Williston resident Jayden Choquette is preparing to show off his moves with partner and professional dance instructor Allee Pineault at this Saturday’s “Dancing with the Burlington Stars” fundraiser for the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Local dancer prepares for ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Event raises funds for Blind and Visually Impaired
BY INDIRA BUSH Special to the Observer
Across the state, 12 eager Vermonters are getting ready to put on their dancing shoes.
Williston resident, actor and Wake Robin Activities Coordinator Jayden Choquette is one of them.
Choquette is among a group of six local celebrities paired with six professional dance instructors who will perform in the upcoming Dancing with the Burlington Stars — an annual fundraiser for the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI).
The 12 dancers will show off 17 weeks of practice on the Flynn’s mainstage this Saturday, which marks the event’s fifth anniversary, but fourth show (the event was canceled during the pandemic).
Choquette’s involvement began when he got an email from VABVI’s Volunteer Coordinator Vicki Vest. She was given his name from former competitors
see DANCING page 22
Report: All affordable homes are in compliance
Rents and sale prices are meeting affordability requirements
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
It’s now the Town of Williston’s job to monitor whether homebuilders who promise affordability during permitting of new construction actually keep homes affordable over time.
The town took over monitoring in 2019 from Housing Vermont, a nonprofit affordable homebuilder now called Evernorth, according to Energy and Community Development Planner Melinda Scott. But until this year it hadn’t produced a public report on the topic. Scott completed a compliance report in August and presented it to the town’s volunteer Housing Committee at its Sept. 4 meeting.
The report shows across-the-board compliance with keeping rents and sale prices of homes that were built as perpetually affordable below the median income standard set by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.
“(The) guarantee of af-
fordability necessarily requires that periodic audits are made to ensure that affordability is not lost when rents change or ownership properties change hands,” Scott wrote in the report,
tions of approval. Affordability is defined by the town as when a resident with an income that is at or below the area’s median income ($113,600 for a family of four in the greater Burlington area, according to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency) pays no more than 30 percent of their income in housing costs.
adding that she plans to update it annually.
To create the report, Scott asked rental unit landlords what they charge for rent and the renters’ cost of utilities, and she checked that against their conditions of approval during the town permitting process. For single family homes, most recent sale prices were checked against the homes’ condi-
“A lot of people would say that’s still not affordable, when you look at the actual rents.”
Melinda Scott
Energy and Community Development Planner
Currently, the town is monitoring 63 affordable rental units, with the majority in Finney Crossing and The Hamlet in Taft Corners. It is also monitoring seven single family homes, including five in the Northridge neighborhood.
“All affordable dwellings … are in compliance with the affordability provisions in their respective
see HOUSING page 11
A six-story building planned for the streetfront on Route 2A in Taft Corners would have 12 affordable apartments. IMAGE BY VT COMMERCIAL
Around Town
Meditation initiative launching in Williston
A group of local transcendental meditation practitioners — including Catamount Outdoor Family Center founders Jim and Lucy McCullough and Cristalee McSweeney of the Williston Community Justice Center — will meet at 4 p.m. on Sept. 19 to launch Meditate Vermont, a local affiliate of a new national effort called Meditate America to spread the benefits of meditation nationwide.
The event will take place at the
Vermont Transcendental Meditation Center at 88 Mountain View Road in Williston, and follows the national launch of Meditate America this Thursday. Speakers plan to discuss the problems of stress, anxiety, crime, educational deficits and homelessness in Vermont and showcase research pointing to the health benefits of transcendental meditation. A group meditation will follow.
As part of the initiative, the center will be offering free introductory sessions and half-price lessons through Nov. 12.
THE NEXT 50 YEARS
Embracing and Honoring Aging in Our Community Party with a purpose 9.26.2024
Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Location: The Old Lantern, Charlotte, VT
Tickets: $50 per person.
To purchase tickets, please scan the code below or visit our website: https://www.agewellvt.org/home/50th-celebration/
Join us for an evening to commemorate 50 Years of helping Vermonters age well. Fantastic fare by Backyard Bistro, libations, live music from folk artist Nick Carter,
GMT hosts meetings to discuss pending bus service cuts
Green Mountain Transit will host a series of public meetings this month to gather input on potential bus route reductions as the agency struggles with financial challenges.
“GMT values community input and wants to ensure that any changes reflect the needs and priorities of the people it serves,” the agency wrote in a Monday news release.
One of the meetings is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Majestic 10 movie theater in Williston. Another will be held online at 12 p.m. on Sept. 17.
“We want to hear directly from the people who rely on our services every day,” GMT General Manager Clayton Clark said. “These meetings are critical for gathering feedback and working together to create solutions that ensure GMT remains a vital resource for the community.”
GMT is also accepting public comments via email at planning@ ridegmt.com.
near its base at Burlington International Airport to expect nighttime F-35 takeoff noise next Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 17-18. Flights are scheduled after dark up until 9:30 p.m.
Night flying is part of ongoing F-35 training for guard pilots, Col. Brian Lepine said.
“Night flying enhances our readiness and adaptability, ensuring that our team remains capable and effective in all operational environments,” said Lepine. “We appreciate the community’s understanding and support as we conduct this vital training.”
Town utility bills due at end of month
The Town of Williston recently mailed out water, sewer and stormwater quarterly bills to residents. Payment is due by Sept. 30, according to the town’s public works department. For questions, call the department at (802) 878-1239.
Red Cross hosts blood drive events throughout Chittenden County
and a fabulous silent auction. We will be recognizing the Honorable Madeleine Kunin, with shared excerpts from her book, Coming of Age: My Journey to the Eighties.
County and the state as the Red Cross seeks donors to address a “still fragile” blood supply.
“Donors of all blood types are asked to give now to keep blood supply levels rising after a summer shortage,” the organization wrote in a news release. “A steady increase in lifesaving blood products is vital to ensuring hospitals stay ready for any situation this fall.”
To schedule a time to give blood or platelets, visit RedCrossBlood. org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or use the Red Cross Blood Donor mobile app.
Other nearby donation events include at the South Burlington Police Department, 19 Gregory Drive in South Burlington from 12:30-5 p.m. on Sept. 20 and at the South Burlington Public Library, 180 Market Street in South Burlington from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Sept. 28.
Tapper’s book published
Tuesday marked the release date of former Chittenden County Forester Ethan Tapper’s book “How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World.” Tapper celebrated the release with a speaking event at Contois Auditorium in Burlington’s City Hall. Visit ethantapper.com for information on buying the book and Tapper’s future speaking events. see AROUND TOWN page 3
Around Town
continued from page 2
Donate bikes and sewing machines for developing countries
The Green Mountain Returned Peace Corps Volunteers are holding their 26th annual collection for Pedals for Progress. Items gathering dust in your closet or garage will help struggling families in communities around the world.
On Saturday, Sept. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., bring your bike or sewing machine (plus $20 to help with shipping costs) to St. Michael’s College’s Tarrant Center parking lot in Colchester.
For questions or to volunteer, email P4Pvermont@gmail.com or call at (802) 793-0888.
Lund to hold pickleball fundraiser
Registration is live for Lund’s pickleball fundraiser at Catamount Pickleball in South Burlington. Join on Sept. 21 from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for a day of pickleball to support Lund’s programs. Proceeds will benefit Lund’s efforts to strengthen Vermont families so that children can thrive.
The $30 registration includes pickleball, food and a donation to Lund. Register at lundvt.org/pickleball-fundraiser.
PROPERTY TRANSFERS AUGUST 2024
• Vincenzo Riva bought a condominium on Cedar Lane from Angelica Greiner for $382,500.
• Christopher Feifs bought a condominium on Creek’s Edge Drive from Adam Winter for $739,000.
• Elisabeth Faco bought a home on Chelsea Place from Sharon Savoie for $505,000.
• David Wark bought a home on Michael Lane from Rick Garey for $748,000.
