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Incoming: $2.9 million in rescue funds BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Rep. Peter Welch has been making the rounds in recent weeks at meetings of Vermont municipal leaders, and Tuesday he led off the Williston Selectboard agenda. Welch came with news of $2.9 million in federal pandemic relief coming to the Town of Williston. For a town with an annual budget of

roughly $11.5 million, “this is significant money,” Welch said. “It is a big opportunity.” The first installment — half the total amount allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in March — will arrive later this month, Welch said. The Champlain Valley School District is also set to receive $2 million from the legislation. Welch encouraged focused conversations among local leaders and

D’Agostino appointed to selectboard

The selectboard unanimously appointed Greta D’Agostino Tuesday to fill a vacancy on the board and return it to its full five-person membership. The appointment came after an interview session with four finalists who had been chosen from 10 original applicants. The seat was vacated by the resig‘It is important of Joy that we continue nation Limoge in to have female February. It representation will be up for on the election next March. selectboard.’ D’Agos— Greta D’Agostino tino currently serves on the Williston Community Justice Board and as a justice of the peace. Professionally, she is a social worker who has worked with youth throughout the state, according to her application materials submitted to the board in April. “I have long considered running for a seat on the selectboard and now is the right time for me personally and professionally,” she wrote in her application. “This is a time of much change for our town, state and country, and I feel that my voice will be beneficial in town governance at this time. “I also feel that with Joy’s resignation, it is important that we continue to have female representation on the selectboard.” D’Agostino believes her perspective is representative of many Williston residents and said she understands the priorities of young families living in town. D’Agostino will be sworn into the position by Town Clerk Sarah Mason and have an orientation meeting with Town Manager Erik Wells in the coming days. “Congratulations to Greta and thank you to all of you who applied,” board chair Terry Macaig said. — Jason Starr

Peter Welch

their constituents about how best to spend the money. While the Treasury Department has yet to set specific rules about what expenses are eligible, Welch promised flexibility and an extended timeline, at least through 2024. “You won’t have to make pressured decisions to get money out the door,” he said. He also said the town could make specific requests if a desired

project were outside federal guidelines. He suggested the board look at broadband internet infrastructure, water and sewer infrastructure and “any (expense) related to COVID.” “You have to make those decisions and work through those questions,” Welch said. “We are deferring to our community leaders to decide on the wise use and effective implementation of these funds.”

Dreams for Taft Corners

BY JASON STARR Observer staff About 60 residents tuned in Monday night as urban planner Geoffrey Ferrell presented a future for Taft Corners that prioritizes people over cars and parks over parking lots. The vision was sketched following a live video design session with citizens in late April and surveys that yielded about 300 comments. It will form the backbone of new zoning regulations that the Williston Planning and Zoning office expects to draft later this year and present to the selectboard for approval. More opportunities for residents to comment on the vision plan and zoning changes will come when they reach the selectboard later this year. The initial reaction from residents who watched Ferrell’s presentation Monday was overwhelmingly positive. Ferrell, a Washington D.C.-based design consultant hired by the town, presented a

Trader Lane, above, and Wright Avenue, top, as envisioned by urban planner Geoffrey Ferrell, who is helping the town create a new vision for Taft Corners. DRAWINGS COURTESY OF GEOFFREY FERRELL ASSOCIATES

20-to-50-year vision of Taft Corners’ potential as a housing and commercial destination. It was an exercise in best-case scenarios not measured against the whims of private property ownership or practical constraints like wastewater capacity. “It’s hard to predict when a property will develop,” Ferrell said. “Nothing has to happen until the property owner wants it to.”

