will align best with your goals and have the most impact. When you work with a professional weatherization contractor that is part of Efficiency Vermont’s Efficiency Excellence Network, you can get 75 percent off project costs (up to $9,500, depending on household income).

EEN members are trained to deliver the highest-quality efficiency technologies and services for your home. They can also offer exclusive incentives and financing options like 0 percent interest loans or monthly installments on your utility bill. Use Efficiency Vermont’s “Find-a-Pro” tool (https://

www.eff iciencyver mont.com / find-contractor-retailer) to find a qualified contractor near you.

Apply for weatherization assistance — Vermont’s weatherization agencies offer free energy audits, insulation and air sealing.

Eligibility is based on income and determined by your regional weatherization agency.

Upgrade your heating system — If you’ve already weatherized your home, installing a more efficient heating system can make a huge difference in bills and comfort. Efficiency Vermont, your electric utility and other organizations around the state offer rebates on heat pumps, wood stoves and pellet furnaces and boilers.

REBATES ARE AVAILABLE

Complete three qualifying DIY projects, like weather-stripping, windows, insulation and air sealing to get up to $100 cash back, offsetting the cost of project materials.

Save thousands of dollars on weatherization projects. Vermont Gas customers can receive 50 percent back, up to $3,500, or 75 percent back, up to $5,000 for income-eligible households.

Work with a contractor to get up to $450 of ductless heat pumps on qualifying models, plus an income-eligible bonus and utility rebates.

These are just a few of the rebates available for qualifying home energy projects. View a complete list of rebates at https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/rebates.

If you face any challenges with heating and comfort in your home, don’t delay, act today and get the information and assistance you need. Efficiency Vermont is always available to support you year-round at www.efficiencyvermont.com.

Let’s all “button up” our homes, Williston, and make this a more comfortable and affordable winter.

For more details on this information, visit https://www. buttonupvermont.org. Button Up Vermont is supported by a partnership of energy services providers and clean energy champions.

The annual campaign runs each fall to raise awareness around the importance of weatherization. Efficiency Vermont is a statewide energy efficiency utility that provides incentives, technical advice and efficient products to help customers save money and lower carbon emissions.

Melinda Scott is the energy and community development planner for the Town of Williston. She wrote this article in consultation with Efficiency Vermont. To participate in Williston’s energy future, reach out to your Williston Energy Committee at energy@ willistonvt.org or attend a public meeting held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The agenda for upcoming meetings is posted on the Town of Williston website at https:// www.town.williston.vt.us. For more information, visit: www. willistonvtenergycommittee.org.

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Lawmakers share environmental priorities

BY COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

This story features reporting from students in the University of Vermont’s environmental journalism course: Sophie Acker, Quinn Bisbee, Caitlin Boyarsky, Olivia Buchler, Jonas Camera, Lindsay Foxwell, Leah Golding, Emma Graham, Tanner Hopkins, Kate Kampner, Abby Minton, Julia Odwyer, Lindsay Renk, Kate Rosegard, Phoebe Swartz, Amelia Veleber, Meredith Williamson, Finn Hummel, Cassie Mcgonagle and Sangavi Muthuswamy. Mark Johnson edited the story. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Ver-

mont students work with professional editors to provide material for local news outlets at no cost.

The Observer was not involved in the reporting of this story.

Lawmakers say efforts to reduce the effects of climate change are more urgent than ever after devastating flooding caused significant damage throughout many parts of Vermont this summer.

Reducing the use of gas-fueled automobiles tops the lists of 16 lawmakers interviewed by the Community News Service this fall. Among their ideas are to create incentives for more people to purchase electric vehicles (EVs), build more EV charging stations, promote more

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Donation Deadline: Tuesday, October 31 Drop-off at Our Office: 204 Cornerstone Drive, Williston 8:30 am - 3:00 pm, M-F Questions? Reach out to Elise!

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public transportation where practical and improve the reliability of internet service in rural areas so more Vermonters can drive less and work from home more.

Some caution against setting unachievable goals, though.

The legislators — who come from both the House and Senate and represent counties across the state — also want to push for more energy efficiency in homes, including improvements in heat pump technology and building housing closer to transportation hubs to reduce the use of gasoline and cut emissions.

Many lawmakers believe the flooding this July was caused by the effects of climate change and want to make changes that might

help reduce the frequency of major flooding events. They also want to expand mitigation efforts, like improved emergency services and placing utilities underground, to reduce the damage when those major weather events occur in the future. “(People say) that we want to improve the environment,” said Sen. Randy Brock, R-Franklin, the Senate minority leader. “One of the first things we have to do is not make it worse than it is right now.”

The costs of improvements and incentives could be significant, but Rep. Mollie Burke, D-Brattleboro, said the costs of cleaning up after extreme weather events are higher than taking preventative measures ahead of time. Some of those investments and ideas will be difficult politically and financially for lawmakers to support, she said, but the time for action is now.

That includes an effort she’s worked on with former Rep. Curt McCormack, D-Burlington, chair of the House Committee on Transportation last session, and Rep. Gabrielle Stebbins, D-Burlington, of the House environmental committee, to tax gas-guzzling vehicles and give buyers a “feebate” for vehicles that are more fuel efficient.

“Sometimes you have to do things that are politically feasible,” said Burke, a 15-year member of the House transportation committee. “At the same time, we’re in a situation right now where being politically feasible shouldn’t matter. It should matter that we’re in a very bad situation regarding our climate.”

Rep. Katherine Sims, D-Craftsbury, agreed that investments today could save money on cleanups after future extreme weather events and lessen their blow when they happen.

“We can either pay to clean up after a weather event or invest upfront in mitigation to save us all money” said Sims, who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Among Sims’ suggestions are burying power lines, stabilizing sloped roads to aid in drainage and upgrading stormwater infrastructure. Many infrastructure improve-

ments made after Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 are credited with reducing the impact from this summer’s flooding.

TACKLING THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR

Rep. Tom Stevens, D-Waterbury, said reducing the use of cars is key to offsetting the effects climate change.

“Transportation is probably the biggest sector of environmental impacts that we’re dealing with right now,” said Stevens, chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs.