• Adam Lowe bought a home on Pleasant Acres Drive from Katherine Rooney for $600,100.
• The Maria A. Feuer Living Trust bought a home on Raven Circle from Jamie Chase for $900,000.
• Katia Woods bought a condominium on Eastview Circle from Cameron Steinmetz for $381,000.
• Lori Bruce bought a condominium on Bittersweet Circle from the estate of Tracy J. Bruce for $152,500.
• Mochi Investments LLC bought 1.5 acres of commercial property on Avenue C from RMH Management LP for $1.51 million.
• The University of Vermont bought 20 acres of open land on Route 116 from Chestnut Hill Farms LLC for $228,000.
• Kristen Baker bought a home on Barrett Lane from Michael Conti for $150,000.
In print and online: we’re your neighbors, committed to keeping you informed on what’s going on in Williston.
Williston Fire Chief Aaron Collette, right, administers an oath to three new firefighters Friday at the Williston Fire Station. The new firefighters are, from left to right, Tyler Kardashian, Dylan Garside and Matt Hall.
OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
Burlington council moves to revisit controversial police officer cap
BY COREY MCDONALD VTDigger
The Burlington City Council on Monday night agreed to revisit a controversial cap on the number of officers in the city’s police department.
The measure was one of several public-safety-focused items on the council’s agenda in response to a rash of violent crime in the past several weeks.
Passed by a 9-3 vote, the resolution charges officials in the police department with providing recommendations on staffing levels to the council by Dec. 9. Democrats had originally proposed removing the cap altogether but agreed to change the resolution Monday night.
The issue has loomed over the council since June 2020, when the Progressive-led body voted to reduce the department’s ranks by 30 percent — from 105 to 74 — through attrition. That cap was raised to 87 in 2021.
Burlington’s department currently has only 67 officers — a number its police chief has called “simply inadequate for what we want to be able to provide to our community.”
The police officer cap has remained a
point of contention among Progressive and Democratic councilors — and a persistent focal point in criticism against the city. Monday’s five-hour meeting was often testy, with some Progressive councilors criticizing Democrats for not consulting them before introducing the resolution.
Progressive councilors suggested the
weeks after a Stowe man was shot and killed outside the Church Street bar Red Square. A South Burlington woman has pleaded not guilty to murder in the case, which allegedly followed a dispute over drinks inside the establishment.
The homicide occurred amid a spate of violent crime throughout the city, and as University of Vermont students returned to Burlington for the fall semester.
Several types of crimes, including aggravated assault, burglary and larceny have increased significantly in the city since 2019, according to data from Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad’s annual reports, which were cited in the council’s resolution.
Gunfire incidents since 2019 have increased by 300 percent, according to the data. Drug overdoses, meanwhile, have increased by over 1,000 percent in the same time period.
move would do little to bolster the department’s recruitment. Police agencies throughout Vermont — and across the country — have struggled to hire and retain officers in recent years.
More than two dozen attendees on Monday urged the council to pass the original resolution to lift the cap on police officers. Among them was Bram Kranichfeld, the Franklin County state’s attorney and a former Burlington city councilor, who said the city is “undoubtedly in the midst of a public safety crisis.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Burlington has faced growing challenges related to homelessness and substance use disorder. It’s also grappled with a rise in property crime and certain types of violent crime over the past four years.
The council’s action comes just two
Democratic councilors pointed to these statistics, as well as anecdotal reports, in support of examining the department’s staff limits. Councilor Tim Doherty called the current officer cap “woefully out of date and superseded by events in the last several years.”
“This is made overwhelmingly, and I would say, indisputably clear by the statistics on crime in the city, but even more so by the lived experience of our community,” he said.
The number of police officers in the department, he added, “never should have been a political football, and it certainly shouldn’t be a political football now.”
The council was not in full agreement. Three Progressive councilors — Marek Broderick, Melo Grant and Joe Kane — voted no, with Grant calling the resolution
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad speaks at a 2022 press conference in Burlington.
FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
WILLISTON COMMUNITY
FOOD SHELF
Stories of local food insecurity …
BY SALLY STOCKWELL METRO Special to the Observer
She was only about 2 when she first started coming in with her Grandpa. She was shy, always hiding behind his leg. Now, eight years later, she’s a social butterfly, telling Grandpa what food to pick and chattering on to the volunteers about school.
The clean-cut, smiling migrant worker from Costa Rica is so grateful to us. He kindly helps me with my Spanish and helps his co-workers choose food. He’s shy and well-shaven, smiling when greeted. He has
Many people are just plain hungry … In a recent survey at our shelf, we found that more than 10 people had not eaten for 24 hours 2-3 times in the past week.
connected with a relative back home who says he’s going to help him so he won’t need to keep living in his car.
She’s a paraeducator, apologetic for needing to come in for food. She has teenage sons who eat a lot, and her divorced husband isn’t paying child support.
He comes from a neighboring town but is afraid to go to his town’s food shelf because he’s a substitute teacher, and some of his co-workers volunteer there. He’s too ashamed for them to see him getting food.
She’s a retired nurse with adult children to care for. Despite her own needs, when she heard about flooding in Florida, she organized a truck and volunteers to take clothing and food to people in need there.
You may have heard stories about people who can’t afford food after paying all
the other bills to keep their homes and cars running. Or maybe you have personal experience with being hungry. Perhaps you’re someone who thinks “those people” should just get a job. I can assure you that people would not use a food shelf if they could afford grocery stores. And most of our customers who aren’t retired, elderly or disabled have at least one job, if not more.
People in the food donation business talk about food insecurity, which is defined as a household’s limited or uncertain access to safe and nutritious food, or the inability to acquire adequate food in socially acceptable ways. In our experience, many people are just plain hungry. They feed their children first and skip their own meals. In a recent survey at our shelf, we found that more than 10 people had not eaten for 24 hours 2-3 times in the past week.
The solution to food insecurity isn’t one law, one action, one change. Those of us in food donation know that we aren’t able to fix the problem. But while lawmakers, lobbyists, teachers, service agencies, and many others try to find solutions, we’ll keep giving out food. We want diabetics to get fresh food, children to have dinner every night, hard-working people to have healthy food, and seniors to have access to food they can eat.
If you’re lucky enough, wealthy enough, connected enough to be well-nourished, please do whatever you can to help. Give money, donate food, bring garden overflow, or volunteer at your local food shelf or pantry. Just because your neighbor drives a nice car or your friends have jobs, don’t assume they have adequate access to healthy food.
I’ll leave you with the words we go by at our food shelf: Be kind, for everyone you meet is carrying a great burden.
Thank you.
Sally Stockwell Metro is the operations manager for the Williston Community Food Shelf.
Meeting the challenge of health care sustainability
BY SUNNY EAPPEN
Health care is expensive, whether you’re receiving it or providing it.
While most of us already know this hard truth, it’s at the center of attention as Vermont’s 2025 hospital budgets are being reviewed by our regulator, the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB). For us at University of Vermont Health Network, this isn’t a problem we think about once a year when we submit our budgets. Every day we hear directly from patients, many of whom are our friends, family and neighbors, who are looking at their hospital bill or insurance premiums and wondering how they’re going to make ends meet.
That’s why everything we do, including the budgets we recently presented, is guided by the principle of: how do our patients access the high-quality care they need, deserve and can afford?
Thanks to the tireless work of our dedicated providers, nurses and staff, we’re on more stable financial footing. We achieved it through significant effort to control
expenses — including administrative costs, delaying needed capital investments, and leveraging our integration as a system to improve patient access to care and reduce the cost of temporary labor.
Our proposed budgets for next year at Central Vermont Medical Center, Porter Hospital and University of Vermont Medical Center respond to clear direction I’ve given our leadership, which also mirrors guidance from our regulator: Increase timely access to care, make care as affordable as possible, and improve patient experience and health outcomes. Given the shared challenges we face in our state, we won’t achieve these things overnight, but they serve as our north star.