The nearest-term change that the plan envisions is the creation of a pedestrian-friendly street running behind the Hannaford grocery store and connecting to Route 2. This extension of Trader Lane would have street-level retail space, housing and a central green. The street itself would cater to cyclists see TAFT CORNERS page 2

Page 2 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

High-schooler’s video wins distracted driving PSA contest Will Devereaux of Williston, a student at Champlain Valley Union High School, won the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance’s annual “#802phonesdown!headsup!” video contest. The contest is organized to coincide with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. It is open to high school students in Vermont and designed to encourage young drivers and their friends and peers to avoid distracted driving. Cash prizes were awarded to the creators of the eight winning videos. Each contestant produced a 25-second video. Devereaux’s was the first-place winner among 49 entries. His video shows a driver texting while driving and getting pulled over by a Williston police officer before the following text appears on the screen: “Distracted driving is

the second leading cause of death in adolescents … Do better. Put the phone away.” Devereaux’s video can be seen on Youtube at https://youtu.be/I_YpDNNiJZQ

Little League raffle leads up to Hit-A-Thon event Williston Little League will hold its annual Hit-A-Thon event for all little league players on Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on the fields at Williston Community Park. Little Leaguers will take part in hitting contests and have team and individual pictures taken to celebrate the season. Players are selling raffle tickets to raise money to keep up with field maintenance, new equipment and keeping registration costs affordable. Purchase your ticket for a chance to win prizes donated by many Williston restaurants and businesses. Contact Sheri Gates by

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email at Slgates@hotmail.com if you need help finding a player to support. “We want to thank our Williston community for their generous support, especially during this time,” Gates said. “Many area restaurants and businesses have sponsored our teams and/or donated gift certificates as prizes for our fundraiser. Please remember to support these local businesses.”

to five boxes of personal documents. Items that can be recycled with documents include paperclips, staples, plastic spiral holders, rubber bands, file folders and hanging file holders. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are four categories of documents with sensitive information to consider destroying: Shred immediately: credit card bills; utility bills; sales receipts not related to warranties, taxes or insurance Keep one year: bank statements and medical bills (unless you have an unresolved insurance dispute) Retain long-term: home improvement receipts; pay stubs Save forever: birth certificates; adoption papers; Social Security cards; citizenship papers; passports; marriage or divorce decrees; death certificates of family members; auto titles; home deeds; tax returns

Ready to shred? NEFCU hosts event for public to destroy old files New England Federal Credit Union will hold a “shred fest” Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its 141 Harvest Lane location in Williston. The event is free and open to the public. Masks and social distance will be required of attendees. Shred fest allows people to destroy up

facility that discharges into the Winooski River would not be approved under the “Total Maximum Daily Load” constraints of state and federal clean water regulations, Boulanger said. Outside of wastewater treatment facilities, in-ground septic systems could be an option, he said, even inside the town’s sewer service area. “It’s pretty bleak in terms of (wastewater) capacity down the road,” selectboard member Jeff Fehrs said Tuesday; Fehrs also sat in on Monday’s Taft Corners presentation. “It’s a precious resource and it’s not going to last much longer. “Some of the concepts for Taft Corners depend on housing, but if there’s no place to put the sewage, it really could curtail how Williston can or wants to grow,” he added. Ferrell said the large retail area near Interstate 89 — where Wal-Mart and Home Depot are located — is unlikely to change in the coming decades and will serve as a place to funnel large retailers, while the rest of Taft Corners can develop with a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use vision. Boulanger said it will be a place to “park once, do more than one thing and maybe even enjoy yourself while you’re there.” For more information on the vision for Taft Corners, visit www.mytaftcorners.com.

Taft Corners continued from page

and pedestrians as much as automobiles. A second, similar street is envisioned for Wright Avenue, which connects to Route 2A where the current CVS pharmacy is. The street “has available land on both sides,” Ferrell said. Wright Avenue and Trader Lane would make up a dense, mixed-use core of Taft Corners, where parking and stormwater management could be shared. Ferrell’s colleague, Anita Morrison, said the real estate market is likely to support about 125 new homes a year, but demand for office space is expected to remain soft. “Development could happen in a lot of different ways, but this is our ideas of what makes sense,” Ferrell said. “These are things that take time to happen, and they happen incrementally.” At some point in the coming decades, however, the town is going to reach its capacity to send wastewater to the Essex Junction Wastewater Treatment Facility, Planning Director Matt Boulanger said Tuesday at a meeting of the selectboard. Future wastewater capacity “is probably the biggest unknown for the town,” he said. Expanding capacity at the facility in Essex Junction is unlikely and any new treatment