Some ideas, like expanded bus service or more bike lanes, are more practical in urban than rural areas, lawmakers say.

“Bus routes are not viable in extremely rural areas,” says Rep. Avram Patt, D-Worcester, who once helmed an organization developing and planning central Vermont’s public transportation system.

“You’re going to be running empty buses down long distances.”

Having more people working remotely, even if it’s just a few days of the week, Patt said, can reduce the use of cars and have other benefits too.

“It also makes the job more attractive to a larger number of people who might otherwise not apply,” said Patt, a member of the House environmental and energy committee.

But some jobs, like those in health care, Patt acknowledged, have to be done in person.

Where public transportation is more viable, like in Burlington and the surrounding areas, Sen. Thomas Chittenden, D-Chittenden-Southeast, wants to see bus drivers paid better and fewer costs falling so heavily on municipalities. He said one possibility for more funding could come from a surcharge on car registrations.

“The answer is not just more electric cars — it’s also in less cars,” said Chittenden, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation. He also said e-Bikes, like those recently proliferating in Burlington, see LAWMAKERS page 11

October 26, 2023

Lawmakers

continued from page 10

aren’t a practical solution for many.

“I’m not against e-bikes, but I don’t see them as the best solution for the most vulnerable,” said Chittenden. “They are a great luxury to have when you also have a vehicle.

But when you need to get a gallon of milk and some groceries, (e-bikes are) not going to work for those that need the resources the most.”

Rep. Tesha Buss, D-West Woodstock, wants to work on making heat pump technology more accessible and attractive for consumers.

Commercial use heat pumps only have a warranty of one year, unlike those for residential use, which have a warranty from eight to 10 years.

Buss said she wants to see the warranties for commercial heat pumps extended longer.

Buss also wants to dispel some of the “misconceptions” she’s heard about electric vehicles, particularly the claim they are more expensive.

An EV owner, Buss said electric vehicles typically need fewer engine repairs and brake replacements than gas vehicles.

Rep. Brian Smith, R-Derby, expressed skepticism about the affordability of EVs and urged caution against any policies that would compel people to own them.

“If I don’t know I want to buy an electric car, I shouldn’t be penalized,” said Smith, a member of the House environmental committee.

Smith also questioned whether Vermont can deploy charging stations at the scale needed to meet emissions goals.

But legislators broadly signaled support for more EV charging stations and more EVs in consumers’ hands around the state. That includes traditionally offroad vehicles popular in Vermont’s recreation economy. Sen. David Weeks, R-Rutland, said he believes in “the use of electric snowmobiles and ATVs to mitigate air and noise pollution.”

Alongside those vehicles, “the related recharging infrastructure must also be available,” he said.

Weeks, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, mentioned as a priority reforming

Act 250, the state’s land-use and conservation law long seen as too strict on builders.

Act 250 should be enhanced “to support interstate road development, address the housing shortage and encourage business development,” he said.

Discussions of infrastructure, transportation and the environment almost necessarily include regulations like Act 250, along with some of Vermont’s most immediate and well-known challenges: housing and demographic trends.

Brock, the Senate minority leader, said that “you don’t want to create sprawl, and you don’t want to create an environment that damages the natural beauty of the place in which we live,” though, “We have to recognize that we do have to have places for people to live.”

He said Vermont needs to look less toward government agencies and more toward the private sector to help the state’s housing crisis.

LABOR LACKING

Part of solving that crisis, and of state projects to address environmental problems, depends on Vermont’s demographic dynamics, he said. For years the state’s population has declined on the whole and become increasingly older, apart from a small spike amid the pandemic.

Officials have long talked about the flight of younger Vermonters.

“We don’t have enough people to do the jobs that need to be done,” Brock said, adding later, “We don’t have the number of folks moving in who are plumbers, carpenters and electricians, which is one of the things that we desperately need.”

He doesn’t think Vermont has enough skilled workers to add efficient heat pumps on the scale required. “People have gone most of the winter without their heat pumps working because they couldn’t find someone to do the repairs,” he said.

Critical to addressing the impacts of environmental changes in Vermont is boosting the number of folks in the trades, he said.

“You can’t do the insulation and the changes to add new and more advanced and more environmentally friendly heating sources unless you have the labor force to be capable and competent to be able

“Being politically feasible shouldn’t matter. It should matter that we’re in a very bad situation regarding our climate.”

Rep. Mollie Burke Brattleboro

to do that,” he said, adding that the lacking labor force is “among the biggest risks that we have right now to be able to achieve our environmental goals.”

Some of the climate-related issues brought up are outside of the lawmakers’ jurisdiction but nonetheless affect their constituents.

“We certainly have a major environmental problem on our hands,” said Brock. “But it’s not a solely Vermont problem. It is a national problem, and indeed it’s an international problem.”

Rep. Jonathan Williams,

D-Barre City, noted some of his constituents had difficulty during the summer flood cleanup because of the smoke coming from Canadian forest fires.

“Folks were cleaning up from the floods, and it involved a lot of, you know, shoveling out mud and stuff like that, but some of that cleaning couldn’t happen, or some folks couldn’t participate in the cleaning because of the air quality,” said Williams, a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus.

He also said the 211 emergency number needs to be improved because it was not always available for his constituents during the crisis.

OVERWHELMING REALITY

Rep. Brian Cina, P/D-Burlington, said the flooding this summer has piqued lawmakers’ interest in passing legislation on climate issues.

“We’re in a worse situation than people want to admit, because when you really face it, it’s overwhelming. It’s really intense to think about the scale of it,” Cina said.

The question, he said, is “how

•

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Page 11

do we deal with what’s happening now and prepare for what’s coming.”

On the other hand, Sen. Russ Ingalls, R-Essex, feels it’s more important to resolve the current issues Vermont is facing before trying to bring in new laws.

“I’m really not so much looking at creating a new law as we’re going to be pretty busy repairing a lot of the flood damage throughout the state,” said Ingalls, who chairs the Senate Committee on Institutions, which is responsible for public buildings.

“I’ve got about 21 buildings right there within sight of the Statehouse that have been flooded,” he said.

“And so we’re going to be pretty busy with that … I’ve got enough on my plate right now with running the committee to make sure that we repair the damage from our last flood.”