Our budgets reflect our connectedness, as what affects one hospital affects the rest of our network. It’s an honor to offer high-quality, leading-edge medicine to our region, but we know more people need this care than we have the capacity to serve in a timely way.
We’ve been working hard to improve physical access to care.
We’re reducing wait times and backlogs for surgeries and imaging. We’re also increasing access to specialty care and getting patients faster answers about their care through our successful eConsult service. Our proposed budgets also support greater access to primary care, which is the foundation of healthy communities.
Being physically able to access health care services is vital, but that access means little if you can’t afford to use it.
We’re proud to make care more affordable through our strong financial assistance programs. Last year alone, we saved roughly 11,000 eligible patients nearly $30 million in health care and prescription costs. We’re committed to continuing and expanding these programs to reduce financial barriers to care. We’re also focused on controlling operational expenses, so they don’t get passed on to Vermonters.
Every line of expense in next year’s budgets was reviewed to maximize cost control. Thanks to those efforts, we were able to reduce tens of millions of dollars from our budget requests. But let me be clear: We know there is more work to do.
By working together as a health system, we realize savings from shared administrative functions like human resources, accounting and IT. We’re also being more efficient with our leadership. In fact, a recent internal study performed by a nationally recognized compensation consultant shows we are among the leanest compared to comparable-sized academic systems when it comes to spending on executive staff.
Last year, following the GMCB’s decision on our budgets, we eliminated nearly 130 open administrative positions, which saved approximately $20 million. But this action did not come without other costs, as it increased pressure on our staff and delayed some access initiatives.
None of us can deny the challenges that shape health care in our region — our population is getting older and will require higher levels of care and more of it, there’s a lack of affordable housing and a deficit of long-term and mental health beds. All these things drive up costs. And because government payers don’t fully cover these expenses, Vermonters with commercial insurance are shouldering the burden, as seen in recent insurance
rate hikes.
We’re partnering with Dartmouth Health and MaineHealth to appeal to our lawmakers in Washington, D.C to address the challenges of rural health care, but it’s not an overnight solution.
At this point, the easy answer to high health care costs would be to reduce next year’s hospital budgets and call it a win for affordability. But in truth, it would shortchange Vermonters and only further drive up costs overall as we tried to catch up. As nonprofit hospitals, funding to make investments in access for our patients and to support our workforce come from limited sources. Shrinking those sources significantly reduces our ability to make forward progress, let alone preserve what we already have for the patients who need us today.
Despite our challenges, I’m hopeful because of our providers and staff who work with compassion, kindness and resilience to provide the care our patients need.
For the sake of our people and the patients we serve, we must keep nonprofit hospitals sustainable.
Sunny Eappen is president and chief executive officer at UVM Health Network.
PRODUCTION
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An early budget message from school leadership
EDITOR’S NOTE: Champlain Valley School District Interim Superintendent Adam Bunting wrote this message to all district employees Monday, and asked it be shared with the wider CVSD community.
Writing about the budget in the second week of September doesn’t feel good, but to not do so would fall short of the transparent, authentic communication that builds trust.
I had the privilege of meeting with the Champlain Valley Education Association (CVEA) Executive Board last week, and in that meeting I heard feedback and advice. Much of that advice prompted this email as it centered on the courage of authenticity and the importance of transparency, particularly when there’s much at stake.
So, here it goes. As I noted in convocation, we face extraordinary fiscal headwinds this year that result from legislative changes, inflationary costs, moderate declines in student enrollment, and escalating property values. Additionally, our community is still recovering from a year in which we reduced the equivalent of 42 positions and our taxpayers grappled with challenging tax increases despite those reductions.
In the coming weeks, I believe our board will set a budget target for us that ranges somewhere between a level service budget (meaning we offer the same programming as this year) to a level funded budget (meaning our budget dollar amount remains the same as this year). Our board will be doing their best to balance the resources we need while being respectful that further increasing property taxes is harmful to our community. And in this tension is the issue:
To simply maintain our current level of service, we estimate we would need to increase our budget by over $5 million. Simply put, we may face a $5 million gap between our current programming and our future funding.
While I understand that this message may be unwelcome — especially at the outset of the year — I am also hopeful that by engaging our community now, we
I am hopeful we can navigate these headwinds with wisdom and care for one another.
can effect change in Vermont and navigate these headwinds with wisdom and care for one another. In addition to being transparent, I write this email to pose a question: How do we move toward these difficult discussions while holding one another in community? Losing resources is painful; sacrificing our integrity while doing so causes even greater harm.
We will begin our budget conversation with our (leadership) team tomorrow to prepare for a budget primer for our board meeting on Sept. 17. Following the board meeting, we will publish our budget calendar that will include dates, community forums and focus group meetings.
Thank you. Please know how much I appreciate your work and your collaboration. I will be back in touch with next steps.
Adam Bunting Interim superintendent Champlain Valley School District
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Roy for Senate
I am pleased to provide my endorsement for Bruce Roy in his campaign for the Vermont State Senate in the Chittenden-Southeast district.
Mr. Roy is a retired Air Force colonel with a professional background in finance. He knows how to “get to the facts” logically and rationally, and look at both sides of the equation — not an easy task in the world of partisan politics.
We are in the midst of a true affordability crisis in Vermont, with an overpriced education system, collapsing health care, and property taxes and health insurance premiums that have double-digit increases every year.
The policies of state senators Ginny Lyons and Kesha Ram-Hinsdale have certainly contributed to this affordability crisis.
It is time to elect someone like Bruce Roy, who can bring some moderation and Vermont common sense back into the equation.
Louis Meyers Shelburne
Rogers for all Vermonters
While living in Wolcott, I had the pleasure of having John Rogers, who is now
running for Lieutenant Governor, serve as my state senator. During this time, I corresponded with him on numerous occasions regarding legislation. Although we may not have always seen eye to eye on every issue, John always made the time, even if it meant a phone call, to listen to my concerns.
John is a true leader who I believe Vermont needs. On day one, he will roll up his sleeves and listen to all Vermonters as individuals, not just members of a political party. John has a long history of advocating for the “Vermont View” — an approach focused on bettering the state for the sake of all Vermonters, rather than serving special interests, lobbyists or any one political party.
Key areas John can lead important discussions and drive positive change include cleaning our waterways, rethinking fiscal responsibilities, spurring responsible housing developments that don’t continue polluting our waterways, and advancing environmental conservation.
I encourage you to reach out to John directly with any questions you may have. He will be sure to respond.
Jeremy Ayotte Fletcher
Libertarian lobbying group piping up in Vermont politics
Democrats are crying foul
BY SARAH MEARHOFF VTDigger
As the libertarian political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity ramps up its activity in Vermont, the state’s Democratic Party has filed an official complaint over the group’s ongoing advertising campaign against legislation that seeks to reduce the use of fossil fuels in heating buildings across the state.
Americans for Prosperity has been ramping up its activity in Vermont over the past year, and
ture’s clean heat standard is just one of its efforts in the state. The group — founded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch — has deep ties to the oil and gas industry and is an active presence in all 50 states.
In late May, shortly after Vermont’s Legislature adjourned its 2024 session, the group announced “a major five part mail and digital campaign,” in a May 29 press release, urging lawmakers to oppose Act 18, or the Affordable Heat Act.
As passed in 2023, Act 18 directed Vermont’s Public Utility Commission and two advisory groups to establish a regulatory
“This
fice.
The Vermont Democratic Party’s complaint alleges that by labeling the mailer as paid for by Americans for Prosperity-Vermont, the group is misleading recipients to believe it came from a Vermont-based group.
“Vermont law governing all corporations generally and nonprofit corporations specifically prohibit such misleading business practices by outside astroturf influence groups like AFP seeking to masquerade as homegrown organizations,” Jim Dandeneau, the executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party, wrote in the party’s Sept. 6 complaint.
Planning division, said the latest study did not attempt to provide a per-gallon cost estimate to Vermont consumers.