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May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 3

Goodwill employees protest pay, working conditions BY JASON STARR Observer staff Employees at the Goodwill store in Williston left their posts Monday morning to protest low pay and unsustainable working conditions brought on by a staffing shortage. A spokesperson for Goodwill Northern New England, Heather Steeves, acknowledged the staffing shortage and said the nonprofit has hired a consultant to complete a compensation study “to make sure everyone is compensated competitively while also ensuring we can remain a healthy nonprofit.” A shift supervisor at the store, who asked to remain anonymous, said staff frustrations have been building in recent months resulting in Monday’s walk-out. She said future walk-outs would occur if the pay and working conditions don’t improve. As a supervisor, she makes $12.75 an hour. Entry-level employees make $12 an hour.

‘We are working to try and find solutions and we hope that our teammates will stick with us through this difficult time.’ — Heather Steeves Goodwill spokesperson She said pay raises have been promised since January and have now been pushed out indefinitely. The staffing shortage has led employees to operate the store at less than

half the required staff and do jobs they weren’t hired for, she said. “Supervisors … have to do all the jobs in the whole store continually for like 13-hour shifts, then come back at night because there’s no one to close the store,” she said. “It’s just exhausting and our bodies just physically can’t do it anymore.” Supervisors have called Goodwill Northern New England headquarters in Maine on days when they are extremely short-staffed asking for permission to close sections of the store they don’t have the staff to operate. “We should be able to make the decision ourselves to close (sections) of the store, instead of having to call corporate, and they say, ‘oh you’re fine,’” the supervisor said. “Our main focus shouldn’t be keeping the doors open, it should be keeping our staff happy and safe and able to actually do the work. It’s impossible as it is.” Steeves acknowledged the nonprofit is having difficulty finding employees. “There is so much competi- Several Goodwill employees walked out of the store on Harvest Lane on Monday to protest low pay and tion (for employees) in the Willis- unsustainable working conditions. OBSERVER PHOTO BY SUSAN COTE ton area right now and other employers are struggling, too,” she said. “That puts extra stress on our existing team members. We are working to try and find solutions and we hope that our teammates will stick with us through this difficult time.” Steeves said Goodwill Northern New Because all great minds don’t think alike England has increased wages and added holiday bonuses in recent years. She also noted that employees receive health and retirement benefits and opportunities to consult with life counselors.

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Sustainable transportation advocates question I-89 study

Page 4 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

‘Let’s design the future we want’ BY MEREDITH RATHBURN Special to the Observer The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) is pouring almost $1 million into a study that is about halfway done, devoted to examining how to better design the Interstate 89 corridor through Chittenden County. The Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study will plan for minor and major improvements to Exit 11 through Exit 17. What those improvements will specifically look like is not yet known, but they will aim to enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, reduce congestion and maintain the state’s energy and climate goals. Originally, the I-89 2050 Study was projected to cost $526,000. Now, directors and program managers are predicting it will cost $800,000-$900,000. Eleni Churchill, transportation program manager for CCRPC, said some of the reasons the study is costing more than expected include added consultants, additional analysis and the need for more design options. The Unified Planning Work Program is a part of CCRPC that funds transportation consultant projects. Chittenden County towns apply for this money to execute projects. Richard Watts, the co-founder

A view of Interstate 89 northbound and southbound at Exit 14. PHOTO BY MEREDITH RATHBURN

of Sustainable Transportation Vermont, believes the budget for the I-89 2050 Study is coming from this fund, which totals about $1.25 million. Watts argues that the cost increases for the I-89 study are taking away from funding other projects

