Facility weathers July floods without unauthorized discharge
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Extreme rain events during the past year have tested the wastewater treatment facility in Essex Junction where Williston residents and businesses send wastewater to be cleaned and returned to the watershed.
Last July, the facility released untreated water into the Winooski River. This year, the facility fared better, weathering the July 10-11 floods without an unauthorized discharge.
“We had no issues,” said the plant’s Water Quality Superintendent Chelsea Mandigo. “We actually barely even felt the effects of the storm, thankfully.”
One difference, Mandigo said, is that the three municipalities that rely on the facility
— Williston, Essex and Essex Junction — have identified and started shoring up leaks that allow stormwater to infiltrate the wastewater system of pipes and pumps that feed the facility.
“We can’t make [pipes] 100 percent foolproof to stormwater … But if you know there is a lot of groundwater or stormwater coming in, there are techniques you can do to try to minimize that.”
Chelsea Mandigo Water Quality Superintendent
Unlike the wastewater facilities in Montpelier and Burlington, which also release into the
Winooski River, the Essex Junction plant is not designed to handle stormwater. After the remnants of Hurricane Beryl came through on July 10, incident reports to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation show that both Montpelier and Burlington facilities released less-than-fully-treated overflows of combined stormwater and wastewater into the river.
But even though the stormwater and wastewater systems in Williston are separate, some mixing does occur, Mandigo said, putting undue stress on the facility during storm cycles. For example, flows peaked last July at a rate of 6.2 million gallons per day, the facility’s records show. The average inflow for the facility is about 1.7 million gallons per day. During a storm in December, when rain and snowmelt combined to flood parts of northern Vermont, the inflow
A primer for the primaries
Aug. 13 election to be held at the Armory
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
It’s about time to pick your party, and select its nominees.
Williston voters will have a chance to weigh in on the Democratic, Republican or Progressive party nominees for statewide offices in the Aug. 13 primary election. Voters arriving at the polling place — the National Guard Armory at 7846 Williston Rd. — can choose which of the three ballots to fill out, and cast their votes for that party’s nominees for the General Election in November.
Offices up for election include governor, lt. governor, state treasurer, secretary of state, auditor, attorney general and Williston’s representatives in the Vermont Senate and House. Candidates for Vermont’s representation in the U.S. Senate and House are also on the ballot.
“You don’t have to tell which party you are voting in, but you can only vote for candidates on one party ballot …” the state’s Primary Election notice explains.
Walk-in voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early ballots can be requested at the Town Clerk’s office.
Beside a contested election for the lieutenant governor nomination between John Rodgers and Gregory Thayer, Republican nominations are otherwise uncontested, including Bruce Roy’s bid to represent Williston in the Vermont Senate.
See Page 7 for candidate statements in the contested Democratic nomination for Williston’s State Senate seats.
The Progressive party ballot is entirely uncontested.
On the Democratic ballot, there is a contest between Esther Charlestin and Peter Duval for the governor nomination and between Thomas Renner and incumbent David Zuckerman for lieutenant governor. There is also a contest for Democratic nominations to represent Williston in the State Senate. Four candidates — challenger Louis Meyers and incumbents Ginny Lyons, Kesha Ram Hinsdale and Thomas Chittenden are seeking three available nominations. See Page 7 for statements from each candidate.
For state representative, incumbents Angela Arsenault and Erin Brady are running uncontested for the two Democratic nominations. There are currently no declared Republican or Progressive candidates for state representative in Williston, but both parties could run a challenger in the General Election in November.
Portions of southern Williston are grouped with part of South Burlington in a separate legislative district. South Burlington resident Bridget Marie Burkhardt (Democrat) is the only candidate running to represent that district in the House.
Inflow at the Essex Junction Wastewater Facility peaked at more than twice its average during the July 10-11 storm.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
Around Town
Home heating
assistance gets boost with Rotary grant
In June, the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club awarded $6,542 to the Split the Ticket home heating assistance fund, which matches cash donations with donations of heating oil, kerosene and propane from Vermont fuel providers to offer
free deliveries to households in need. Matt Cota, who founded the program in 2007, accepted the donation on behalf of the nonprofit.
Funds for the donation were raised through the Rotary club’s annual charitable drive and the Bill Skiff Story Slam fundraising event that took place in Williston in February.
see AROUND TOWN page 3
Willistonians welcome new Bishop
A group of Williston residents are pictured during a celebration of the ordination and installation of The Most Reverend John Joseph McDermott, J.C.L. (center) as the Eleventh Catholic Bishop of Burlington last Monday. Following Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Burlington, guests gathered at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester for a reception.
From left, Matt Cota of Split the Ticket accepts the WillistonRichmond Rotary Club’s grant of $6,542 toward home heating fuel assistance from Rotary president (2023-2024) Susan Cote, fundraising chair Sherry Pidgeon and Rotarian Howard Novak (not pictured).
PHOTO BY RUSSELL FOX
Preschoolers harvest food shelf donation
Children at Sensations In Learning daycare and preschool have put their garden to use this summer providing greens for the Williston Community Food Shelf.
Until this year, the garden had been simply a source of gardening practice and education for the children. This year, the school resolved to provide fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs to the food shelf.
Before donating, students weighed, photographed and packaged what was harvested. They then walked the produce over to the nearby food shelf and delivered the donation to food shelf volunteers last Thursday.
Around Town
continued from page 2
To learn more about the Split the Ticket program, visit www.ticketsplit.org.
Harvest Picnic supports farmer food security
Vermont-based nonprofit Food 4 Farmers is hosting its third annual Harvest Picnic fundraising event on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. at Bread & Butter Farm in
Shelburne. The evening of food, fun and community will raise funds to support coffee-farming families in Latin America.
Blank Page Café will be serving a locally sourced farm-to-plate meal, including Bread & Butter Farm’s grass-fed beef burgers and hotdogs, Vermont Bean Crafters veggie burgers, and seasonal salads fresh from an organic gardens. The Meatpackers will perform live music and there will be a silent auction. Tickets are available at www.food4farmers.org.
OPEN MON-SAT 10-5 CLOSED SUN
www.WillistonObserver.com
It’s the garage sale to end all because everything is NEW! We’ll be drastically reducing prices to near or below wholesale on select furniture that we’ve had too long. It’s got to go – and it might be just what you’re looking for!
RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICES ON HIGH-END FURNITURE!
Children at Sensations In Learning daycare and preschool harvest fresh garden produce for donation to the Williston Community Food Shelf last Thursday. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
PEA CHES
Blue Cross seeks higher health insurance rate increases
BY PETER D’AURIA VTDigger
BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont is seeking to raise health insurance premiums by an additional 4.3 percent next year, further increasing a request for already near-record-high rate hikes.
The proposed increase would increase premiums for individual BlueCross BlueShield health plans by an average of 21 percent and small group plans — plans for companies that employ up to 100 employees — by an average of 24 percent in 2025. (Because the insurer offers a variety of different plans, the actual increases would vary.)
If approved, the rates would amount to the “highest premium rate increase for our 2025 Qualified Health Plans since the inception of Vermont Health Connect,” the state’s health insurance marketplace, BlueCross BlueShield President and CEO Don George said in a letter to community members Monday.
“Unfortunately, the high demand for medical services, increasing prices at hospitals, exponential growth in drug prices, and new state laws are all forcing higher premiums to pay for the cost of caring for Vermonters,” George said.
BlueCross BlueShield insures roughly a third of Vermonters. About 45,000 residents are insured on its small group and individual plans, which would be affected by the increases. The insurer also sells other plans for larger employers, which are not available on the state’s health insurance marketplace.
The requested rate hikes must still be approved by the Green
in reserve to cover potential risks — such as paying higher-than-expected claims for its members.