Thanks to a “check-back” baked into Act 18’s initial passage, lawmakers must once again greenlight a clean heat standard this coming legislative session before it can be fully implemented.
sil fuel emissions that come from
Secretary
Bryan Mills, Chief of Staff
heating homes and businesses with oil, propane, kerosene, coal and natural gas. Come 2025, lawmakers will reconvene and decide whether to fully implement the plan, change it or quash it altogether.
With their advertising campaign this summer, Americans for Prosperity is encouraging Vermonters to contact their legislators and urge them to abandon the plan.
“Vermont was the land of the free; but now it’s freedom with a price tag,” reads one mailer obtained by VTDigger in July. “Stop top-down mandates and higher costs by telling your lawmakers to oppose Act 18!”
The bottom of the postcard is emblazoned with the group’s trademark torch emblem, next to the label “AFP Vermont.” The mailer also includes the disclaimer, “This advertisement has been paid for by Americans for Prosperity-Vermont.”
It’s that moniker at the center of the Vermont Democratic Party’s complaint, filed with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office last week. According to the party’s complaint, there is no organization by the name of “Americans for Prosperity Vermont” registered with the Secretary of State’s Office as doing business in the state.
Instead, it’s the Virginia-based Americans for Prosperity, which has paid nearly $68,000 in “advertising” costs since April 15, according to lobbying records with the Secretary of State’s Of-
According to Bryan Mills, who serves as chief of staff to Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, the mailers seem to be valid lobbying communication.
“This is (a) registered lobbyist in Vermont and it appears to be a valid lobbying communication that urges voters to contact their legislators and does not directly support a vote,” Mills wrote in an email to VTDigger on Tuesday. “It is for the attorney general to decide to pursue the matter or not and the courts to decide if the communications are legal or not.”
Dandeneau also alleged in his complaint that the postcards are “inaccurate and intentionally misleading.” House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, said the same in a statement in July, in which she decried “the spread of this misinformation and the influence of dark money that aims to promote confusion and fear.” Krowinski pointed specifically to one of the claims written on the mailers, which falsely alleged that Act 18 “mandates heat pump installations in homes.”
The clean heat standard’s implementation process continued to play out last week, when NV5, a consulting group hired by the state’s Public Service Department, presented its final pre-implementation study of the clean heat standard’s projected impacts. The Vermont Democratic Party filed its complaint against Americans for Prosperity one day later.
In the study, NV5 estimated that implementing the clean heat standard would cost approximately $9.6 billion. But TJ Poor, the director of the Public Service Department’s Regulated Utility
Americans for Prosperity is stepping up its advocacy in Vermont beyond its $68,000 ad campaign. In May of 2023, the organization announced it would be expanding its “grassroots efforts” in Vermont, as part of a nationwide campaign with Ross Connolly of New Hampshire taking the helm as the Northeast region director.
“AFP’s expansion in Vermont, as well as New England and the Mid-Atlantic, creates an opportunity to take what’s already working in New Hampshire and replicate our success up and down the Eastern Seaboard,” Connolly said in a statement at the time. “I know the culture and spirit of the Green Mountain State is rooted in freedom and opportunity for all.”
In March of this year, tensions over Vermont’s education financing peaked in the Statehouse, and the House Ways and Means Committee drew up $100 million in newly proposed wealth and corporate taxes. Americans for Prosperity responded with a press release saying Vermont’s Democratic supermajority was driving the state toward disaster.
“Vermonters have had enough. It’s time to shift gears and get our state back on a path toward prosperity,” Connolly said at the time.
Last weekend, Connolly was scheduled to speak at a candidate mixer in Barre hosted by the Vermont Young Republicans, according to an online invitation. Sponsorships for the event ranged from $50 to $700.
Connolly said Americans for Prosperity “remains committed to holding lawmakers accountable for their votes on policies that have a direct impact on Vermonters’ lives. We will continue to educate Vermont taxpayers on these critical issues and urge legislators to prioritize transparency and truth in governing.”
EPA orders state to sharpen agriculture oversight
Clean Water Act compliance at issue
BY EMMA COTTON VTDigger
The federal Environmental Protection Agency is requiring Vermont to change the way it regulates some types of farms after an investigation showed that a state program is not complying with the Clean Water Act, the federal agency told the state in a letter on Friday.
The EPA is taking aim at the state’s management of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), farms where animals are kept in confined areas. Currently, two agencies split responsibility for regulating the farms: the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Agency of Natural Resources. But that divided system has caused problems, according to the EPA.
“The flaws in this program are preventing Vermont from adequately controlling phosphorus discharges from CAFOs, which contribute to severe water quality problems in Lake Champlain and other water bodies in the state,” the letter, signed by EPA regional administrator David Cash, states.
Specifically, the EPA is asking the Agency of Natural Resources to be the sole entity that regulates Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, which would require the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to step back.
“We understand the importance of (the Agency of Agriculture’s) mission and role in Vermont, and it is also vital to recognize that the current division of responsibilities between ANR and AAFM is interfering with the regulation of Vermont’s CAFOs and preventing Vermont from adequately addressing agricultural water quality,”
The EPA’s letter comes in response to a petition from the Conservation Law Foundation, Vermont Natural Resources Council and the Lake Champlain Committee, issued in 2022. In 2008, Vermont Law School Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic filed a different petition with similar arguments, and the EPA determined in 2013 that the state needed to reform the way it regulates Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.
“It is clear that Vermont has not adequately addressed deficiencies in its CAFO program and has not complied with the requirements of the 2013 Corrective Action Plan,” Cash wrote in the letter.
Elena Mihaly, vice president of the Conservation Law Foundation Vermont, said the organization requested inspection
Our compassionate staff is devoted
easing the difficulties at this challenging time. Our staff is here for you 24/7 Tiger & Buster
reports and records of communications between the two agencies in 2020. They found “glaring examples” of problems during state inspections of farms that ranged from an excess of manure being applied to “a manure pit that was overflowing and ending up in a stream going to Lake Champlain,” she said.
“Either nothing was being done about it, or the agency wasn’t properly referring it over to the Natural Resources Agency, or a kind of slap on the wrist — just a litany of
Cash wrote in the letter.
An aerial photo of Burlington and Lake Champlain.
PHOTO VIA ADOBE STOCK
“symbolic,” and “performative.”
“I just cannot get past this idea that the problem with recruitment is that we have a cap of 87 officers when we don’t even have 70 (officers),” Broderick said. “We are constantly bringing up the cap when we cannot even reach the cap.”
“It’s not what we should be focusing on,” he said.
The council did find more consensus, however, on a resolution to address gun violence in the city. Passed unanimously, that resolution asks state lawmakers to approve a 2014 Burlington charter change that would ban firearms from city establishments that sell alcohol.
The resolution also asks lawmakers to create harsher penalties for individuals who possess stolen firearms.
The legislation has lagged in the Statehouse for a decade. Mayor
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, during her time as a state representative, introduced H.98, which would have moved the charter change forward. But the bill “never received a walkthrough or a hearing,” she said in a letter to the community.
“Burlington has waited 10 years to address a very, very common sense and well evidence-based solution to removing guns from a highly sensitive location,” Mulvaney-Stanak said during the council meeting, “and I am just sorry to Burlingtonians, and the entire state for that matter, that the Legislature hasn’t been able to get to this point long before where we are today in Burlington.”
Two more public safety measures on the agenda were postponed until the council’s Sept. 23 meeting. One would have committed the city to establishing “a public safety hub or kiosk,” near Church Street, while another would have jump-started the process to revamp the department’s North Avenue headquarters.
continued from page 9
examples from emails about feuds between the two agencies over who had jurisdiction,” Mihaly said. “It was just a mess, frankly.”
The environmental groups submitted a formal request asking the EPA to remove Vermont’s authority to administer the federal Clean Water Act.
“We wanted EPA to come in and do its own investigation, and we are delighted that they found the similar problems that we found, and are holding the state accountable to fixing them,” Mihaly said. “We appreciate that the state has showed up so far in a collaborative way to address those deficiencies.”