He said officials should “be wise about where we decide that we’re going to put buildings and get them out of the floodplain, so that we don’t have to keep on going back and fixing what we’ve fixed the previous years.”

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October 26, 2023

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Williston Observer

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Page 13

SPORTS Play it smart after a concussion Hey Woodski!

I recently got a concussion. No symptoms anymore but I find myself playing cautiously. How do I overcome that?

Heads Up, age 15 (male, soccer and basketball)

Nullifying the net Knights CVU’s Aren Eisenman and Rice’s Drew Bessette, above, joust at the net during the Redhawks’ 3 sets to 2 win over the Rice Green Knights Oct. 20 in Hinesburg. Justin Bokan, left, dives to keep the ball in play.

Bottom right, Simon Hunt gets a kill from the center. Mateo Dienz-Del Rio, bottom left, shows off his jump serve.

OBSERVER PHOTOS

BY AL FREY

Dear Heads Up, Unfortunately this is very common. Your body is probably holding onto the memory of the concussion and some of the anxiety that came with it. Ack! That can be rough!!

Before any drills or game play, your doctor needs to clear you for those activities. Be sure you are cleared for each activity at each level of play.

Once you are given the OK, there are some things you can do to gradually regain your confidence.

It might sound crazy, but you can lower your fear by talking to yourself. Before each of your practices and games, take 5-10 minutes alone in a quiet space. In your mind (or out loud), sooth yourself by saying things like: “I’ve been 100 percent cleared for this activity. Over the last six weeks, my body has been healing and it’s time to play again. I’ll use common sense; I’ll avoid risky situations, but it’s OK to play with intensity. Small bumps and quick movements will not cause another concussion.”

Personalize this to your specific situation. Write it down, keep it with you and repeat often.

Inevitably though, you will be bumped or jostled again. Here’s where proactive self-talk really pays off. When it happens (even in the heat of the action), bring yourself back to that soothing self-talk. Tell yourself that you are safe and no physical damage has been done. It takes a fair amount of force to produce a concussion, and the small bumps of your sport are not enough to re-injure you.

Your family deserves to be in the loop, too. They might also be “playing cautiously” as you return to sports. Be sure to tell them about your self-talk and how it makes you feel. You don’t need to be embarrassed. Positive self-talk is something the best players do all the time.

It could be a whole new way for you to improve, on the court and off!

Steve Fuchs is a health coach at Steve Fuchs Health Coaching.

Go to www.vermonthealthcoach. com to anonymously ask a question about things that affect your athletic performance. The advice offered in this column is not intended to replace professional medical advice. It is advised that you talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet, exercise or lifestyle choices.

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Williston Observer

• October 26, 2023

Stone

continued from page 14

Rest Assured

herself waking up in the middle of the night jotting down observations to share with their primary care physician. She began reading the poems of Mary Oliver to help her face what lay ahead.

“After I while I started writing my own haiku,” said Nancy.

Seeking a playmate My muse wakes me at midnight We frolic for hours She wrote poems on multiple post-it notes to get to the right wording.

Two years ago, she had accumulated 200 poems and began illustrating some of them so that she could enter a book arts exhibition.

Last year she shared with friends the now 350 poems she had written. They insisted she publish them to help other caregivers.

Nancy – a visual artist and educator who taught art at Williston Central School, Vermont Commons School, and Community College of Vermont and who didn’t think of

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herself as a poet – was hesitant.

But she recalled a line from a favorite Mary Oliver poem that reads, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” and in the spirit of “you only live once,” she contacted Rootstock Publishing in Montpelier. They agreed to publish her work.

Having just turned 80, she says it’s a shock to now be a published poet. But she has found that publishing the book has been a gift.

The cover of Nancy Stone’s new book of poems “Indigo Hours: Healing Haiku,” chronicling her journey as a caregiver for her husband Ken after his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s.

COURTESY PHOTO

“It has been a healing balm for me. People tell me they find solace in the haiku,” she said.

David Yandell, professor emeritus of pathology at the University of Vermont, quoted in a press release for the book’s launch, said: “Stone’s book is a heartfelt meditation, in haiku and visual poetry, on her passage into the mysterious journey so many of us are forced to take with a loved one … Her words and art will be familiar and comforting to anyone who is embarking on a journey into the confusing darkness of dementia.”

Nancy has also found comfort from her Alzheimer’s support group that meets twice monthly.

“We’ve had celebrations and mourning and a lot of laughter. It’s really, really helpful,” she said.

The book covers the five years since Ken’s diagnosis. The poems and illustrations capture the progression of his condition and its impact on their life together. Ken is now living in a memory care facility where Nancy and their two adult children pay frequent visits.

“There are hard days. Last night I had tears in my eyes because I was missing who he was.

But he’s still delightful,” said Nancy. “I’m blessed with a very cheerful husband still.”

“Indigo Hours: Healing Haiku” can be purchased directly from Rootstock Publishing (www.rootstockpublishing.com), locally in hardcover and softcover editions at Phoenix Books, and on Amazon.

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Williston Observer

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Vermont AG sues Instagram for harm to teens’ mental health ing revenue, and that it deceived consumers about the platform’s safety. Vermont’s lawsuit is part of a coordinated national enforcement effort involving 42 other state attorneys general.

“Instagram’s harm to teens, and particularly girls and young women, is well-documented,” said Clark, a Williston resident and the first woman ever elected as Vermont Attorney General. “But Meta has denied and downplayed these harmful

impacts for continued profits.

Meta knowingly designed and developed Instagram features to exploit teens’ vulnerabilities to maximize revenue. This is reprehensible and a violation of Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act. This lawsuit aims to hold Meta accountable.”

Meta owns and operates Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Horizon Worlds. Meta generates revenue from Instagram by selling advertising on the

State grants $3.3 million to businesses for treating wastewater

BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger

While most of Vermont’s public wastewater is treated in large municipal facilities, new state funding is set to help some businesses with particularly potent wastewater to treat it at the source.

Producers of alcohol, syrup and cheese are among the eight businesses chosen by the Department of Environmental Conservation to receive the grants, ranging from less than $24,000 to $850,000. Gov. Phil Scott announced the funding, which comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, on Tuesday.