The actual amount of reserves required is pegged to the amount of risk the insurer takes on. As of December, according to the state Department of Financial Regulation, BlueCross BlueShield was supposed to have at least $154 million in reserve to cover potential risks. The insurer, however, had
“Unfortunately, the high demand for medical services, increasing prices at hospitals, exponential growth in drug prices, and new state laws are all forcing higher premiums to pay for the cost of caring for Vermonters.”
Mountain Care Board, which will issue a decision next month. Owen Foster, the chair of the board, declined to comment, saying that its rate review was still in process.
The board is holding a public hearing to discuss insurance rates at 4 p.m. Thursday.
The request for additional funding is necessary to replenish BlueCross BlueShield’s cash reserves, administrators at the nonprofit insurer said.
Under Vermont law, BlueCross BlueShield is required to maintain a certain amount of money
only about $88 million as of December.
That shortfall triggered a “company action level event,” a circumstance spelled out in state law that requires the insurer to come up with a plan to stabilize its reserves.
“As a result of the inadequacy, an increase to the contribution to reserves is necessary to increase the Company’s surplus toward acceptable levels for the protection of policyholders,” Kevin Gaffney, the
Don George BlueCross BlueShield President
UVM Med Center finalizes contract with nurses union
Nurses employed by University of Vermont Medical Center who are part of the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals voted to ratify a new threeyear contract for nursing staff over the weekend. The contract includes a 23 percent wage increase for nurses over the next three years.
Nursing employees’ wage increases will happen as follows: 5 percent immediately after ratification; 6 percent in October; 5 percent in October 2025; 7 percent in October 2026.
In addition to wages, the contract includes added pay for nurses when they are assigned as charge nurse overseeing the operations of the unit while working alongside the team, new health and safety provisions, expanded career advancement funds, changes to how the past experience of newly hired employees is recognized, and increased wages for nurses with the longest tenure.
“The changes in this new contract will further improve our already strong recruit-
BCBS
continued from page 4
commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, wrote in a July 12 letter to the Green Mountain Care Board.
BlueCross BlueShield administrators said that claims for health care this year have been significantly higher than expected. In March, for example, BlueCross BlueShield expected that medical claims would amount to $590 per member per month, according to testimony from Ruth Greene, the insurer’s treasurer and chief financial officer. In reality, member claims added up to
ment and retention efforts,” said Peg Gagne, chief nursing officer at UVM Medical Center. “I appreciate everyone who contributed to this outcome, and I look forward to our continuing to work together in service to each other, our patients and our community.”
UVM Medical Center and union bargaining teams met over the course of three months and 12 sessions to negotiate the new contract. In later sessions, a mediator provided by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Annie Rutsky, assisted in moving the talks forward. Before the contract agreement, the nurses union had voted to approve a strike.
“I’m incredibly proud of our bargaining team,” said Stephen Leffler, president and chief operating officer at UVM Medical Center. “Through their work, we successfully averted a strike and achieved a fair contract we can be proud of — one that supports our nurses while keeping in mind the high cost of living that all of our patients and community members are also facing.”
$653 per member per month, with similar figures in April and May.
It was unclear whether MVP, the other commercial insurance company that sells plans on Vermont’s marketplace, would also seek to amend its rate request. MVP previously requested average increases of 11.7 percent for individual plans and 9.3 percent for small group plans.
“We cannot comment on our filings at this time,” Michelle Golden, a spokesperson for MVP, said in an email.
The increased volume of claims led to “extraordinary cost pressures” for health care organizations, George, of BlueCross BlueShield, said in his letter.
Public investment in child care is WORKING.
THANK YOU LAWMAKERS FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL READINESS, GETTING PARENTS BACK TO WORK, AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES STRONGER!
LEARN MORE ABOUT ACT 76 AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN CHILD CARE:
GUEST COLUMN
Are these really the ‘best management practices’ for trapping?
BY BRENNA GALDENZI
A new peer reviewed paper titled “Best Management Practices for Furbearer Trapping Derived from Poor and Misleading Science” was recently published by the online journal Canadian Wildlife Biology and Management. It debunks the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife’s attempt to convince the public that “best management practices” for trapping result in more humane trapping practices. They don’t.
In 2022 there was a bill to ban leghold traps — a straight-forward bill that would have saved thousands of animals each year from broken limbs and teeth and other painful injuries. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department opposed the bill because, like most state agencies, they are politically beholden to trappers. The Fish and Wildlife commissioner and his senior
team implored the Legislature to not ban leghold traps. Instead, he urged the Legislature to require regulations be promulgated requiring trappers to adhere to so-called “best management practices” (BMPs) for trapping.
Fish & Wildlife staff spoke of an extensive study that resulted in criteria for more “humane” traps, all in an effort to assuage the public’s fevered opposition to leghold traps and to market a solution. But it was no solution, it was a ruse.
Upon first learning of the proposed BMPs, Protect Our Wildlife raised concerns, including the fact that trappers and their spouses, friends and other interested parties labeled as “technicians” in the study were often the only ones in the field recording BMP data. Protect Our Wildlife released a paper in 2022 challenging BMPs that were conceived, studied and evaluated by the very peo -
ple that they aim to regulate: trappers.
And the conflict of interest doesn’t end there. The study was spearheaded by a private organization, the Association of Fish
Wildlife Department, which is a dues-paying member. To say that they had a vested interest in the outcome of this “study” would be an understatement. A fact that was never raised by
Vermonters are still left with baited landmines on our shared public lands … There are no required setbacks from public areas for large, powerful body crushing kill traps that are placed in the water, including shallow streams where dogs often like to lap from.
& Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), a public relations advisor to state fish and wildlife departments, including the Vermont Fish and
Fish and Wildlife staff during their promotion of BMPs is that BMPs are inhumane by their own standards: 30 percent of
animals are allowed severe injuries, including amputation, compound fractures, even death and still pass the BMP test!
The topic of trapping has not quieted, despite the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s attempts to greenwash it, including starring in a promotional trapping video for Vermont trappers on the taxpayers’ dime. All one has to do is see an animal languishing in pain in a so-called BMP-approved trap to know the truth.
To those legislators who are using the recent BMP regulations to not take legislative action to restrict trapping, we encourage you to dig a bit deeper into the new peer reviewed
GALDENZI page 14
see
Seeking a Senate seat
and recovery from addiction.
Four candidates are seeking a Democratic nomination to represent Williston in the Vermont Senate. The Observer requested statements from each explaining their candidacies. Here are their responses.
Thomas Chittenden
It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve in the Vermont State Senate representing the Town of Williston. I’m proud of the work I’ve done steering conversations and standing up for important issues.
I’ve found in this role, it is more important to listen than to talk, so if I haven’t communicated enough about what’s happening in the Statehouse, it’s only because I trust the media outlets to offer important coverage of the important issues while I work hard to respond to emails, attend community events and to listen to the voters about what they want their legislators focused on.
I hope this service has earned your support, and I hope I’m getting better at this and not worse. Please let me know if you’d like to connect sometime to tell me what you want Montpelier doing more of — or less of. I can be reached by email at thomas.Chittenden@ gmail.com.
Ginny Lyons
This is a time of significant turnover in the Senate. My leadership and experience are needed to provide consistency and stability.
We face critical challenges of education funding, the opioid crisis, housing, children’s mental health, emergency preparedness, long-term care, renewable energy and water quality. I base policy decisions on research and constituent input.
Removing toxins like PFAS from consumer products is a law I introduced. This law leads the nation for protection of public health. As chair of the Health and Welfare Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee, I passed many laws: child care, health care system improvements, controls for prescription pricing, prevention of
I will continue work to improve public health and the environment. I will support passage of the Inclusive Equal Rights Constitutional Amendment I introduced this session. It’s an honor to represent Williston and the Chittenden Southeast District in the Senate. I look forward to re-election.