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in the UPWP. “There were a number of (projects) that municipalities weren’t ready to start or were taking longer, so we’re deferring a handful of them,” CCRPC Executive Director Charlie Baker said during a recent CCRPC Commission meeting and public forum. He estimated CCRPC was putting on hold about five projects in order to fund the I-89 study. Municipalities were okay with these deferments, he said. Watts remains concerned that this money is being spent on transportation infrastructure of the past and said CCRPC should be focusing on investing in new transportation infrastructure that is not car-dependent. He believes the study will perpetuate car dependency. “Rather than use these models to predict the future, let’s design the future we want, which is a future that has people driving less,” Watts said. Along with Watts, Burlington City Councilor Jack Hanson also believes the I-89 project is moving in the wrong direction. “They’re planning for a world that doesn’t change that quickly instead of investing the money in making those changes,” Hanson said. Hanson wants to see this money being invested in things like

incentives for people to use alternative modes of transportation on their commute to work. Hanson works at Sustainable Transportation Vermont and has created a program that incentivizes people to change their commuting habits. “We’ve run this program for the last two years, with a much smaller budget and smaller (scale),” Hanson said. “But we’ve been able to successfully get dozens of UVM employees who previously were driving alone every single day, many of them might have been using these very exits that we’re talking about and maybe they experience a little bit of traffic at those exits in their commute, but for one reason or another, and through incentives and through alternatives, we were able to get dozens of them to actually switch their commuting habits.” Already halfway through the study, CCRPC directors are having to defend its validity. Baker emphasized that housing density and settlement patterns affect the need for public transit. “If we don’t get denser, if we get a more sprawling land use pattern, it gets much more difficult to serve with other modes of transportation besides driving,” Baker said. Hanson and Watts understand that this project makes sense for the present and that there are positive investments in public safety

and sustainability, but both feel this study remains a car-centered project. Hanson thinks CCRPC has not proven otherwise. “The fact that it has within it aspects that would improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists doesn’t negate the fact that the primary focus of this is the automobile,” Hanson said. Baker said this project is extremely important to the community and that not moving forward with it would be a disservice to the community. “We know Exit 14 doesn’t work great, it doesn’t really work great for anybody,” he said. “So, we’re really trying to find solutions that work better and this is a good time to do it. There’s no reason to delay it, and frankly, I think we’d be missing an opportunity if we did.” The I-89 2050 Study is expected to be completed by November. At that time, an actionable plan for the Chittenden County corridor will be presented, and the public will have the opportunity to provide feedback. Visit www.envision89.com for more information. Meredith Rathburn is a reporter with the Community News Service, a collaboration with the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.

May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 5

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GUEST COLUMN

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Notes from Town Hall

SUBMISSIONS/LETTERS SEND TO editor@willistonobserver.com • News/story tips welcomed • Letters must be 300 words or fewer • Deadline is Monday at noon Include your name, address and a daytime phone number (so we can verify the letter’s author, phone numbers and street addresses will be kept confidential) Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity. Letters that have been submitted to multiple media outlets may not be printed.

BY ERIK WELLS Williston Town Manager Greetings Williston community. This is the first of an ongoing series of town manager columns that will appear in the Observer every other month to provide updates on what is happening in your local government and in the community. Thank you to the Williston Observer for providing the opportunity to share these community messages in the paper.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS SEND TO editor@willistonobserver.com Must include: • name of event & organization • date, time and place of event • contact information. We only print submissions for nonprofit groups and organizations.

COVID-19 AND TOWN OPERATIONS Town staff has been working diligently and creatively throughout the COVID-19 State of Emergency to continue to provide municipal services. There have been a number of changes to our office services over this period of time to keep staff and the public safe. Over the coming months, I will be working with our department heads to plan the reopening of town facilities. We will be moving slowly and carefully to get back to where we were prior to March 2020 to the greatest extent possible. During this transition period, town staff will continue to assist and provide services using the

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many tools we have developed over the past year. These include: land record research by appointment, virtual meetings, outdoor meeting spaces, the town hall drive-up drop box and our e-commerce platform MuniciPAY for payments. COVID-19 continues to affect all of us, but there is optimism and hope in the months ahead. The strength of our community has helped us work through this challenging time, and it will be that same strength that moves us ahead. I encourage anyone who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine, or made an appointment for a vaccination, to visit the Vermont Department of Health website, www. healthvermont.gov or call 855-7227878.