“Investing in municipal wastewater infrastructure has many benefits, including economic development opportunities, increasing housing capacity and more,” he said in a press release about the program.

State officials considered applications from business owners who want to install or upgrade treatment systems for “high-strength or toxic wastewater” that is regularly discharged to a municipal wastewater treatment facility.

The projects are designed to avoid overwhelming municipal wastewater treatment plants. They also are meant to mitigate other strains, such as wastewater that is acidic, which could cause a system’s pipes to corrode.

The department plans to funnel a total of $3.3 million through municipalities to alcohol producers, including Burlington Beer Company, Stowe Cider, WhistlePig Whiskey and Freak Folk Bier; restaurant supply company Edlund Company; syrup producer Runamok Maple; kombucha producer Ellipsis; and AgriMark, the owner of Cabot Creamery.

Each proposed system is likely to look different, said Amy Polaczyk, wastewater program manager for the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Some of the smaller grants will help businesses reduce the amount of wastewater going down the drain in the first place.

Others, such as Burlington Beer Company, which received the largest grant, are working to reduce pollutants using an entire treatment system, Polaczyk said. The project is designed to reduce biochemical oxygen demand — the amount of oxygen that’s needed for organic substances in the water to break down. In beer, she said, the demand is high.

“So when you put it into a wastewater system, it’s going to demand a lot of oxygen, and so does sewage that you’ve flushed down the toilet,”

she said. “So what those systems at the breweries are meant to do is to not overwhelm the wastewater treatment facility with a lot of organic material.”

The same is true for milk, she said.

Middlebury-based AgriMark is working to upgrade its system to reduce the amount of milk that goes down the drain, and to be more consistent with its discharge, which would help Middlebury’s treatment facility, according to Polaczyk. She noted that the contracts for the projects have not been finalized yet and are subject to change.

The grants mark the second round of funding for these types of wastewater projects, Polaczyk said.

Almost all of the projects from the first round of funding, which was distributed in 2022, are operating now, she said.

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but did not disclose the harm or make meaningful changes to minimize the harm. Instead, they claimed their platforms were safe for young users.

“Amid the mental health epidemic faced by American teens, Meta knowingly contributed to the crisis by designing its platform to exploit teens’ vulnerabilities and repeatedly expose teens to harmful content,” a news release announcing the lawsuit states.

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Attorney General Charity Clark has sued the company that owns Instagram — Meta — to hold the company, formerly known as Facebook, accountable for its alleged contribution to the decline in teen mental health in Vermont and throughout the U.S. The lawsuit alleges that Meta designed Instagram to cause young people to use the platform compulsively and excessively to maximize advertis-

Page 16release • dates: Williston Observer • October 26, 2023 Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2023

43 (23)

Next Week: Veterans Day

Founded by Betty Debnam

photo by Chesapeake Bay Program

Welcome to Virginia

photo by Touch of Light

Our 10th state is home to about 8.7 million people. Its capital is Richmond, but Virginia Beach is the largest city.

Because northern Virginia borders Washington, D.C., many employees of The Pentagon in Arlington the federal is the headquarters for the government U.S. Defense Department. work and live in This five-sided complex is the world’s second-largest office the area.

Virginia’s gifts

Forests cover 62% of the state. The Blue Ridge Mountains run along the western edge of the state.

Many of our former presidents’ homes in the state are open to visitors: Mount Vernon (Washington’s Monticello home); Montpelier (Madison’s home); Monticello (Jefferson’s home); and Highland (Monroe’s home).

photo by Kyle Magnuson

Ever since the first British colonists landed in America, the Commonwealth of Virginia has played a major role in our country’s history.

Eight presidents were born there: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson. One of the state’s nicknames is “Mother of Presidents”; another is “Old Dominion.”

Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America, was founded there in 1607. Before that, many Indigenous people lived in the area. Pocahontas, the daughter of a Powhatan Indian chief, helped bring peace between settlers and Powhatans near Jamestown.

At work and play

Many Virginians work in government or the military. Others are farmers or work in technology businesses. Tourism is also important in the state.

There are no professional sports teams in Virginia. Residents follow nearby teams in Washington, Baltimore, and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. Sports fans also follow college teams, including those representing Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.

The state offers two amusement parks: Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. Luray Caverns, the largest caves in the eastern United States, are Stalactites, stalagmites visited by more than a and columns in Luray half-million people a year. Caverns.

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Try ’n’ Find

Washington

• Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas was born in Newport News, Virginia.

She was part of the goldmedal-winning team at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Gabby hopes to compete at the 2024 Douglas Games.

• Actor Grant Gustin, who was born in Norfolk, Virginia, is best known as Barry Allen/The Flash on the TV series “The Flash.”

• Willa Grant Gustin Cather was an author in the early 20th century. She was born in Gore, Virginia. She wrote novels about pioneers Willa on the frontier.

Cather

Resources On the Web:

• bit.ly/MPVirginia

At the library:

• “Virginia” by Moira Rose Donohue • “Explore Virginia With Me!” by Rebecca Greene

Mini Jokes

Words that remind us of Virginia are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: CAVES, COMMONWEALTH, S R T N DOMINION, FOREST, N S GOVERNMENT, HOMES, INDIGENOUS, JAMESTOWN, E P D K LURAY, MOTHER, I N MOUNTAINS, PEACE, S J PENTAGON, POCAHONTAS, E I

Along with many presidents, Virginia has been home to athletes, entertainers and other historical figures.

• Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856 in Hale’s Ford, Virginia. He taught himself to read and write and later became the first leader of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Booker T. Tuskegee University).

H T L A E W N O M M O C T E M N R E V O G Y A R U L A T N O H A C O P V D R M H O M E S E V A C U O I S S N I A T N U O M R M C I D I G E N O U S E E I H R A M E S T O W N C H N M U Y W F O R E S T A T I O O

photo by Agência Brasil Fotografias

Virginia is one of only four states to use “Commonwealth” in their name.

Old Dominion

building.

Famous Virginians

Mini Fact:

photo by vagueonthehow

Issue 43, 2023

Vince: Where did George Washington buy his hatchet?

Violet: At the chopping mall!

Eco Note Researchers say they are working to create plastic from the carcasses

work and live in the area.