Louis Meyers
I have a background in both social work and medicine. I have an M.S.W. degree from Catholic University and worked for several years in Washington, D.C. as a probation officer.
I have an M.D. from George Washington University and am trained in internal medicine. I previously ran my own primary care practice for over 14 years and have been a hospital-based physician at Rutland Regional Medical Center for the past 11 years. I also am a former college and U.S. team wrestler and this year was an assistant coach for South Burlington High School’s wrestling team.
I am running for the State Senate because I am deeply concerned about our failing health care in Vermont. Our political leaders have made some unfortunate decisions which have left us with a hugely expensive and unwieldy health care system which is driving up insurance premiums and forcing people to wait for up to a year for medical appointments.
In general, the price of living in Vermont is crushing the hopes and dreams of so many Vermonters.
If we truly want to change policies and direction, we will need to elect new people with new ideas — rather than automatically continue returning the same incumbents to Montpelier.
I run for the State Senate in hopes of using my 30 years of medical experience to find meaningful and affordable solutions and a new direction for Vermont.
Kesha
Ram Hinsdale
It would be an honor and privilege to have the support of the voters for my third term in the State Senate.
I am running to create economic and
educational opportunity for all Vermonters, and I have been doing that exact work as Chair of the Senate Economic Development & Housing Committee. When not serving, I
teach environmental policy at Vermont Law & Graduate School and run a small business. I am the mother of a beautiful 15-month-old daughter and have a son due in September.
Louis Meyers
Ginny Lyons
Kesha Ram Hinsdale
Thomas Chittenden
THINKING SUSTAINABLY • ACTING RESPONSIBLY
Keeping up with the evolving EV landscape
A Q&A on the electric car scene of 2024
BY KEVIN THORLEY Williston Energy Committee
A lot has changed in the two years since my last electric vehicle article. EV sales continue to grow, and the number of EV models has increased significantly. Prices have decreased, and an expanded charging infrastructure has made it even easier to take a road trip in an EV.
There are still a lot of questions people have about EVs, so here is an updated look at the realities of driving an EV in 2024.
What kinds of electric vehicles are available?
The number of choices in the EV space
today is significantly higher than it was even a few years ago. Every major manufacturer has at least one electric vehicle option on the market. The available options now include family sedans, crossover utility vehicles, full-size SUVs and trucks, and cover a wide range of the price spectrum. This means that there is an electric option available for almost every situation.
Are electric vehicles more expensive than gas cars?
The price difference between an EV and a comparable gas-powered car or truck is rapidly decreasing. According to Cox Automotive, the average price paid for a new EV in 2024 is within $5,000 of the average price paid for a new gas car. When you consider the lower monthly operating costs of an EV (fueling an EV is about 50 percent less expensive than fueling a 30 mile per
The number of EV models has increased significantly in recent years with options that now include family sedans, crossover utility vehicles, full-size SUVs and trucks.
gallon gas car), the monthly out-of-pocket cost starts to look pretty good.
Federal and state incentives continue to be a major factor when comparing costs for purchasing an EV. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act includes up to a $7,500 tax credit for EVs that meet certain requirements. Leasing an EV greatly expands the list of qualifying vehicles as the dealer is often able to reduce the sticker price by the value of the incentive.
There may also be other incentives and benefits, such as free chargers available through your electric utility. Check with Drive Electric Vermont’s incentive calculator at www.driveelectricvt.com/incentives for the most up-to-date information, and always check with a tax professional to make sure the incentives apply to your situation.
Should you consider a used EV?
As the number of new EVs on the road continues to increase, an increasing number of used EVs also become available as original owners trade them in for newer models. This offers a much more affordable way for you to consider purchasing a reliable EV.
In an article from July 2024, Recurrent reported “price stabilization is especially true for used EVs that fall in the $20k to $25k price range, which is the sweet spot for recent model-year, long range vehicles that are eligible for the $4,000 used EV tax
credit”. Recurrent goes on to state: “...affordable used EVs, priced under $30,000, are now nearly 60 percent of current inventory. This is more than three times the affordable market share from August 2022, when the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. The pool of cars under $25,000 and potentially eligible for the used EV tax credit is over 30 percent, double the share (from) August 2022.”
Based on this information, it may be time for you to look for a very affordable used EV.
How long will my EV battery last?
EV battery technology continues to improve every year with fewer individual failures and manufacturer recalls. According to a May 2024 article by Recurrent, a team of battery scientists looked at battery replacements of 20,000 cars and found:
• “The highest rate of battery replacements come from the very first generation of EVs on the road. These cars are now 14 years old — not too shabby for a new technology.
• Between 2015 and 2022, average battery sizes increased by 122 percent, meaning that newer EV batteries can stand to lose more capacity before they need replacement.
• As battery management systems and thermal management systems improve, we should see even better battery life and fewer replacements, even after more than a decade.”
What does this mean for you?
Again, quoting Recurrent “... looking back at early EV models, such as the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S, to get some sense of how they degrade over their lifetime, it seems that EV batteries have much longer lifespans than anyone imagined, since very few of them have been replaced, even once the 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty period ends. Looking just at models from 2015 and earlier, only 13 percent of drivers have reported a battery replacement. Not bad considering how far technology has come in almost 14 years.”
Can I take long trips in an electric vehicle?
Yes! Electric vehicles are a great option for road trips, especially when gas prices are high. While a full charge may take 45 minutes, and you may choose to do this
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS.COM
GREEN
How BLUE can you get?
Free stormwater assessments and infrastructure rebates available
Williston residents looking for help understanding and managing stormwater runoff on their properties have a new resource this summer: the Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s BLUE program.
The program, in partnership with the town’s stormwater coordinator office, offers assessments of stormwater flows on a property and advice on redirecting water away from house foundations and impervious surfaces with improvements such as incorporating soil, drainage stone, plants and other design features to slow, spread, infiltrate and reduce stormwater pollutants.
Residents in Williston frequently struggle with saturated yards, flooding after major rain events and wet basements, according to a news release from the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, a program of the University of Vermont.
“The Department of Public Works gets a lot of calls from homeowners about drainage issues they’re experiencing on private property,” said Williston Stormwater Coordinator Lisa Cicchetti. “Unfortunately, these issues can be expensive and stressful, and are typically outside of the areas in which Public Works can help. We wanted to partner with the BLUE Program so we can provide more support to residents who want to understand
EVs
continued from page 8
while enjoying a sit-down meal on a long drive, this isn’t the most efficient option. Electric vehicles charge the fastest when the battery is at its lowest, slowing down to a much slower rate as the battery fills up.
A common approach is to make more frequent, shorter stops on a road trip. In some cases, these stops can be as quick as 10-15 minutes before getting back on the road for a couple more hours, then repeating that process. Charging at your destination or at hotels during an overnight stop helps ensure you’ll start the day with a full charge and decrease the number of stops you’ll need to make during the day.
How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle?
The cost to charge an electric vehicle depends on where you charge. Usually, home charging is the cheapest, followed by public Level 2 charging stations, and then DC Fast Charging.
Home charging is done at the same price as electricity for your home, though in some cases power companies, such as Green Mountain Power, offer a special EV rate. The monthly cost of charging at this
and manage their stormwater runoff.”
The BLUE program provides rebates of up to $1,000 to residents who complete eligible stormwater projects. The program has been in place in Burlington for five years.