In interviews on Monday, Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore and Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts said they expect the EPA to allow them to choose how to move forward.
The EPA is asking the agen-
cies to “lay out a roadmap” for transitioning from the status quo to meeting the federal agency’s requirements.
“We may push back on some of the components of EPA’s desired future condition, but all of that will take place in a dialog that I expect to occur once we’ve drafted the corrective action plan,” Moore told VTDigger.
The EPA letter alludes to the Conservation Law Foundation’s finding that staff members of both agencies have been at odds with each other, noting that “the relationship between Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) and AAFM related to implementation of the program is a contributing factor in the failure of the Vermont’s CAFO program to meet its Clean Water Act obligations.”
Tebbetts told VTDigger that tension between the agencies has largely been resolved in recent years.
“I think they’re going back
many, many years, maybe, with some data on this,” he said. “But from my current perspective, things are going really well. The program is working.”
Moore said “there’s always room for improvement” with communications between the two agencies, but tensions have “improved markedly in the eight years I’ve been in this job.”
Both secretaries lauded farmers for their work implementing clean water projects and reducing the amount of pollution coming from their farms.
“Under climate change, we’re seeing more frequent and more intense rainfall events, which further challenges the ability of Vermont farmers” to eliminate pollution coming from farms, Moore said.
Farmers have been “real leaders in the work around clean water,” Moore said, noting that the petition and response from the EPA apply to government agencies, not farmers.
conditions of approval,” Scott reported to the Housing Committee. “Notably, many of the rental units meet stricter affordability thresholds than is required.”
During the Housing Committee meeting, she added, “What that tells you is it’s a fairly easy (standard). It seems like it’s fairly do-able.”
For example, the maximum allowed housing cost for a two-bedroom apartment at the area median income is $2,557 per month. Affordable two-bedroom homes at Finney Crossing are renting for $1,875 per month, according to the report, and be -
tween $1,500 and $1,850 at The Hamlet.
“A lot of people would say that’s still not affordable, when you look at the actual rents,” Scott said.
For the single-family homes designated as affordable in Northridge, the maximum allowed sale price for a four-bedroom home is $509,889, and the report shows a compliant 2022 sale at $508,132. There are also several developments recently approved with affordable units that are currently under construction. As those come online, Scott is anticipating the need to monitor an additional 102 affordable units. Ninety-eight of those are apartments under construction at The
Annex neighborhood on Route 2A, at a new building in Finney Crossing, at Cottonwood Crossing on Route 2 and at a six-story residential-commercial concept in front of the TD Bank on Route 2A. Four new affordable single family homes are also set to be built in the Northridge neighborhood.
According to a “solicitation for offers” recently advertised by VT Commercial of Burlington, a buyer is sought to purchase and build the six-story building, which is slated for a street-front parcel currently owned by the owners of the adjacent Polly insurance company.
“The current owners have initial commitment from a keystone commercial tenant, a well
known national bank, for one of the four available retail suites on the first floor,” the VT Commercial solicitation states.
If built, it would be the tallest building in town.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen with that,” Scott said. “Who knows if it’s going to get built or not.”
Regarding Cottonwood Crossing, which is partially built, Scott said: “That project is completely stalled for reasons we don’t really understand.”
In addition to the town-monitored affordable homes in Williston, there are also 218 homes — primarily rental units — that are managed and monitored for compliance by non-profit affordable housing organiza -
tions like Cathedral Square and the Champlain Housing Trust. Those include Maple Tree Housing and Zephyr Place, among others.
Scott expects affordable housing compliance monitoring to get more extensive and complex with the passage last year of “inclusionary zoning” requirements into Williston’s land development regulations. The provision requires home builders in Williston 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.
“Now that we have inclusionary zoning, we’re going to continue to hopefully have more affordable housing,” Scott said.
Dorothy Alling Memorial Library hours
• Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Saturday hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Visit www.damlvt.org to apply for a library card and to register for programs requiring registration. Need help? Call 8784918 or email daml@damlvt.org.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Children in fourth grade and younger must be supervised by someone over 16 years of age.
Tuesdays, Sept. 17 & 24, 10:3011 a.m. On the Town Green.
BABY TIME
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 10:30-11 a.m. Bond with your baby with gentle activities.
AFTER SCHOOL CRAFT
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2-3 p.m. Get creative with an autumn-themed craft.
STEM ADVENTURE (NEW)
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m. This month, think “Egypt” and enjoy a hands-on, kid-friendly experiment to move large objects with minimal effort. Thank you to the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club and the VT Space Grant Consortium for support.
MUSIC AND PLAYTIME
Thursdays, Sept. 19 and 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sing with Linda then stay to play on the Town Green.
TEENS DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
Friday, Sept. 20, 4:30-6 p.m. Ages 12-plus. All experience
levels welcome. Stop in early for character development help.
PARENTING BOOK CLUB & READING ADVENTURE (NEW)
Monday, Sept. 23, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Join our new book club for parents and guardians. September through November, explore “Simplicity Parenting” by Kim John Payne, M. Ed. Read what you can and join one or all of the monthly discussions. Read or listen to the book in Libby(Overdrive) or check out a copy at the Library.
While Parenting Book Club takes place, kids (suggested ages 6-plus) meet in the Youth Room to explore stories and cultures from around the world. This month, explore Egypt.
Parenting Book Club and Reading Adventures are made possible by the Winnie Belle Learned Fund Grant.
AFTER SCHOOL SNACK ATTACK BOOK CHAT
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2-3 p.m. Snack and talk about your favorite books.
LEGO TIME
Thursday, Sept. 26, 3-4 p.m. Have fun with the Library’s LEGO collection.
MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS
CRAFT CIRCLE
Monday, Sept. 16, 5-6 p.m. All ages. Bring a project to work on.
READ TO A DOG (LOLA)
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Call to register for a 10-minute session with Lola.
READ TO A DOG (ROCKO)
Thursday, Sept. 26, 3-4 p.m. Call to register for a 10-minute session with Rocko.
ADULT PROGRAMS
For online programs or to join a book club, email daml@damlvt.org.
MONTHLY SPICE CLUB: LOVAGE
Stop by to pick up this month’s featured spice, suggestions for use and a few recipes to try.
ADULT MEDITATION (ONLINE)
Fridays, Sept. 13 and 20, 1212:30 p.m. Get in touch with your peaceful body and breath.
MAH JONGG
Fridays, Sept. 13 and 20, 1-3 p.m. All levels are welcome.
FRENCH CONVERSATION
Saturday, Sept. 14, 10:45-11:45 a.m. All levels welcome.
BOOK CLUB BUFFET (ONLINE)
Tuesday, Sept. 17, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “The Contract Surgeon” by Dan O’Brien.
COOK THE BOOK
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 12-1 p.m. “Food Matters Cookbook” by James Colquhoun and Laurentine Ten Bosch.
SPANISH (ONLINE)
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5-6 p.m. Spanish is back after summer break. All levels are welcome.
INDOOR MOVIE NIGHT (PG13)
Friday, Sept. 20, 7-9 p.m. Join us to watch a classic Spielberg blockbuster. Sponsored by Friends of the Library.
BROWN BAG BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 12:30-1:30 p.m. “The Baker’s Secret” by Stephen P. Kiernan.
CURRENT EVENTS
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Drop in to discuss the latest news.
RETHINKING RUNOFF
Thursday, Sept. 26, 5-6 p.m. Macie Broussard, conservation specialist, explains how to look at your property with an eye to managing stormwater runoff.
Officials detail fatal Ferrisburgh plane crash
BY CATHERINE HURLEY VTDigger
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board provided details Tuesday into a private plane crash that killed four Connecticut residents near Basin Harbor airstrip on Sunday.
Kurt Gibson, an aviation accident investigator for the board, said he arrived on the scene Tuesday morning and accounted for all major parts of the aircraft.