U.S. Defense Department.

This five-sided complex is the world’s second-largest office building.

At the library:

eastern United States, are Stalactites, stalagmites visited by more than a and columns in Luray half-million people a year. Caverns.

• “Virginia” by Moira Rose Donohue • “Explore Virginia With Me!” by Rebecca Greene October 26, 2023 • Williston Observer • Page 17

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

Try ’n’ Find

Mini Jokes

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

Vince: Where did George Washington buy his hatchet?

Violet: At the chopping mall!

CAVES, COMMONWEALTH, S R H T L A E W N O M M O C T T N E M N R E V O G Y A R U L DOMINION, FOREST, N S A T N O H A C O P V D R M GOVERNMENT, HOMES, INDIGENOUS, JAMESTOWN, E P H O M E S E V A C U O I S D K S N I A T N U O M R M C I LURAY, MOTHER, I N D I G E N O U S E E I H R MOUNTAINS, PEACE, PENTAGON, POCAHONTAS, S J A M E S T O W N C H N M U E I Y W F O R E S T A T I O O PRESIDENTS, RICHMOND, R U N O G A T N E P E O O N T TOURISM, VIRGINIA. P S V I R G I N I A P M N D W

Eco Note Researchers say they are working to create plastic from the carcasses of dead flies, which would biodegrade naturally after use. A team from Texas A&M University say flies are already being raised as animal feed, but many are unused and discarded. Researcher Cassidy Tibbetts says these flies are the sources of the team’s research because they are made up of chitin, a nontoxic, biodegradable, sugarbased polymer that strengthens the insects’ exoskeletons. adapted with permission from Earthweek.com

Cook’s Corner • 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered milk • 1 apple, chopped • 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

What to do: 1. Combine first four ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Add oats and powdered milk. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in apples and brown sugar.

4. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serves 4.

The Mini Page® © 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication

You’ll need: • 1 cup water • 3/4 cup apple juice • 2 tablespoons raisins • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 3/4 cup regular oats, uncooked

* You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.

Apple Oatmeal

For later:

Look in your newspaper for articles about events in Virginia.

Teachers: Follow and

interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!

Brevity

BY DAN THOMPSON

Page 18 •

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October 26, 2023

SAVVY SENIOR How to find a medical escort after a procedure Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some medical escort services that help seniors get home after a medical procedure? I need to have a colonoscopy, but my doctor’s clinic won’t schedule my appointment unless I supply them with a name and phone number

of the person taking me home afterward. I live alone with no family nearby, and my friend doesn’t drive anymore. Any suggestions?

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While there’s no one simple solution to this medical escort problem, there are wide variety of local service providers, nonprofits and home-care companies that may be able to assist you. But what’s available to you will depend on where you live.

thesia can be challenging for older patients without nearby family or friends to rely on.

Clinics require patients list a driver as a safety measure. With a colonoscopy, for example, patients often receive an anesthetic, like propofol, or a narcotic such as Demerol or fentanyl, combined with anti-anxiety medication like Versed or Valium.

These drugs affect the brain, and they can stay in the system for four to six hours. So, what’s needed is someone to escort you out of the building, take you back home and see you into it.

A good first step in making medical escort arrangements is to talk to your health care provider that’s doing the procedure to find out if their clinic offers transportation services, or if they can refer you to a local medical escort service or person who can help you.

If not, see if you can remain in the clinic for an extended period of time, until the drugs wear off, so you can safely drive yourself home or hail an Uber, Lyft or taxi to take you.

If these options aren’t available, here are some sources you should check into.

Area Agency on Aging (AAA): Your local AAA is one of your best resources for locating transportation services. It should be able to refer you to medical escorts available in your community. To find your AAA, call the Eldercare Locater 800-677-1116 or visit www.Eldercare.acl.gov.

Local nonprofit groups: The National Volunteer Caregiving Network (www.NVCNetwork. org) connects about 700 commu-

nity organizations nationwide, most of which provide doorthrough-door transportation without charge.

Shepherd’s Centers of America: There are 55 affiliates in 17 states that provide support services for older adults — see www.

ShepherdCenters.org. Most offer escorts to and from medical appointments without charge.

Village to Village Network: There are around 250 local village networks across the country (see www.VTVNetwork.org) that often help with medical escorts, though there’s an annual fee — usually subsidized for lower-income seniors — to join a village.

Home-care companies: You may also be able to hire a medical escort through a home-care agency, or you can find someone on your own through websites like Care.com or CareLinx.com. Note that Medicare doesn’t cover medical escorts, but in many states Medicaid does. If you choose this option, be sure you give plenty of notice before your appointment.

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.

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October 26, 2023

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Williston Observer

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Page 19

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22

Almanac ANDREWS

MCMEEL

TODAY’S HISTORY: • In 1774, the first Continental Congress adjourned in Philadelphia.

• In 1881, the legendary shootout between lawmen and outlaw cowboys near the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, left three men dead.

• In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the anti-terrorism Patriot Act into law.

• In 2002, Russian special forces raided a theater in Moscow where Chechen separatists had held hundreds of patrons hostage for nearly three days. More than 120 hostages and all 40 militants were killed.

TODAY’S FACT: • Florida is the flattest state in the United States. Its highest elevation is only 345 feet above sea level.

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Williston Observer

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Dorothy Alling Memorial Library hours: • Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Visit www.damlvt.org to apply for a library card, access digital offerings and to register for programs. Need help? Call 878-4918 or email daml@damlvt.org.

YOUTH PROGRAMS Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.

TEEN NIGHT: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

Friday, Oct. 27 and Thursday, Nov. 9, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Join our bi-weekly campaign. Monthly meeting is moving to Thursday nights starting with the Nov. 9 meeting.

October 26, 2023

STORYTIME

Tuesdays, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 10:30-11 a.m. Drop in for stories and fun with Danielle.

BABY TIME

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 10:3011 a.m. Enjoy gentle activities with your baby.

AFTER SCHOOL LEGOS & BOARD GAMES

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2-3 p.m. Play games or create with LEGOs to unwind after school.

PRESCHOOL MUSIC AND PLAYTIME

Thursdays, Nov. 2 and 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Enjoy music, then stay to play.