“Stormwater management in Williston is uniquely challenging due to prevalent heavy clay soils and a high groundwater table,” the news release states. “Groundwater exists as a layer between bedrock and surface soils, constantly flowing and fluctuating like an underground and invisible river. These two elements combined reduce soils’ ability to drain stormwater, leading to pooling and flooding.”
Williston stormwater runoff flows into the Winooski River, which drains into Lake Champlain. Stormwater carrying pollutants like sediment, car oil, fertilizers and pesticides enters the Winooski River directly, or flows in through tributaries like Allen Brook and Muddy Brook. Allen Brook, a 10-mile stream in the Town of Williston, is listed on the State of Vermont’s list of impaired waters.
Contact Williston Stormwater Coordinator Lisa Cicchetti at (802) 878-1239 or lcicchetti@willistonvt.org to learn more or signup for a free BLUE stormwater assessment on your property.
rate (currently $0.16/kWh) would be about $64 for a 1,200-mile month. The equivalent gas cost in a 30-mile-per-gallon car would be $140 at $3.50/gallon. This works out to about $0.06/mile for an EV vs. $0.12/mile for the gas car.
Charging at a fast charger is more expensive, with rates currently around $0.40/ kWh or about $0.13/mile. A 500-mile road trip (e.g., to Boston and back), starting off with a full charge at home, would have a total cost of around $50, compared to $60 in a gas car.
By driving an EV you can reduce emissions, enjoy great performance and a quiet ride, conveniently charge at home, and do it all while saving money. If you want to learn more, join us at our upcoming Energy Fair in September.
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 (www.town.williston. vt.us). For more information, visit: https:// www.willistonvtenergycommittee.org.
Weekday Bus Departures from Williston
Commuter Link
Williston to Burlington (Interstate Route)
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GREEN
CVU students open farmstand with sustainability in mind
BY CAMRYN BRAUNS Community News Service
Concerned about climate change and quality of life in Vermont, a group of Champlain Valley Union High School student volunteers have opened a farmstand to sell food grown at the school.
“We’re trying to start small and tackle this issue,” said Amelia Oppenheimer, a junior at the school involved in the effort. “It’s hard to see the world destructing and not take action.”
Spearheading the latest part of the farm-toschool program are Oppenheimer and classmates Olivia Stewart, Yvonne Miceler and Zoe Norris. The four students have been volunteering with the school’s farm and sustainability programs since they were freshmen but only this year began thinking about creating a farmstand to complement their work.
The students and supporters see a chance to bring people closer to their local food system — and narrow their focus on changes to the environment.
“There’s a lot of awareness, but we need action,” said Gerald Posner, owner of Swaying Daisies Honeybee Farm in Ferrisburgh and volunteer through the school’s sustainability hub.
Students were meeting on campus several mornings a week with Posner and natural resources teacher Dave Trevithick to prepare for the farmstand’s debut at the school July 8. They’ve been working to maintain the school’s farm in the run-up, harvesting fresh produce, tending to the animals, improving advertisement of the farmstand and doing office work.
During the school year, the volunteers harvest fresh produce from the farm to supply the cafeteria with daily meals for students and families who are food insecure. The system continues through the summer, and any unused produce will now be sold through the farmstand.
“We want to do our part in trying to keep
Vermont sustainable,” said Miceler.
Trevithick, a sixth-generation Vermonter, has seen a slew of environmental changes to the Champlain Valley area over his 20-year teaching career at the high school, such as local farms going away and hunting declining. He’s noticed a widening disconnect between consumers and their food sources.
“I think the farmstand is connecting other students and parents to the food that we are growing here,” Trevithick said. “When you are connecting food to community, you are creating a network for people to have a better understanding of where their resources are coming from. When you have a better understanding of where your resources are coming from, you have a better understanding of how people are living their lives.”
Educational awareness of sustainability is important for getting people to care about combating climate change, Trevithick and Posner both said.
“We know the number one thing stopping action in climate change are cultural reasons,” Posner said. “Scientists have been very poor communicators, and we’ve only learned how to write technically and haven’t been able to communicate with the general public.”
As a farmer, Posner said he knows the value of good communication for selling his products.
“You have to be able to communicate well for people to know about it,” he said. “Your product has to look good, and it has to have a great story. And I think here, they have some great components.”
One component of the farmstand project volunteers especially like is how it builds community.
“There are clubs that are big and may be difficult to connect in, or just social spaces, and I feel like we have a small community but a strong one,” said Stewart.
Miceler adds, “What makes it important to me is that everyone genuinely feels like friends. It’s a way to break out of your classes and come to the greenhouse and have a communal experience.”
That is something the volunteers agree they wouldn’t typically receive in a traditional classroom setting.
“It’s a great opportunity, and the fact that not everyone knows about this and that they can do it is horrible. That’s why we’re trying to expand and build awareness,” Oppenheimer said.
Having the farmstand, Posner said, will help attract other people with the same mindset.
The sustainability hub members are already considering a plan for the upcoming school year. Many of the current volunteers play fall sports and will have to juggle activities and schoolwork with the farm.
Trevithick said his natural resources class will visit the farm, along with other sustainability-based clubs, and Posner plans to bring in more volunteers. The team worries about frozen water and heat sources for the greenhouse as cold weather approaches, but they are determined to keep the farm functioning.
“We have to find a way to make it work,” Posner said. “Failure is not an option.”
Camryn Brauns reported this story on assignment from the Vermont Community Newspaper Group. The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide material for local news outlets at no cost.
UVM composting class starts in August
Most Vermonters know that composting is an essential part of household waste management. Vermont state law banned food scraps from the trash in 2020. But composting is more than just landfill diversion. It is a way to recycle nutrients at your home, providing a free resource to feed the soils of your garden, lawn and other plants. Done correctly, composting will not attract bears, rats and other wildlife.
To teach residents how to compost at home or in their community, the University of Vermont Extension Community Horticulture Program is offering its annual Vermont Master Composter course, beginning
on Aug. 30. This online course runs for eight weeks and covers how to make and use compost, compost ecology, community composting and relevant Vermont policies.
The fee, $50 for Vermonters, covers instruction and materials. Registration is due by Aug. 23 at https://go.uvm.edu/vtcompost. Course instructors include Composting Association of Vermont Director Natasha Duarte; soil scientist Dr. Wendy Sue Harper; Deb Heleba, UVM Extension Community Horticulture programs manager; and Emma Stuhl, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Email debra.heleba@uvm.edu with questions.
CVU students Amelia Oppenheimer, Olivia Stewart and Yvonne Miceler pose alongside signage for their farmstand. PHOTO BY CAMRYN BRAUNS
Propagating perennials to bolster your garden
BY DEBORAH J. BENOIT Special to the Observer
Do you wish you had more of your favorite plants in your garden? By propagating new plants from those already there, you can have additional perennials for free.
The easiest method to propagate perennial plants is by rooting cuttings, either in water or in soil. Catmint and herbs such as oregano are good choices to overwinter indoors. Using sharp, clean scissors, take cuttings 6-8 inches long. Put them in water immediately so they don’t dry out while you’re working.
Prepare the cuttings by removing any flowers or buds. Remove lower leaves, leaving only two to four at the top. Trim the bottom on an angle right beneath where a leaf was attached to the stem (called a node).
Place each cutting in a container of room-temperature water. Be sure at least one to two nodes are beneath the surface of water, but no leaves are. Place the container in indirect sunlight, changing water weekly. Once multiple roots form and are at least 1 inch long, pot up using a good quality potting mix.
Some cuttings, such as hydrangea, root better in soil. Treat the bottom of a prepared cutting with rooting hormone. Using a pencil, make a hole in moist potting mix. Insert the cutting and carefully press soil around it. Water lightly. Cover the container with a plastic bag to help retain moisture. Vent the cover if excess moisture builds up on the plastic. To check progress, gently tug on the cutting. Resistance will indicate roots are forming.