“The wreckage will be recovered later on today and sent to a salvage facility, where we can examine it at a later date,” Gibson told reporters in a field near the airstrip on Tuesday afternoon.
So far, investigators know the aircraft, a four-person Piper PA28R-180 called the Piper Arrow, departed from Windham Airport in Connecticut on Sunday morning. The group landed at Basin Harbor Airport in Ferrisburgh for a lunch reservation and later departed the airstrip around 12:25 p.m.
When the plane did not return to Connecticut as expected, relatives of the group contacted Connecticut State Police. The crash site was located by Vermont state and local police around 12:20 a.m. Monday.
Vermont State Police identified the four victims as Paul Pelletier, 55, of Columbia, Connecticut; Frank Rodriquez, 88, of Lebanon,
Connecticut; Susan Van Ness, 51, of Middletown, Connecticut; and Delilah Van Ness, 15, of Middletown, Connecticut.
Gibson did not identify who was flying the plane when it crashed.
Investigators, he said, will examine the plane for mechanical malfunctions, complete a 72-hour history of the pilot and look into environmental factors, including the weather and runway conditions.
“We’re very preliminary into this,” Gibson said. “But the Piper Arrow has been manufactured since the 1960s and 70s, and it’s a very safe aircraft. There have been what are called airworthiness directives on Arrows, but we will be going through it to make sure the maintenance has been compliant with all those airworthiness directives.”
The Piper Arrow does not have a black box, Gibson added, but any data investigators recover will be sent to the National Transportation Safety Board lab.
Basin Harbor Airport is a private, uncontrolled airport, so it doesn’t have air traffic control or a control tower, Gibson said.
“All the pilots just kind of have to go radio communications and tell everybody where they’re at and what their intentions are,” he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board will complete a joint investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration. A preliminary report with information about the crash will be released within 30 days, and a final report identifying a probable cause will be released within 18-24 months, Gibson said.
The Basin Harbor airstrip in Ferrisburgh on Monday.
PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
Our Constitution
The U.S. Constitution is a set of basic laws organizing, granting and limiting the powers of our government. It is something that all American citizens share.
This week, we celebrate Constitution Week, Sept. 17-23, with an issue about this historic document.
Along with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are on display in the rotunda of the National Archives.
Constitution Fact-a-roonies
• It was created in Philadelphia …
• during the summer of 1787 …
• in secret …
• in about 100 days.
• It has 39 signers …
• and is made up of a preamble, seven articles and 27 amendments, which were added later.
Try ’n’ Find
Next Week: International Day of Peace
Mini Fact: The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights.
• The original Constitution is handwritten on four parchment pages. Each page is about 29 inches high and 24 inches wide.
• Our Constitution is the longest-lasting written national constitution in the world.
Over 237 years, our leaders and citizens have added amendments, which are changes to the existing law. For example, the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1919.
Father of the Constitution
James Madison was a smart student of government and a great statesman. He was a friend of Thomas Jefferson.
Madison was only 36 when the Constitution was written. He influenced what went on at the Constitutional Convention more than any other delegate.
He wrote a plan for the new government, the Virginia Plan. Many of his ideas were adopted. He also took many notes and wrote up detailed reports. His records are our best sources of what went on. These were not published until after his death.
After serving as secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson, he was elected as our fourth president. He lived longer than any other signer. He died at the age of 85 in 1836.
Words that remind us of the U.S. Constitution are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Big ideas in government
Inside the Constitution are several big ideas:
• Separation of powers: The delegates to the Constitutional Convention feared that giving too much power to any person or group could be dangerous. So they created three branches, or parts, of government: executive, legislative and judicial.
• Checks and balances: This idea limits the power of each government branch. No single branch can overpower the others. Often, each branch needs the help of the others to do its job.
• Enumerated (e-NOOM-er-ated) powers: the listed powers of government.
• Implied powers: the powers that are not listed but suggested.
• Federalism: the idea that our government divides powers between the national government and the state governments.
the People: The United States
Explored and Explained” by Aura Lewis and Evan Sargent
Mini Jokes
What’s a balloon’s least favorite music? Jeff: Pop songs!
Maddie:
Founded by Betty Debnam Issue 37, 2024
photo courtesy National Archives photo courtesy the Supreme Court
The Constitution is on display at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. An archives is a place where important documents are preserved.
James Madison
The Supreme Court
• It has 39 signers …
• and is made up of a preamble, seven articles and 27 amendments, which were added later.
Try ’n’ Find
After serving as secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson, he was elected as our fourth president. He lived longer than any other signer. He died at the age of 85 in 1836.
Words that remind us of the U.S. Constitution are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
1. Place all ingredients in a small blender. Process until smooth.
2. Heat skillet and coat with cooking spray.
• bit.ly/MPConstitutionWeek
At the library:
• “We the People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained” by Aura Lewis and Evan Sargent
Mini Jokes
Maddie: What’s a balloon’s least favorite music? Jeff: Pop songs!
Eco Note
3. Pour batter into heated skillet and cook as pancakes, flipping when edges bubble.
4. Serve with syrup or fresh fruit. Serves 4.
7 Little Words for Kids
Use the letters in the boxes to make a word with the same meaning as the clue. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in the solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
1. shirt part around the neck (6)
2. pull apart like Silly Putty (7)
3. blue “Inside Out” character (7)
4. pilots fly them (6)
5. avoid (5)
6. Will and Jada’s acting son (5)
7. behind three people in line (6)
Sadness, planes, dodge, Jaden, fourth.
* You’ll need an adult’s help with this recipe.
Geologists in northern Minnesota’s Iron Range say a recently discovered reservoir of helium pierced by drilling could be the richest in the world. The discovery could mean a bonanza not only for party balloons, but also for the manufacturing of semiconductors and uses in highenergy particle colliders and nuclear reactors. Helium is scarce, forming in nature only through the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium. There have been regular helium shortages worldwide this century.
For later:
Look in your newspaper for articles about the branches of government.
Teachers: Follow and interact with The Mini Page on Facebook!
by Dan Thompson
By Jim Miller
What
SAVVY SENIOR
are the early signs and symptoms of
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the early signs and symptoms of diabetes? I’m 60 years old and in pretty good shape, but was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What did I miss?
Diabetic Dan
Spacious 1- and 2-Bedroom Apartments
Hair Salon • Massage Studio • Art Gallery
Expanded Outdoor Patio and Grilling Area • Exercise Room
Community Rooms • Mature Landscaping • Resident Garden
Vibrant Social Atmosphere with Weekly Events and Activities
Dear Dan,
The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that many people miss them. That’s why testing is so important. Here’s what you should know.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes today, and another 97 million have prediabetes, but many of them don’t even know they have it.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that develops slowly over decades. Most people have prediabetes for a long time before the disease becomes full-blown diabetes, and even then, it progresses gradually. Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. This excess blood sugar damages blood vessels and affects circulation, putting you at risk for a host of ailments, from heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
So how can you tell if you have diabetes? The earliest signs, which are usually subtle, including urinating more frequently (often at night), being thirster and hungrier than usual, weight loss without trying, feeling very tired, having dry itchy skin and blurry vision.
Symptoms that indicate advanced diabetes and long-term damage has occurred include cuts
• Green Burials
• Traditional Funerals
• Memorial Services
• Pet Memorials
or sores that heal slowly, having more infections than usual, and pain or numbness in your feet or legs.
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED?
Because prediabetes typically causes no outward symptoms, and the signs of early type 2 diabetes can easily be missed, the only way to know for sure if you have it is to get a blood test.
Everyone age 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. See CDC. gov/bmi to calculate your BMI.
If you are younger than 45 but are overweight or have high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, or belong to an ethnic group at high risk for diabetes, you should get checked too.
To help you determine your risk for diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a quick, online risk test you can take for free at Diabetes.org/risk-test.