FUN WITH ROBOTS

Monday, Nov. 6, 3-4 p.m.

Build obstacle courses and mazes and compete to get the robots to their goal. Thank you to the Rotary Club for donating our second robot.

Williston

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.

Williston Adams Farm Market Belle’s Café Chef’s Corner 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 Vermont Meat & Seafood Williston Coffee Shop If you would like copies for your location call Rick Cote at (802) 373-2136 or email Rick@WillistonObserver.com

Essex Junction Essex Automotive Five Corner Variety Hannaford 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

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

READ TO A DOG (LOLA)

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 5-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. Join our Teen Advisory Board — you bring the thoughts, we bring the food!

Thursday, Nov. 2, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Call to schedule a ten-minute session with Lola the Therapy Dog. Read to her or just hang out.

erlasting arrangement. Please bring an empty can if you are able. A few will be available for those who need. Register at www. damlvt.org

AFTER SCHOOL STEAM FUN ACTIVITY

TELESCOPE NIGHT

ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2-3 p.m.

Experience science, art, math and more at the library.

LEGO TIME

Thursday, Nov. 9, 3-4 p.m.

Use the library’s LEGO collection to make something exciting.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS PUMPKIN CARVING

Saturday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Rain or shine. Bring your family to carve a pumpkin on the Town Green. Registration is required at www.damlvt.org.

Thank you to Red Barn Gardens for donating pumpkins to the library.

TRUNK OR TREATING

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Find Dottie the Bookmobile along with other community groups and the Rotary Club for Trunk or Treating near Williston Central School.

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 6 p.m.

In the Community Park behind Williston Central School. See the night sky through a telescope’s lens and learn how to use the library’s telescope (available for checkout)! Rain date: Nov. 9, 6 p.m. Register at www.damlvt.org.

ADULT PROGRAMS For online programs, email daml@ damlvt.org for Zoom link.

PUZZLE SWAP

All through the month of November, bring a gently used puzzle (300+ pieces) and take home one that is new to you.

SPANISH CONVERSATION (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 5-6 p.m.

All abilities welcome.

ADULT CRAFTERNOON: FALL ARRANGEMENT

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2-3 p.m.

Bring a touch of autumn to your décor when you transform a pumpkin puree can into an ev-

Fridays in November, 1212:30 p.m. Join Maryellen Crangle and reconnect with your peaceful body and breath.

MAH JONGG

Friday, Nov. 3, 1-3 p.m. Drop in to play or learn this popular tile game. All levels welcome.

CURRENT EVENTS

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 10:30 a.m. -12 p.m. Drop by to discuss newsworthy topics.

LIFE STORIES WE LOVE TO TELL (ONLINE)

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2-3:30 p.m. Maryellen Crangle will provide a prompt to guide the group in choosing a story to share.

AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 6:307:30 p.m. “Small Great Things”

by Jodi Picoult unflinchingly explores a moral dilemma.

Available as an eBook in Libby (Overdrive) and in print from the library.

Vermont State invests in Williston nursing program

Nursing enrollment to increase nearly 50 percent

The Williston campus of Vermont State University (VTSU) will expand its nursing education center as part of a multi-campus expansion of the university’s nursing program, the university announced last week.

VTSU also plans a new nursing education center in Johnson and improvements such as patient simulators and lab equipment at its Castleton and Lyndon campuses.

“We are so excited to be able to make these advancements for our in-demand nursing programs across the university,” said Sarah Billings-Berg, dean of the school of nursing and health sciences.

“We strive to do everything possible to meet the workforce needs of our state and this expansion is a big step forward towards graduating more nurses who are ready for every level of practice.”

“We are so excited to be able to make these advancements for our in-demand nursing programs across the university.”

Sarah Billings-Berg Dean of the school of nursing and health sciences, VTSU

Once the upgrades are in place, the university will have capacity for 1,000 nursing students, up from 676 enrolled last school year.

The expansion was made possible through $6 million in federal funds and $800,000 in state funds. The university also draws funding through partnerships with hospitals.

“Vermont’s hospitals are working closely with higher ed-

ucation to create learning experiences for nursing students to grow our workforce as quickly and efficiently as we can,” said Michael Del Trecco, president and CEO of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. “I’m proud to say that in Vermont, we know working together on problem areas like the nursing workforce shortage is essential. We are proud of VTSU for their focus on expanding their nursing programs because we know these are great jobs that are in desperate need.”

When hospitals aren’t able to hire enough nurses, they are forced to rely on “travelers” to supplement staff, said Chief People Officer Jerald Novak at the University of Vermont Health Network.

“This process is burdensome and expensive. With more nurses graduating and staying here in Vermont, we can reduce our reliance on temporary labor,” he said.

October 26, 2023

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Williston Observer

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Page 21

OBITUARIES

Douglas W. Aitken

catches. This expanded into many more stained glass items including a table top working stained glass carousel, of which many were sold throughout the U.S. including one to the Smithsonian Museum, Washington, DC, and Shelburne Museum in VT. Doug was the proud owner and president of N. E. Rustics and D.A. Glassco, for 25 years. He enjoyed his travels to major gift shows each year to NYC, Boston, Chicago, Atlantic City and Atlanta. Being a small business owner, Doug wanted to assist other Vermonters in developing their own business. With his background, he was elected to serve for three terms on the Champlain Valley Regional Job Start Board.

Although busy with his company, Doug also found the time to assist in coaching his son Jonathan’s Little League baseball, and youth soccer in Williston, and visit his son, Derek living in Ohio.

Doug and Martha met in 1975, and married in Claremont, NH, June 24, 1978.

They built a house in Waterbury, VT living there for 10 years. In 1988, when their son, Jonathan was 2, they moved to Williston to be closer to Doug’s business, schools, social activities, and where Martha started a new job.

Doug was a passionate fan to his Cleveland Browns football and Cleveland Indians (Guardians) baseball teams.

After moving to Vermont, he occasionally went back to Cleveland for a game along with his family. Doug enjoyed overseeing his neighborhood football pool, proudly wearing his Browns jersey, imprinted with “Commish” on the back.

Thank you Eric.