Air layering is a method that works well with woody plants such as forsythia and lilacs. Select a healthy branch at least one-quarter inch in diameter. About a foot from the tip, with a clean knife, cut into the bark below a node at an upward angle.
Remove nearby leaves. Wrap moistened sphagnum moss around the wounded area, and cover with clear plastic. Tightly tie each end closed. When roots have formed, the new plant can be removed and put in soil.
For more information on air layering, see https://go.uvm.edu/ layering.
If some of your perennials are looking a bit overcrowded, the time may be right to divide them into two or more smaller plants. Root division works well on clumping plants such as hosta, daylilies and ferns. A good shovel, garden fork and a sharp blade will be useful.
Carefully dig up the plant, capturing as much of the root ball as possible. Remove excess soil, and gently divide the roots into separate plants.
If necessary, use a garden fork or clean, sharp blade to divide the roots. Be sure each section contains healthy roots and foliage. Replant divisions as soon as possible to avoid damage to the roots by extended exposure. For more information on plant division, see https://go.uvm.edu/dividing.
Propagation by root division can be the most labor-intensive method of increasing your perennial plants. It is best done in early spring or fall. Choose a cloudy day to help prevent roots from drying out, and work quickly once the roots are exposed.
Hostas, in particular, are easier to divide in spring when foliage has emerged but not opened. Fall-blooming perennials should be divided in the spring, and
spring- and summer-blooming perennials in the fall, at least a month before anticipated ground freezing.
Whatever method you choose, there’s no denying that multiplying your perennials is a great way to add plants to your garden.
Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension Master Gardener from North Adams, Mass., who is part of the Bennington County Chapter.
Hydrangeas, top, are a showy flower found in many Vermont gardens that can be propagated through cuttings, although are best rooted in soil rather than water like many other perennials.
When dividing daylilies, carefully dig up the plant, saving as much of the root ball as possible, then shake off excess soil, and gently divide the roots into separate plants.
PHOTOS BY PHILIP WALENGA/PIXABAY
Inaugural Williston Film Festival
Last weekend the Isham Barn Theatre hosted a two-day noncompetitive film festival that featured several short films, as well as full length features. The event also included opportunities for discussions with some of the creators. ‘The Squirrel Wringer,’ top left, a short documentary by Ryan Boera, features tenth-generation Vermont farmer Mike Isham. The film can be viewed for free on YouTube.
Top right, Chapin Kaynor (right) moderates a discussion following the screening of ‘Lake Effect,’ a film by Williston residents Jackie and James Heltz. Panelists, from left to right, included James Heltz, Jackie Heltz, James Ehlers, Eric Howe, Glynda McKinnon and Jim McCullough.
Ginger Isham, on the microphone, bottom, asks Elaine McMillion Sheldon a question about her film ‘King Coal.’ Sheldon joined the event remotely after her flight on Friday from Virginia was canceled due to a global computer glitch.
Conservation Law Foundation plans to sue state
Group claims failure to comply with Global Warming Solutions Act
BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger
The Conservation Law Foundation announced plans Tuesday morning to sue the State of Vermont, alleging that the Agency of Natural Resources has failed to comply with a law that requires Vermont to reduce climate emissions.
In 2020, Vermont enacted the Global Warming Solutions Act, which legally requires the state to implement programs that cut greenhouse gas emissions in specific amounts by 2025, 2030 and 2050. The bill became law after the Legislature overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto.
The Conservation Law Foundation is planning to use a pathway included in the law allowing organizations or individuals to sue the secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, Julie Moore, to force compliance if evidence shows the state is not on track to meet those benchmarks.
Under the law, the entity suing the state must give the agency 60 days’ notice before filing a lawsuit. The Conservation Law Foundation provided that warning on Tuesday, sending Moore a notice of alleged violation “for failing to meet her legal responsibilities set by the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), ensuring the State is on track to reduce climate-damaging emissions.”
Specifically, the organization alleges that the agency has used faulty modeling to assert that the state is on track to meet the law’s first deadline, on Jan. 1, 2025. The Conservation Law Foundation conducted its own analysis, according to Elena Mihaly, vice president and director of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont, and said that analysis shows the state is not likely to meet the deadline.
“A sufficient review, based on a proper model, fairly interpreted, could only conclude that the State was not on track to achieve the 2025 Reduction Requirement, which, pursuant to statute, should prompt the swift adoption of one or more new rules and/or amendment of one or more existing rules,” the organization’s lawyers wrote in the notice.
It’s not the first time the criticism has surfaced: Last January,
Jared Duval, executive director of the Energy Action Network, raised concerns about the same data after the agency presented it to state lawmakers in the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.
The data in question comes from work completed by the Energy Futures Group, a consulting firm based in Hinesburg that the state hired to determine whether various policies and rules would effectively help Vermont meet the Global Warming Solutions Act’s requirements.
That model wasn’t created to assess whether Vermont is on track to meet the law’s deadlines and shouldn’t be used that way, according to the Conservation Law Foundation. Instead, the group argued, the state should rely on methods it uses to calculate emissions for Vermont’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast, which uses recent information from state agencies to calculate actual emissions.
In an interview Tuesday, Moore said the agency followed up with the Energy Futures Group after Duval expressed his concerns in January. The agency “fully investigated those concerns and remained confident with the analysis that had been
conducted,” she said.
The agency chose to use the data, in part, because it’s the same data used by the state’s Public Service Department in its Comprehensive Energy Plan, which guides energy policy in Vermont, according to Moore.
“It allows the state to have a consistent approach in both of those spaces,” Moore said.
The state used the data both in January during its report to lawmakers and more recently on July 1, when the agency was required to deliver a report to the Vermont Climate Council about the status of Vermont’s emission reduction work, according to the Conservation Law Foundation.
Mihaly said it’s important that the “state is using honest math and accounting in these reviews” so that lawmakers and state officials know “whether we’ve done enough or if we have to do more.”
Though the agency is planning to review the Conservation Law Foundation’s notice in detail and “consider the arguments they’re advancing,” Moore said, “I think many of the issues they’re raising, frankly, I feel have been asked and answered.”
Plate
VTDigger hires Neal Goswami as managing editor
VTDIGGER
Neal Goswami, a veteran Vermont journalist and communications professional, has been named managing editor of VTDigger.
In that role, Goswami will run the nonprofit newsroom on a day-to-day basis, overseeing a dedicated team of reporters, editors and photographers. He joins editor-in-chief Paul Heintz, deputy managing editor Alicia Freese and senior editors Diane Derby, Natalie Williams and Kristen Fountain on the newsroom leadership team.
Goswami got an early start in Vermont journalism, delivering his hometown newspaper, the Bennington Banner, starting at age 6. After graduating from the University of Vermont, Goswami spent eight years reporting for the Banner.
He joined the Vermont Press Bureau in 2013, serving as bureau chief and covering the Statehouse for the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus and the Rutland Herald. In 2017, he became capital bureau chief for WCAX-TV. Since 2019, Goswami has been a public and media relations specialist for the University of Vermont Health Network.
Goswami said he was excited to return to journalism and join VTDigger.
“Journalism has never been more important for democracy and community, and I’m excited to work with such a talented group of journalists dedicated to this work,” Goswami said. “I’m looking forward to working with this team to inform readers, provide context to news and tell stories that matter to Vermont and beyond.”
Heintz said he was looking forward to working with Goswami to continue delivering on the news organization’s mission to produce rigorous journalism, promote
Galdenzi
continued from page 6
research paper. The study reveals: “The fish and wildlife agencies represented by AFWA have specific goals of promoting trapping and its supposed benefits, yet we expect their research on the impacts of trapping on wildlife to be transparent, reproducible and unbiased. The close association of promotional aspects of trapping with wildlife professionals and the evolution of BMPs, should raise concern about the objectivity among those engaged in the BMP process.”