DIABETES TESTS
There are three different tests your doctor can give you to diagnosis diabetes. The most common is the “fasting plasma glucose test,” which requires an eight-hour fast before you take it. There’s also the “oral glucose tolerance test” to see how your body processes sugar, and the “hemoglobin A1C test”
diabetes?
that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. It can be taken anytime regardless of when you ate.
Most private health insurance plans and Medicare cover diabetes tests. If you’re reluctant to visit your doctor to get tested, an alternative is to go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter and test yourself at home. They cost around $20.
If you find that you are prediabetic or diabetic, you need to see your doctor to develop a plan to get it under control. In many cases, lifestyle changes like losing weight, exercising, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on carbohydrates may be all you need to do to get your diabetes under control. For others who need more help, many medications are available.
For more information on diabetes and prediabetes or to find help, join a lifestyle change program recognized by the CDC (CDC.gov/diabetes-prevention). These programs offer in-person and online classes in more than 1,500 locations throughout the U.S.
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.
TODAY’S HISTORY:
• In 1940, four teenagers discovered prehistoric paintings, estimated to be 15,000 to 17,000 years old, in a cave in Lascaux, France.
• In 1953, Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island.
• In 1992, Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, science mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, became the first African American woman in space.
• In 2011, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum opened to the public in New York City.
TODAY’S FACT:
• The long-running Western series “Bonanza” premiered on NBC on this day in 1959.
1 Bulls’ #23 (6)
2 Oilers’ #99 (7)
3 Lions’ #20 (7)
4 Lakers’ #32 (7)
5 Orioles’ #8 (6)
6 Dolphins’ #13 (6)
7 Dodgers’ #42 (8)
Patricia Lynn (Pawulak) Tourville
Born February 13, 1951 in Babylon Long Island NY, Patricia Lynn (Pawulak) Tourville passed away with her husband and son by her side at her home in Richmond, Vermont August 24, 2024.
Pat moved from Long Island to Jericho Vermont when she was 15 years old, and took a year out of high school and helped her father renovate the Governor Peck house. She graduated from Mount Mansfield High School, and then went on to work for Almneys, Williston Central school, Essex High School and UVM.
She married her best friend Matt Tourville Sr. 40 years ago and her family got larger, gaining Matt Tourville Jr and Rebecca Tourville as her stepchildren. Soon after they moved with her son Joseph to Richmond, and she became co-owner of Richmond Truck and Auto Repair & Matt’s Garage and helped her husband successfully run the business for 40 years.
So many memories to share but the best is her love, loyalty, helping others and her love for all animals.
We are so proud of her life, never giving up. We are so grateful to have a mom, wife, sister and friend like her. She has taken care of so many and never called it a burden. Someone asked me ‘where do you get your work ethics,’ I always grin inside and picture my mom gutting out a whole rat infested abandoned house, cleaning out oil furnaces at nine o’clock at night in the freezing cold, working two jobs to support me when I was a kid before her cancer and push mowing her 2 acre yard till she was 72. She has done it all with her get it done attitude and a smile.
Strawberry shortcakes for her birthday and making every birthday for others beyond great. Reuse and recycle that was my mom‘s theme and get the most out of everything in life.
Pat’s biggest objective in life was to be financially independent and strong,
OBITUARIES
raising her children in her likeness or trying to. Being a great wife and Mom was always key.
For myself I have gotten to see how much love my mom and dad have even through tough times and good times, how when you find the right person who is your friend first, everything falls into place. I always wished about 10 years after they married they would’ve dated back in high school. Because they’ve been friends since then pretty much since my mom moved here from Long Island. My dad took the best care of her after her cancer surgery and after her four recent surgeries.
I am so glad that my mom was taken into the Tourville clan and got to experience a very loving, super family dynamic and for myself and family also.
Some of the best memories we have with my mom are, salamander hunting in the stream, seeing how she was so supportive to her parents for so many years, going to see that movie with the flying motorcycles, McDonald’s cheeseburger with fries, six-piece McNuggets and a small vanilla shake. Just seeing how she could give her love to animals freely without hesitation. 24 years ago meeting her future daughter in law Vicki, she was ecstatic.
Pat was protégé of her father, her grandfather and grandmother and for her, she was in charge of many things in life and took all challenges in life in stride.
After meeting her grandsons Nate and Alex for the first time in the hospital, she was so proud. She was glowing.
On her 60th birthday, we did what she always wanted to do, go down and see the Walt Disney castle and fireworks., My mom, my Dad, Vicky, Nate, Alex and myself. She was so surprised by her birthday present that she cried when we gave it to her. The pinnacle was to see her watch tinker bell and the fireworks over Walt Disney castle.
I am glad that I got to spend so many hours with my mom for the last eleven months in the hospital and at home. The hardest part was to seeing my mom not being able to walk, She was such a mover. For me it is so humbling to know that my mom was totally with it to make her medical decisions to the end, for herself. We will always be so proud of her.
When you see a hummingbird think of my mom. When it’s Christmas time have a big party to celebrate, and when it’s Halloween, my mom‘s favorite holiday, put out those decorations and make it special not only for kids, but for yourself.
Pat is survived by her husband, Matthew Tourville Sr, Son Joseph Pawulak (Victoria), grandson’s Nathaniel and Alexander Pawulak, stepson Matthew Tourville Jr, stepdaughter Rebecca Tourville,
grandson, Lucas Tourville (Kate), Jean Tourville Nadue, Siblings, Susan Moody Baker, John D. Pawulak, and Laura Hamilton. With many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Pat is predeceased by her parents Helen and John Pawulak, her brother Bruce Pawulak and Robert Tourville.
Special thank you to my aunt Shelley, who spent so many hours with my mom and was her rock. To the hospice nurses who took such good care of my mom in the end, thank you.
My mom wanted me to say “to be continued.”
Thank you so much for reading and remembering about my mom, Patricia Tourville.
Janet Ward Powell
On August 24, 2024, our treasured wife, mother, “gammie,” sister, aunt and friend, Janet W. Powell, passed away 10 days after celebrating her 82nd birthday. The youngest of six children, Janet learned a strong work ethic and the importance of helping others from her parents Robert and Helen (Bapp) Ward.
Janet grew up in Essex Junction and graduated from Essex High School in 1961. She married her high school sweetheart, Martin “Duke” Powell in 1962 and became a mother to a son, Shawn, in 1964. Ten years later, a daughter, Sarah, joined the family.
Janet and Duke welcomed grandaughters Meredith Rogers in 2007 and Avery Rogers in 2010.
Janet was happiest when surrounded by family. She and Duke have always supported their children and grandchildren in all of their endeavors, and have always been their biggest cheerleaders. The two attended countless games, recitals, and other events in support of their family.
Janet was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, even before having children of her own. Janet was always doing something
for others including baking and delivering banana bread or “fuffins” (blueberry muffins) when a granddaughter called to tell their grandmother that they were all out of Gammies special treats. Janet made hundreds of pairs of mittens to keep children’s hands warm, volunteered and donated to the food bank, was a reading volunteer at Essex Elementary School. She provided school supplies for children, gave socks for seniors and purchased many pounds of popcorn, candy bars, cookies and gift wrap to support any child that asked.
Janet was an avid reader, often reading 3 or 4 books at a time. She was known for being “crafty” and giving her useful gifts away, usually in a homemade bag.
Janet repurposed and recycled everything that she could. During summer trips to the coast of Maine, Janet loved to walk on the beach searching for shells and watching the sun rise, especially when accompanied by a granddaughter.
Janet was a longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church. She attended Grace for 77 years. Janet was a passionate member of the United Methodist Women’s group at the local, district and conference level. She taught Sunday school for many years. At age 73, Janet got her first passport and embarked on a 17 hour flight to South Korea on a church mission trip.
Janet was mom to countless numbers of kids over the years and there was always room for more. Everyone knew that they were always welcome at her house and family gatherings began promptly at 1:00 PM. Once you met Janet and Duke, you became a part of their family. In her work career, Janet worked at Ben Franklin in Essex. After retiring from Ben Franklin, Janet was a water arthritis instructor at The Edge in Essex.