In 1985 Doug and Martha took a southern road trip in Doug’s new 944 red Porsche stopping in many places, including New Orleans, and Dallas TX. There were also exciting and most inter-

Doug passed away peacefully on Aug. 9, 2023 at Maple Ridge Memory Care, Essex, VT, at age 77, due to Alzheimer’s disease.

He was born on Aug. 16, 1945 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio to Margaret and Hector Aitken, and grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Doug graduated from University School, Shaker Heights, in 1963 and the University of Maine in 1967, with a business degree in honors.

He then attended graduate school at the University of Michigan.

From there, Doug was offered a teaching position at Champlain College, Burlington, VT as an instructor of marketing, sales and advertising. From this teaching position, Doug was presented the 1973 Recipient Award as Outstanding Educator of America from 1968-1973.

Doug was also soccer coach at Champlain College and enjoyed celebrating the many wins with his team.

Looking for a change, Doug would use his marketing, sales and advertising skills, along with his artistic talent to open a stain glass giftware manufacturing company in Essex Jct., VT. Along with his skills and those of his employees, as glass cutters, and designers, they designed and marketed stain glass sun

esting trips to Cancun, Mexico to visit the Mayan Ruins, yearly vacations to Sanibel Island, Florida, Battle of Gettysburg, reenactments in PA. One of Doug’s memorable trips was to Africa with his friend, George in 2014.

Doug loved to socialize and was always ready to enjoy life. He organized in detail many scrapbooks and memories of all the trips. He and Jonathan traveled out west to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Utah. Doug and Martha traveled to Bermuda for their honeymoon in June, 1978. They also went back again in 1998, bringing their son, Jonathan and a friend. Doug also enjoyed time boating in his Bayliner on Malletts Bay, in Lake Champlain. He was always ready for a good time in the sun with family or friends.

Doug leaves behind his wife, Martha, sons, Jonathan and Derek, his sister-inlaw, Chris, niece, Sara, nephew, Jason, and their families. Doug also leaves many longtime friends in Kansas, Idaho, Florida, as well as in Vermont.

Thank you to the nurses and caregivers at Maple Ridge Memory Care for the excellent care of Doug and sharing the fun with Doug enjoying the social times and music at Maple Ridge. Also thank you to Bayada Hospice for their end-oflife care support for both Doug and his family.

Memorial donations may be made to the animal shelter of your choice, or the Alzheimer’s Association, 75 Talcott Road, Ste 40, Williston, VT 05495.

To send online condolences, please go to vtfuneralhomes.com. A gathering will be held at a later date for family and friends.

Celebrate Doug’s life by sharing a memory, laugh, raising a glass, and, like him, Enjoy Life.

Funeral arrangements are in the care of Corbin and Palmer, 9 Pleasant St., Essex Jct., VT.

Robert C. Pattison Robert C. Pattison of Essex Junction, passed away peacefully on Jan. 14, 2023 while visiting family in California. He was preceded in death by his dad, Joe Pattison and his mother, Constance (Ploof) Pattison.

Bob graduated from Rice Memorial High School in 1966 and Norwich University in 1970. He served in the army and worked at the VA Hospital in Virginia. He worked for the Williston Central School District for 35 years.

Bob was a humble, godly man with an infectious smile. He was generous, kind and a loving friend to all.

He was either on his motorcycle or at the golf course. He was an avid photographer. His pictures gave you a glimpse of the beauty he saw in the world around him.

The world is a lesser place without him in it.

Bob is survived by his loving sister Joanne (Anderson) and loving brother Mike Pattison. He was an adored uncle to Matt, Bryan, and Sarah (Graveline) Anderson as well as Joe and Amanda Pattison. Bob is greatly missed.

The service will be held at St. Lawrence Church in Essex Jct. on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. The internment and reception to follow will be at Holy Family Church on 30 Lincoln St. in Essex Junction.

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Williston Observer

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October 26, 2023

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Williston Observer

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Page 23

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL

vt.us, under “Public Records and Documents,” then “Agendas & Minutes”, and “Development Review Board”. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org

TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA

LEGAL

TOWN OF WILLISTON Notice of Adoption Williston Unified Development Bylaw Amendments

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 – 7:00 PM Town Hall Meeting Room (Town Hall, 7900 Williston Road, use rear entrance) or Zoom Meeting ID 846 5863 3532 on zoom.us/join or call 1-646-558-8656 DP 23-11.1 Jared Enterprises requests discretionary permit review of a proposed amend. to DP 23-11, which require an end-of-trip facility for the limited service eating place at 21 Commerce St in the IZDW. DP 23-11.2 Jared Enterprises requests discretionary permit review of a master sign plan for 21-67 Commerce St in the IZDW. DP 24-04 Timothy Brisson requests discretionary permit review of a boundary line adjustment to transfer 5.27± ac from a 10.37± ac lot to an adjacent 8.36± ac lot resulting in (1) 5.1± ac lot and (1) 13.63± ac lot and create road frontage for a landlocked parcel at 2268 Mountain View Rd in the RZD. DP 24-06 Pre-App Rivers Edge Building Development Co., LLC requests pre-app review of a proposed subdivision on a ±97-ac parcel owned by Jacob and Caitlin Glaser at the SW corner of Mountain View Rd and Old Stage Rd in the RZD. The application includes (3) concept layouts. Plan 1: 130 proposed dwelling units; Plan 2: 180 proposed dwelling units; Plan 3: 109 dwelling units per Glaser Specific Plan (requires approval from Williston Selectboard).

Final Plan Review for DP 21-18 Phase 1 of a 276 residential unit and 65-unit senior housing facility development. Located on a 54.2± ac site at the Essex Alliance Church property on Beaudry Ln and Alpine Dr, north of Knight Ln/Chelsea Pl/Dunmore Rd in the TCZD. Project details and site plans are available on the website, town.williston.

On October 17, 2023 the Williston Selectboard adopted amendments to the Town’s Unified Development Bylaw. Adoption followed a public hearing that was held to receive comment on the amendments that took place on October 17, 2023.

The adopted amendments to the Town’s Unified Development Bylaw include:

requirements.

•

Residential projects in mixed-use districts that include >30% of affordable dwellings qualify for a density bonus.