The study also states, “The analysis methods used by (AFWA) are flawed, not transparent and irreproducible. Therefore, we question the outcomes of the study as representing best management practices for capturing furbearing animals in restraining traps.”
public accountability and foster civic engagement.
“During his time reporting in Bennington and Montpelier, Neal established a reputation as a tough, fair, thorough and accurate journalist,” Heintz said. “I can’t wait for Neal to bring his talents to VTDigger, where he will surely thrive as a newsroom leader.”
VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch said the organization was fortunate to have had many excellent candidates apply for the managing editor position.
“What stood out about Neal is his enthusiasm and excitement for this role,” Barsch said. “He has a passion for engaging with our audience through our digital products and ensuring that we focus on the kinds of stories our readers find most important.
Goswami will succeed former managing editor Maggie Cassidy in the role. His first day is Aug. 12.
As for the new BMPs, Vermonters are still left with baited landmines on our shared public lands. Steel-jawed leghold and kill traps are set with no required signage, even on our National Wildlife Refuges. There are no required setbacks from public areas for large, powerful body crushing kill traps that are placed in the water, including shallow streams where dogs often like to lap from.
If you cannot imagine your dog or cat painfully restrained in a trap, I ask: what is the difference between your domestic tabby cat and a majestic bobcat who is trapped during the recreational trapping season? No animal deserves this, all in the name of recreation and tradition.
Brenna Galdenzi is president of Protect Our Wildlife (www.protectourwildlifevt. org). She lives in Stowe.
Neal Goswami
Man arrested in S. Burlington following chase, hostage situation
BY GRAHAM KREWINGHAUS VTDigger
A Montpelier man was arrested in South Burlington on Monday night after he took a woman hostage following a chase involving a stolen truck, according to police. The incident resulted in injuries to the woman and two officers.
Shannon Edwards, 39, of Montpelier, had been wanted by Washington County officials in connection with a prior stabbing incident, as well as by the Vermont Department of Corrections as an escapee, the South Burlington Police Department said in a press release Tuesday.
The department said officers responded to a call to Hannaford Drive about a disturbance around 5:25 p.m. Monday and learned that Edwards had threatened several people with a knife while in the woods nearby. They set up a perimeter with the help of several nearby police agencies, according to the release, and found Edwards by the Champlain Water District building.
Edwards stole a truck from a water district employee, according to police, and drove through a police spike strip before crossing Shelburne Road onto Brewer Parkway. When the front tires deflated, he entered a house on Brewer Parkway and attacked the homeowner, a 74-year-old
Shannon Edwards
woman, South Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke said.
When police entered the home, Edwards had the woman at knifepoint and was threatening to kill her, according to court documents. Police managed to free the hostage but not before she was slashed across her face and chest, according to police. Burke said she was taken to a hospital and treated for those cuts, as well as contusions on her head and knee. She was released later Monday night, Burke added.
A Burlington police detective and South Burlington officer also received knife wounds in the struggle that required stitches, according to the press release. Edwards also reported abdominal pain, Burke said, and was admitted to the University of Vermont Medical Center.
At his arraignment Tuesday in Chittenden Superior Court criminal division, Edwards en -
For over 30 years, we’ve been your local,
tered not guilty pleas to seven felony and two misdemeanor charges stemming from Monday’s incident. The charges included armed burglary, kidnapping and three counts of aggravated assault, according to court documents.
Edwards was being sought in connection with a June 28th stabbing at the Middlesex Park and Ride, according to a press release issued at the time by Vermont State Police.
In July 2020, Edwards was found injured near the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury, several days after he reportedly escaped from the facility. South Burlington police said Edwards has an extensive record that includes 10 felony and 15 misdemeanor convictions.
Wastewater
continued from page 1
peaked at 7.4 million gallons per day. This July, the inflow peaked at roughly 5 million gallons per day.
The unwelcome stormwater “is taking away capacity from the wastewater treatment plant by treating all that extra water that we don’t need to be treating,” said Mandigo. “It’s not designed to be combined, but just from aging infrastructure, it does become that way if you don’t do investigation work and maintenance.
“We have to do some work on the collection system,” she continued. “Stormwater still gets in the pipes. We can’t make them 100 percent foolproof to stormwater … But if you know there is a lot of groundwater or stormwater coming in, there are techniques you can do to try to minimize that.”
Since last July’s floods, public works personnel in all three of the communities have identified areas
of stormwater infiltration, Mandigo said.
Williston Public Works Director Bruce Hoar said the department traced high flows at a Williston Road pump station back to a wastewater pipe on one property that was improperly installed through a wetland and structurally unsound.
“The water was just pouring into the line,” he said, adding that the pipe has since been fixed.
Another issue with a leaky manhole cover near the intersection of Shunpike and South Brownell roads was also recently remedied.
“It’s helped our system. We’re seeing our flows go down,” said Hoar.
In Essex, crews found an issue with the Indian Brook infiltrating a wastewater pump station, Mandigo said.
“We’ve been working to find those areas and try to minimize them,” she said.
Racing to Indiana
Indiana, a midwestern state, joined the Union in 1816 as our 19th state. The land was inhabited by native people for many centuries; the Shawnee, Miami, Illini and others were living in the area when Europeans arrived.
The first European to explore the area was probably Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle, in 1679. French fur traders were the first Europeans to settle in the area. The British claimed the area after the French and Indian Wars in 1763.
Indiana is known as the Hoosier State, a nickname that probably started with an 1833 poem by John Finley called “The Hoosier’s Nest.” Indiana adopted the nickname more than 150 years ago.
Indiana today
With about 6.7 million people, Indiana ranks 17th among the states in population. It is the 38th-largest state in area.
The capital, Indianapolis, is also the largest city. In the 20th century, Indiana became a leader in manufacturing, making automobiles and car parts, steel and pharmaceuticals. Farmers also raise corn, soybeans and egg-laying chickens.
Companies ship products through the Great Lakes’ St. Lawrence Seaway and on the Ohio River.
Next Week: The Democratic Convention
Mini Fact:
Today, race cars at the Indy 500 might zip by at more than 230 mph. At the first race in 1911, the winning speed was 75 mph.
The sporting life
Motorsports are huge in Indiana, the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each year on Memorial Day, it hosts the Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day sporting event in the world.
Indiana’s professional sports teams include:
• the NBA’s Indiana Pacers
• the WNBA’s Indiana Fever
• the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts Interestingly, more NBA players have come from Indiana, on average, than any other state.
Education
Indiana is home to many colleges and universities, including Indiana University, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame and many technical and training schools.
Indiana Fact-a-Roonies
• Forests cover about 21% of the state.
• The Raggedy Ann Doll was first created in Indianapolis in 1914 by cartoonist Johnny Gruelle. He wrote stories about the doll for his daughter.
• The Indianapolis Zoo features thousands of animals such as tigers and elephants in cageless natural habitats.
Words that remind us of Indiana are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Famous Hoosiers
• William Henry Harrison, who once was the governor of the Indiana Territory, was our ninth president. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was our 23rd president. He was born in Ohio but moved to Indiana to practice law. Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, lived much of his childhood in the state.
• Pop artist Michael Jackson and his brothers and sisters were born in Gary, Indiana.
• Charles “Chuck” Taylor, born in Brown County, Indiana, in 1901, was a basketball player and worked for the Converse Rubber Shoe Co. He helped redesign and improve the basketball shoes that became known as Chuck Taylor All Stars, or “Chucks.”