Janet is survived by her husband of 62 years, Martin “Duke” Powell, her son, Shawn Powell, and his partner, Shelly Farr. Daughter, Sarah Rogers and husband, Jason Rogers, granddaughters, Meredith and Avery Rogers. Her brother, George Ward, his wife, Barbara Ward, Sister, Bertha Dixon, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Janet is predeceased by her parents, Robert and Helen Ward, siblings, Elizabeth Lavigne, Margaret Quinlan and Wendall Ward.
A Celebration of Life service was held at Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple Street, Essex Jct. on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Grace United Methodist Church, The Vermont Food Bank, or The McClure Miller Respite House. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
Rebecca Kerr Bora
Rebecca Kerr Bora was born Nov 2, 1943 and passed away with her family by her side on August 23, 2024. She is the daughter of John and Pearl Kerr.
Some of Beckys most fond memories were of growing up on her grandparent’s farm in Charlotte, VT. She was a graduate of Burlington High School class of 1962.
After high school, Becky was employed by IBM and retired after a 30-year career. She worked multiple jobs over the years at IBM. In
OBITUARIES
2004 she began working with her son, David, at Palmer Insurance Agency where she interfaced with all the clients who became great friends. Becky managed the accounting of the insurance office and multiple family businesses.
Becky moved to St. George, VT from the farm life of Charlotte in the late ‘60s and raised her three children; Kathy, Holly and David Christopher. She was proud of the home she acted as general contractor to construct and where she remained for the past 36 years. Becky had a love for family unsurpassed by any other and hosted endless family feasts bringing everybody together.
She was the biggest supporter of all of her children and grandchildren’s activities. Becky had broad culinary skills and could make a meal for 1 or 20 people, with ease, and loved making people happy. She was the proudest Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, and Aunt.
She had a zest for holidays and especially enjoyed Christmas where everybody would sit around her 17 foot balsam fir tree to visit after her Christmas meal. She enjoyed summers at her family camp on Lake Champlain in Charlotte and took seasonal annual get aways to Ogunquit, ME. In the spring she loved spending sugaring season at the sugar house with family. Becky was energetic and known as
having a great positive outlook on life. Everybody who knew her loved her and she will be greatly missed by many.
Becky is survived by her loving sister, Mary Sue Gordon and husband, Gene of Colchester, VT. Her Brother, John Kerr and wife Pam of Charlotte, VT. Her Daughters, Kathy Jodoin and husband Rene of South Burlington, VT. Holly Rivers and husband, Michael of South Burlington, VT. And son, David Christopher Palmer and wife Michele of Shelburne, VT. Granddaughters: Lindsay, Ashley, Michaela, Lilly, Paige, and Chloe; Great Grand-
Email Racheal Emery at remery@ewsd.org for assistance
children: Marley, Milo, Bryce, Jackson and Zoe, special nephew, Sean Gordon of Colchester, VT and special niece, Lisa Kerr Denton of Ferrisburgh, VT, Great Nieces and Nephews, Maylin and Sean.
A celebration of life was held Saturday Sept. 7 at 2:30 pm at the Shelburne United Methodist church in Shelburne, VT.
A private burial service will be held at the convenience of the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the make a wish foundation in Becky’s memory.
STOWE COMMUNICATIONS IS LOOKING FOR AWESOME PEOPLE!
We know that the majority of you are already employed and you may not necessarily be looking for a new job; however, on the off chance that your curiosity has gotten the better of you, then please think about how you would answer these questions: Do you feel appreciated, when was the last time you were thanked for your hard work, have you recently been asked for your input on how to improve the operations of the company, are your benets meeting your needs? How about coworkers, do you feel as though you are a part of a family and not just another number, or perhaps you are simply wondering what else might be out there for you? Have we piqued your interest? If so, please think about joining our team.
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• Install and or repair cable, voice and high-speed data or digital services
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Skills needed are the ability to carry and climb an 80 lb. 28-ft extension ladder, work with hand and power tools and work outdoors in all types of weather conditions; present a positive, professional and courteous image to our customers; and have a strong work ethic relating to quality and attendance.
We are a small local company that prides ourselves on our customers and our work family. Competitive benets (401(k) matching, employee discount, health insurance, paid time off). Full-time, $20-$28 per hour (no less than 40 per week), 8-hour shifts, on-call and overtime. We will train the right person. EOE. Please email your resume to info@stowecomm.com.
with whom he had been in local theater productions.
“I haven’t taken a formal dance lesson since, like, the fifth grade,” said Choquette.
But he is involved in theater, so he jokes that his friends consider him a “formal mover.”
Dancing with the Burlington Stars “seems like a lot of fun and for a really good cause, and a little out of my comfort zone,” he said.
Choquette will be competing alongside Allee Pineault, a dance teacher at Arabesque Etc. Dance LLC in Richmond.
“She’s been a gem to work with,” he said. “She’s been very patient with me.”
SUDOKU SOLUTION Puzzle found on page 19
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
Puzzle found on page 19
The duo started preparing for the competition in early July and began discussing their song and style even before that. Pineault came in with choreography that she taught Choquette, and they have been meeting once a week for one-hour sessions ever since then.
They haven’t had a chance to interact too much with the other competitors. Everyone met once at a kick-off, and they’ll get the final reveal of everyone’s hard work at the show.
“It’s hard because I don’t know what we’re competing against,” Choquette said.
He’s excited to dance, but the event’s goal — raising money for the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired — is also important to him, primarily
due to his line of work.
Choquette works with the elderly population at Wake Robin and knows many individuals who value and utilize the resources that the VABVI provides. Since its founding in 1926, its mission has been to “enable Vermonters who are blind or visually impaired to be more independent, cultivate adaptive skills and improve their quality of life,” according to the association’s director of development, John Thomas.
“If you’re going to do something, it might as well be for a good reason, so that’s really icing on the cake for me,” Choquette said. “I think what you will see is high energy, and a lot of people who are all sort of in the similar boat of, none of us are really dancers.”
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The six local celebrities (the non-dancers of the bunch), and their six professional instructors will perform alongside three local dance groups: Electric Youth Dance Company, Dance in the Isle, and Just for Kicks. There will be no shortage of talent or fun. Any event that can get Vermonters from all across the state to put on their dancing shoes and dance for a good cause is sure to make everyone smile.
For those who want to see the competition and support Williston resident Jayden Choquette: Dancing with the Burlington Stars will take place at the Flynn at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available in advance at www.flynnvt.org/events.
RABIES BAIT
continued from page 2
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.
saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100percent effectivewhengivensoonafter a person is bitten by a rabid animal.
So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.
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
According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.
SHELBURNE DAY continued from page 4 face Towards burne-Hinesburg headtotheLittleLeaguefield the Golf depending land.
Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food ven dors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and
Rotary’s
Redhawks get stung!
TOP TO BOTTOM (l to r): CVU’s Maddy Frere lays out for a spectacular dig during the Redhawks’ 3-set loss to the Essex Hornets on Thursday in Essex.
CVU’s Rose Bunting twists to the left to reach the ball for a dig.
Lauren Vaughan wins the joust at the net.
CVU’s libero Drew Farmer serves the ball.
PHOTOS BY AL FREY
Redhawks top dogs
CLOCKWISE (l to r): CVU’s Lily Williams lines up a shot as Burr and Burton’s Madeline von Ballmoos tries to block it during the Redhawks’ 3-1 win over the Bulldogs last Tuesday in Hinesburg. CVU’s Myrah Ngu and Burr and Burton’s Ella Cocheo tangle. Lily Williams lines up a shot as Burr and Burton’s Madeline von Ballmoos tries to block it. Lauren Knudsen gets away from Burr and Burton’s Emma Daley. Elliana Antonucci and Burr and Burton’s Madeline von Ballmoos race for the ball.