GET INVOLVED — BE A TOWN VOLUNTEER Volunteers serving on boards, commissions, committees and representing the town on regional entities are a critical component to Williston’s local governance. A big “thank you” to all of our dedicated volunteers, especially over the past year as all meetings have been held virtually. Openings for positions on these boards will be advertised in

May, and interviews for openings will be held by the selectboard in June leading up to the new fiscal year that begins July 1. To learn more about these openings and how to apply, watch for information in the Observer, town website, Front Porch Forum and town social media in the coming weeks. INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2021 Town staff are planning what will be possible for the Independence Day celebration. For planning purposes and in accordance with the guidance from the State of Vermont, we are tentatively planning on a parade and fireworks for Saturday, July 3. A final decision will be made by mid to late June. Please check the town website for updates on times, locations and activities. TOWN ENERGY PLANNING In the fall of 2020, the Williston Selectboard adopted a comprehensive energy plan as an amendment to the Town Plan. This detailed document provides items for the town to consider and explore in shaping the community’s energy future and curbing the imsee WELLS page 7

May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 7

GUEST COLUMN

Seeking a new human-wildlife relationship BY DAVID KELLEY When I was young, everyone in my family hunted and fished. In fact, when I was young, it seemed like everyone in Vermont hunted and fished. At Otter Valley, where I went to high school, absenteeism shot up during deer season. Going to deer camp was a rite of passage for most teenage boys. Almost all of my neighbors hunted and fished. On the other hand, I never knew a single person who trapped until years later when I moved to Montana. In Montana I occasionally worked with a neighbor who claimed to be a direct descendant of Kit Carson, and who was a trapper. In Montana, I got to see trapping up close and personal. It wasn’t pretty. Today, the human-wildlife relationship is undergoing significant changes. Climate change, disease, shifting cultural values, shrinking habitat, declining biodiversity and declining numbers of hunters and fishermen are all compelling us to rethink our relationship with wilderness and wildlife. The value of wilderness, our interdependence with wildlife and the importance

Wells continued from page

pacts of climate change. In addition, the plan contains provisions for renewable energy facility siting in town, which will receive substantial deference when any facilities are considered by the State Public Utilities Commission. Developing the plan was made possible by many months of dedicated work by the ad hoc Energy Plan Task Force, Planning Commission and town staff providing support. As town policy, the energy plan is a guidance document for possible implementation measures to work toward the goals it contains. All the items in the plan may not be achievable, and the plan can be revised in the coming years as necessary. Town staff are working on determining how to take the next steps to implement components

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of ethics in that relationship are all coming into sharper focus. Those most fearful of change have begun to defend recreational trapping by equating trapping and hunting. From time to time, even spokespeople for Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife Department use this canard. It is a false narrative used to avoid engaging directly in a debate about leghold and body crushing traps that today are being used by a small handful of people for fun and recreation. Not inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals has always been the 11th commandment of most hunters. Recreational trapping is just the opposite. It is the essence of unnecessary suffering. Hunting is strictly regulated and hunters are generally penalized for shooting the wrong species. We have a season, we have a bag limit and we are not allowed to bait animals. Hunters don’t leave their guns unattended and ready to shoot. In Montana, it is even illegal to leave a fishing pole unattended. On the other hand, a trapper can set and leave as many leghold and body crushing traps as they want. A hunter knows what he is shooting at. A hunter is there to