• Orville Redenbacher was an agricultural scientist whose hybrid popping corn was introduced in 1970 under his name. He was born in Brazil, Indiana. You can see a statue of him in Lincoln Park in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Isaac: What is Indiana Jones’ least favorite band? Iris: The Rolling Stones!
Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 30, 2024
photo by Joshua Cornelius
The Jackson 5 perform in 1972.
Orville Redenbacher
The Indiana flag
Williston
The Indianapolis Zoo features thousands of animals such as tigers and elephants in cageless natural habitats.
Try ’n’ Find
Words that remind us of Indiana are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
1. Cook butter and marshmallows, covered, in microwave oven for 1 minute on low. Stir every 15 seconds.
2. Remove and then stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Pour mixture over popcorn. Stir until well-coated.
4. With buttered hands, form balls with popcorn mixture.
5. Stick a craft stick in each ball. Squeeze ball around the stick. Makes 8 popcorn pops.
* You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.
Mini Jokes
Isaac: What is Indiana Jones’ least favorite band? Iris: The Rolling Stones!
Eco Note
People in Italy within the highly populated caldera of an ancient supervolcano spent the night outdoors, in tents or in their cars after the strongest tremors on record jolted the volcanic area. Phlegraean Fields is located just west of Naples. The nearby city of Pozzuoli, home to more than 800,000 people, has seen the landscape changed during the past year by seismic activity brought on by magma flowing below. There have long been plans in place to swiftly evacuate the area should an eruption seem imminent.
For later:
Look in your newspaper for articles about things happening in Indiana.
Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!
SAVVY SENIOR
Green Burials
The practice of natural or “green” burials dates back thousands of years. The principle behind this practice is to follow the natural cycle of life. Green burials provide a reduced environmental impact, as well as the benefits of land preservation and affordability. To learn more, contact us today.
E LMWOOD -M EUNIER
FUNERAL & CREMATION CENTER
Burlington - (802) 864-5682 | Elmwoodmeunier.net
Se r ving all faiths & cult ures since 1927
Kitchen ideas for aging-in-place
Dear Savvy Senior,
My 77-year-old mother has had several kitchen-related accidents over the past year. What tips can you recommend for making a kitchen safer and practical, without doing a big expensive remodel.
Inquiring Daughter
Dear Inquiring,
There are a number of small improvements and simple modifications you can do that can make a big difference in making your mom’s kitchen safer and easier to maneuver. Here are some tips for different aspects of her kitchen.
Lights: If lighting in your mom’s kitchen needs improvement, replace the old overhead fixture with a bright new ceiling light, and add LED lighting under upper kitchen cabinets to brighten up her kitchen countertops.
Floors: If she has kitchen throw rugs, to reduce tripping or slipping,
replace them with non-skid floor mats or consider gel mats, which are cushiony and more comfortable to stand on for long periods.
By Jim Miller
Cabinets and drawers: To reduce bending or reaching, organize your mom’s kitchen cabinets and
drawers so that the items she most frequently uses are within comfortable reach. You can also make her lower cabinets and pantry easier to access by installing pullout shelves or lazy Susans, and can install pulldown shelves in the upper cabinets (see www.rev-a-shelf.com) so she doesn’t have to get on a stool. I also recommend replacing her cabinet and drawer knobs with “D” or “C” shaped pull handles because they’re more comfortable for arthritic hands to grasp than knobs and are less likely to catch on clothing.
Faucet: If your mom has a twist-handle kitchen faucet, replace it with an ADA-compliant single-handle faucet, or with a touch, motion or digital smart faucet. They’re easier to operate, especially if she has hand arthritis or gripping problems. And, for safety purposes, set her hot water tank at 120 degrees to prevent possible water burns. see SAVVY page 21
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1952, Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.
• In 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the first baby to be born after being conceived via in vitro fertilization, was delivered in Greater Manchester, England.
• In 2005, two major unions, the Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union, withdrew from the AFL-CIO.
• In 2010, the website WikiLeaks released the “Afghan War Diary,” containing more than 90,000 secret documents pertaining to the United States’ war in Afghanistan.
TODAY’S FACT:
• The Viking Orbiter 1 spacecraft, while searching for potential landing sites for the Viking 2 Lander, snapped the famous “Face on Mars” photo of the planet’s surface on this day in 1976.
SUDOKU • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22
ADULT PROGRAMS
SENIOR STRENGTH AND FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY
Ages 50-plus. Join this fitness program just for seniors. The program will concentrate on developing upper and lower body
Emergencies seen promptly. We now contract with all
strength, improving balance and strengthening your core. In this dementia-friendly class, participants are encouraged to work within their abilities. Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:45-10:45 a.m., $5 per visit. The R.E.C. Zone, 94 Harvest Lane.
JAZZERCISE CARDIO SCULPT PROGRAMS
Ages 50-plus. Programs are low impact with different levels of intensity. Instructors will show you how to take it high or low. Class passes of 1, 5 and 10 visits available to purchase. Cardio Sculpt Low is Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Cardio Sculpt Low/High is Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:45-5:45 p.m. and Sundays, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
TAI
CHI INTRODUCTION
Ages 50-plus. The ancient art of Tai Chi has become increasingly popular as people find that it improves balance, increases mindfulness and relaxes the mind
and body. This class will present sequences of movements derived from the Sun style, which is slow, smooth and upright in posture. Wednesdays, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Free. The R.E.C. Zone, 94 Harvest Lane.
SUMMER CAMPS
DAY CAMPS
There are still limited spots in day camps for this summer.
R.E.C. Camp, for kids entering grade 1-6. Mondays-Fridays, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. or half days 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. or 12-5:30 p.m.
Registration is now open for youth soccer in the fall. The following programs are offered.
SOCCER SHORTS
Ages 3-4, Coed. This is a child/parent program. The program teaches the fundamentals of soccer using a fun and energetic curriculum. Each session is held
in a positive environment where children are encouraged to learn and play with a parent and each other. Instructors: Rec. Staff
RECKIDS SOCCER
Ages 5-6, Coed. This program is designed to teach the fundamentals of the game. Youngsters will be provided with the opportunity to learn, practice and develop their skills. Saturday practices and scrimmages. Parents and volunteers are needed to coach teams.
GRADE 1-2 SOCCER
Separate boys and girls leagues are offered if numbers allow. This league provides the opportunity for youngsters to learn the game, improve their skills and enjoy playing. The program meets twice a week, one weekday practice and Saturday games. Parents and volunteers are needed to coach teams.
GRADE 3-5 SOCCER
Separate boys and girls leagues are offered if numbers allow. The program meets twice a week, one weekday practice and Saturday games. Teams will have the opportunity to play other rec department teams. Parents and volunteers are needed to coach teams.
cated later that day in Swanton and returned.
June 29 at 1:08 a.m. — Following a traffic stop, male operator was issued a citation to appear in court for suspicion of DUI.
June 29 at 12:17 p.m. — Suspicious male in Home Depot. Officers located male, who had an outstanding arrest warrant. Male was transported to the correctional facility.
June 30 at 5:14 a.m. — Suspicious vehicle stopped in the roadway. Male operator was issued a citation for suspicion of DUI.
June 30 at 11:39 a.m. — Retail theft reported at Jolley. Male was issued a citation to appear in court for retail theft and unlawful trespass.
July 1 at 9:25 a.m. — Retail theft reported at Home Depot. Female suspect was located and issued a citation for retail theft.
July 1 at 12:11 p.m. — Report of a missing juvenile. Juvenile was located a short time later in South
Burlington.
July 2 at 6:02 p.m. — Report of a male who was unconscious in his car. Male refused all services and was moved along.
July 2 at 10:40 p.m. — Assisted Vermont State Police with wrong way driver on the interstate.