•

Clarify that Transfer of Development Rights applies only to receiving areas within the Growth Center outside of the Taft Corners Form Based Code District.

•

Allow mobile vendors (i.e. food trucks) as accessory to commercial parking lots with an administrative permit

•

Allow food & beverage manufacturers to have larger indoor eating areas (50% or 5,000 square feet whichever is less; currently 30%/2,000 square feet) and larger outdoor patios (up to 1,500 square feet; currently 500 square feet)

•

Additional changes to encourage solar canopies in parking lots, amend the number of members and name of the Historic and Architectural Advisory Committee, allow electric vehicle charging infrastructure with an administrative permit, temporary events now regulated by Town Ordinance and not bylaw, requirements for demolition sites to be secured and erosion measures in place.

Add provisions for inclusionary zoning: •

Establish an alternative path to growth management for inclusionary projects.

•

Require minimum percentage of affordable units for inclusionary zoning.

•

Miscellaneous changes for language clean-up.

•

Establish fee-in-lieu provisions.

•

•

Establish requirements for affordable units.

•

Establish incentives for inclusionary projects.

•

Add exemptions from growth management for low-impact projects (4 or less dwelling units on a parcel, adaptive reuse from commercial to residential).

The amendments to the Bylaw will go into effect on November 7, 2023 unless a petition signed by at least five percent of the voters of Williston is filed with the Town Clerk by November 6, 2023 asking for a vote to disapprove the adoption. If a petition is received, the Selectboard will warn a special meeting and the voters may vote on that question pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 4442.

•

Amend growth management criteria to encourage applicants to commit to energy conservation measures in residential development.

•

Amend density provisions:

•

Adaptive reuse projects are exempt from residential density

The above is a summary. The complete adopted amendments to the Williston Unified Development Bylaw are available for review during regular business hours at the Town Hall and can also be found on the Town’s website at http://town.williston.vt.us by navigating to public records and then documents / legal notices. Members of the public can contact the Williston Planning Department at (802) 878-6704, or at planning@willistonvt.org with any questions.

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Williston Observer

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October 26, 2023

Police respond to car crime spree

Oct. 13 at 4:34 a.m. — Stolen vehicle recovered on Jakes Way. Vehicle was returned to owner.

Oct. 13 at 6:12 a.m. — Stolen vehicle reported on Seymour Street. Vehicle was later recovered in Burlington and returned to the owner.

The Williston Police Department responded to multiple car break-ins and car thefts on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Police were first called to a report of people going through vehicles on Oak Knoll Road, and, upon arrival, saw a vehicle flee the area. That vehicle was later reported as stolen, according to police.

Police also found an unoccupied vehicle in the area that had been reported stolen the previous day from Hinesburg.

Numerous vehicles in the Oak Hill Road, Old Creamery Road and Porterwood Drive area were broken into around this time, police said. They also found a vehicle abandoned in a field on Oak Hill Road that had been stolen from another location in Williston.

The Williston Police Department reminds people to lock their vehicles and remove keys and valuables from them.

JUICE

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GRANOLA

BARS

Oct. 13 at 3:30 p.m. — Report of a suspicious male in REI. Male was trespassed and moved along.

Oct. 13 at 4:27 p.m. — Following a traffic stop, it was discovered that a female, age 37, had an active arrest warrant. She was transported to the correctional facility.

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Oct. 14 at 11:29 p.m. — Following a traffic stop, a female age 46, was issued a citation to appear in court.

Oct. 15 at 6:21 p.m. — Suspicious male and female in Marshalls. They were trespassed and moved along.

Oct. 16 at 11:01 a.m. — Assisted Walmart with trespassing vehicles from the parking lot.

Oct. 17 at 2:40 p.m. — Style Encore requested to have female trespassed from the property. Female was trespassed.

Oct. 14 at 1:48 p.m. — Male found sleeping in his vehicle behind Lenny’s. A male, age 38, was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.

Oct. 17 at 9:11 p.m. — Following a traffic stop, a male, age 33, was issued a citation to appear in court for DUI.

Oct. 14 at 3:06 p.m. — Suspicious vehicle located at Home Depot. A male, age 29, had an active arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.

Oct. 18 at 9:08 a.m. — Report of vandalism at Taft Corners Mobil. BB holes were found in the windows. Case is still under investigation.

Oct. 14 at 6:02 p.m. — Retail theft reported

Oct. 18 at 2:12 p.m. — Report of two males

MICROWAVE

POPCORN

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FRUIT

threatening staff at Old Navy. A male, age 39, had an active arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.

at Home Depot. A male, age 36, was issued a citation to appear in court.

SNACKS

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SWEET

CEREALS

Oct. 18 at 4:01 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Best Buy. Male and female were both trespassed from the property.

Oct. 19 at 2:40 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Walmart. A male, age 59, was issued a citation to appear in court.

Oct. 19 at 3:31 p.m. — Suspicious vehicle at REI. A female, age 34, had an active arrest warrant. She was transported to the correctional facility.

Oct. 19 at 5:23 p.m. — Officers recognized a female in the REI parking lot who had an active arrest warrant. The female, age 32, was transported to the correctional facility.

Officers also conducted 16 traffic stops and responded to seven alarm activations and five motor vehicle crashes during this time frame.

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CAKE

MIXES

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FROSTING

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RAMEN

NOODLES

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CAKE

MIXES

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FROSTING

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RAMEN

NOODLES

When you shop for yourself, Remember the Shelf!

The Williston Community Food Shelf is seeing a large and increasing number of clients (over 300 families per month!) and WE NEED YOUR HELP! We especially need items to fill our “Summer Bags” that provide children snacks they can take to camp: Canned Chicken • Soup • Juice boxes Granola bars • Ramen noodles Crunchy Peanut Butter • Sweet cereals Microwave popcorn WILLISTON COMMUNITY

FOOD SHELF JUICE

BOXES

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GRANOLA

BARS

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400 Cornerstone Drive, Suite 130, Williston Mail Donations: PO Box 1605, Williston, VT 05495 Hours: Tu. 5-6:30 pm | Thu.s 9-11 am | Sat. 9-11 am MICROWAVE

POPCORN

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FRUIT

SNACKS

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SWEET

CEREALS