July 3 at 3:49 p.m. — Retail theft reported at Marshalls. Female suspect was issued a citation to appear in court for retail theft.
July 3 at 6:22 p.m. — Report of someone who threatened an employee with a knife at Best Buy. Male was located and transported to the correctional facility.
July 4 at 6:55 a.m. — Report of a stolen vehicle on Seymour Street. Vehicle was located the next day in Burlington and returned to the owner.
July 4 at 8:57 a.m. — Report of a stolen U-Haul truck. Truck was lo-
July 4 at 8:50 p.m. — Report of a suspicious vehicle on Zephyr Road. Male operator was issued a citation to appear in court for violation of conditions of release.
July 5 at 6:15 a.m. — Male in the Jolley who had previously been trespassed. Male was issued a citation to appear in court for unlawful trespass.
July 5 at 5:35 p.m. — Suspicious male in Marshalls. Male had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was issued a citation to appear in court.
July 6 at 11:09 a.m. — Suspicious male on Zephyr Road. Male had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was transported to the correctional facility.
July 6 at 12:40 p.m. — Male in the Jolley who had previously been trespassed. Male was issued a citation to appear in court for unlawful trespass.
Officers also responded to 12 alarm activations and 13 motor vehicle crashes, and conducted 13 traffic stops during this time frame.
Savvy
continued from page 18
Microwave and cooktop safety:
If the microwave is mounted above the stove, move it, or get a countertop microwave so she doesn’t have to reach over a cooktop to insert or remove food. And if you’re worried about your mom forgetting to turn off the stove, there are automatic shut-off devices you can purchase and install to prevent a fire. One of the best smart shutoff devices for gas and electric stoves is made by iGuardStove (www.iGuardFire.com).
To guard against microwave fires, there’s the SmartMicro microwave shutoff made by Pioneering Technology (www.PioneeringTech.com).
SHOPPING
FOR APPLIANCES
If you’re looking to upgrade some of your mom’s appliances, here are some different features to keep in mind.
Refrigerator: French-door refrigerators that open in the middle are great because it makes it easier to see and reach what’s inside. Pullout adjustable height shelves and a water/ice dispenser on the outside of the door are also very convenient.
Stove or cooktop: Look for one with controls in the front so your mom won’t have to reach over hot burners to turn it off, and make sure the controls are easy to see. Flat surface electric or induction burners, or continuous grates on gas stoves, are also great for sliding heavy pots and pans from one burner to the next. And ask about automatic shut-off burners.
Oven: Self-cleaning ovens are a plus; consider a side-swing door model. They’re easier to get into because you don’t have to lean over a hot swing-down door. Also consider a wall-mounted oven, installed at your mom’s preferred height, to eliminate bending.
Dishwasher: Consider a drawer-style dishwasher that slides in and out for easier access, and, if possible, have it installed on a raised platform 12-24 inches above floor level so it can be loaded and unloaded without bending over.
Washer and dryer: Front-load washers and dryers with pedestals that raise the height around 24 inches are also back-savers and easier to access.
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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Williston and Georgia South I-89 Welcome Centers - $17.15/hr
The Williston and Georgia South I-89 Welcome Centers are looking to hire full-time, part-time and/or per diem employees with great customer service skills and a love for Vermont tourism.
Duties include some custodial tasks and physical tasks including snow removal. Weekend and some holiday availability is required.
To learn more or to apply, email welcomecenters@vermont.org
Join Our Team
HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS, INCLUDING:
Academic
• Educational Coordinator
• Special Education Teachers
• Academic Case Managers
• Certified Classroom Teachers
Residential
• Community Leaders
• Youth Counselors
• Awake Overnight Counselors
• Transporters
• Cleaning Staff
• Maintenance Staff
Leadership
• Assistant Program Director
• Mental Health Clinicians
• HR Coordinator
• Nurse
Our Trauma-Informed program offers supportive living environments designed to change the lives of youths and families struggling with significant mental and behavioral health issues.
The academic staff will employ innovative strategies to help nontraditional students learn while being supported by trained mental health professionals. We offer academic support services for individualized learning and our students will have access to the general education curriculum, as outlined by the Vermont Agency of Education. For more information please contact Tina Robinson at 603-960-4487 or email tr.humanresources@MPA.US
Theodore (Ted) Sargeant
Theodore (Ted) Sargeant was born on July 28, 1927, the fourth of
seven children of Neal W. Sargeant Sr. and Emma Stocker Sargeant in their home in Danville, VT.
Ted was educated in Danville and graduated from Danville High School in 1945. He earned his degree in Agriculture from the Vermont School of Agriculture in 1946. In the fall of 1946 Ted joined the U.S. Army, and after training at Fort Knox, KY, spent the next thirty months with the 25th Division in the occupation forces in Japan.
During the next four years Ted was the milk tester for Caledonia Dairy Herd Improvement Association, followed by five years as the herdsman for Shadwell Jersey Farm in Groton.
On June 15, 1958, Ted mar-
OBITUARIES
ried Joan Gile of Richmond. They purchased a small Jersey farm in Wolcott. They were there for three years before moving to Huntington, where Ted learned the plumbing and heating trade with his father-in-law. Ted operated his own business for several years and worked on the plumbing and heating systems in many homes in the Richmond/Huntington area.
Following, Ted enjoyed twenty years as the rural mail carrier out of the Huntington Post Office. Ted was a proud member of the Vermont Rural Letter Carrier Association where he served as its president for two and a half years.
After retirement, Ted kept busy with a few beef cattle and growing
vegetables for sale. Ted helped organize and was an original vendor at the Richmond Farmers Market for many years. In the last few years Ted enjoyed collecting and restoring vintage garden tractors, showing them at several events around the state. He was a member of the Vermont Gas and Steam Engine Association.
Ted was also an active member of the Community Church of Huntington, where he held many offices throughout the years.
Ted was predeceased by his parents; wife, Joan Gile Sargeant; siblings, Martha Sevigny (Ray), Neal Sargeant Jr. (June), Donald Sargeant, Nila Thompson (Bill), Marilyn Graham (John), and Patri-
cia Sargeant.
Ted leaves behind three daughters: Elizabeth Quary (Jack), Amanda Keith (Pat), and Kathy Sargeant: four grandchildren; Casey, Hollis, Paige, and Annie: three great-grandchildren Trae, Gage Theo, and newborn Mabel Hope.
A memorial service will be held at the Community Church of Huntington, Sunday, July 28, at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow. Burial to take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Community Church of Huntington, 4910 Main Rd, Huntington, VT 05462, or Neighbor helping Neighbor, P.O. Box 24, Huntington, VT 05462.
ANTICIPATED! Firearms, Edged Weapons and Armor, Vintage Military Vehicles and Collectibles, Antique Fishing Tackle, Vintage and Antique Ammunition Boxes, Decoys, Firearms Parts and Accessory Items CONSIGNMENTS STILL WANTED Got a great collection? Let us know! Email
Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704 or email planning@willistonvt.org.
To place a classified ad, email rick@williston observer.com or call 802 373-2136
Deadline for classifieds is Monday.
The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.
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 100 percent effective when given soon after 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.
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 Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will SHELBURNE DAY continued from page 4 face burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land.
Extra inning, extra disappointment
TOP (l to r): Champlain’s Noah Musgrave gets the starting nod for the Champlain Valley Legion team during their extra innings loss to St. Johnsbury, Post 58 on Thursday at Williston Central. Aaron LaRose provided relief for Musgrave and Jack Dore took the mound in relief of LaRose.
BOTTOM (l to r): Owen Cook makes the catch in left. Henry Bushey avoids an out, safely diving back to first. Henry McLean squares off to to bunt.