immediately dress and retrieve the animal he kills. A trapper doesn’t know what animal he’s going to trap — a domestic pet, an endangered or threatened species, an eagle, an English Setter or a Canadian Lynx. If a hunter shoots a deer, turkey, partridge or rabbit, it is invariably used as food. A trapped fox, coyote or bobcat is almost never eaten. In fact, even their fur has little value today. In most cases, trapping is the very definition of wanton waste. A skilled hunter kills with care and respect for their prey. A quick kill that avoids unnecessary suffering of the life we are taking for food is a hunter’s preeminent purpose. The mechanics and equipment used by trappers are sadistic. Talk about “best management practices” or “padded traps” is like putting lipstick on a pig. Trappers leave animals crippled without food or water. They leave wildlife defenseless against all of the elements and all of the predators that might be a threat in the wild. The truth of the matter is that most trappers never use padded traps and many honor “best management practices” only in the

breach. In fact, evidence of their real practices can be found all over Facebook and Youtube — despite admonitions from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department in their Furbearer Newsletter to be careful of such posts on social media, because those posts might offend someone. They offend people with good reason. Hunting and fishing are constitutionally protected in Vermont. Nobody is going to take those rights away. As we confront change and as we consider a new ethic in relation to wildlife, there are some, even in the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, who react like Chicken Little. Their mantra is always how the consequences of change are to be feared. The sky will fall. The earth will stop spinning. They’ll take away our guns. Instead of engaging in a debate on the merits of trapping, there is a well-honed response: “They are ‘anti-hunting.’” As we carry these conversations and the debate forward, I urge you to listen to those childlike tantrums with a dose of skepticism. I don’t hunt much anymore,

but I still fish every chance I get. And I am very much pro-hunting. As I think about the shifts in the human-wildlife relationship taking place in Vermont today, I can’t help but think about women’s suffrage and gay marriage. Change is somehow frightening for many. When the ground is shifting beneath our feet it can get scary. But it is part of the human journey. It is how we get better. I think often of a poem Robert Kennedy used to quote: “How dull it is to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine in use ... Come my friends, ‘tis not too late to seek a newer world.” As we proceed with this debate, toward a new human-wildlife relationship, be wary of Chicken Littles. History never moves forward in a straight line. It zigs and zags. But whether it is medicine, government, travel or communications, by embracing change, we make progress. So let us have a vigorous and honest debate and in that way seek a newer, better world for ourselves and Vermont’s wildlife.

of the energy plan. There has been a lot of interest from the community in this important work, and there will be opportunities to get involved in the coming months. To stay updated on energy planning work and discover resources, please visit the energy tab on the town website: www.town.williston.vt.us.

LAMPLITE WATERLINE PROJECT The waterline replacement project in the Lamplite neighborhood is expected to begin construction in early June. This will be a major project over the summer months. Williston voters approved a $2 million bond article for the project in November 2020, and the

town has received up to $1 million in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for the project. The project will include the installation of 6,280 linear feet of new 8-inch waterline and appurtenances along Pine Lane, White Birch Lane, Aspen Lane and Lamplite Lane.

If you have questions about any of the topics in this column or another topic, please reach out to me. I can be reached using email at ewells@willistonvt.org or by phone at 876-1168. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you around town.

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David Kelley is on the board of the Vermont Wildlife Coalition.

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Page 8 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

Home & Garden

Rough, hairy and nutritious

Grow edamame for a healthy addition to your diet BY MELINDA MYERS Special to the Observer

Add a bit of fiber to your garden and diet. Consider growing edamame (edible soybeans) in this year’s garden. Soybeans help promote overall health, reducing the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Plus, the high fiber in soy helps fight colon and some other cancers. Edamame is an ancient Asian vegetable and is often eaten right from the pod like peanuts. Edible soybeans are also used for making tofu, tempeh, soy nut snacks and more. In addition to their high fiber content, soybeans’ high protein content has made them a popular meat substitute. Soybeans can be grown in a variety

of soils and climate. They tolerate adverse conditions, but perform best in warm temperatures, full sun and moist, well-drained soils. Add organic matter to less-than-ideal soils to improve drainage and increase the water-holding capacity in sandy and rocky soils. Try growing one of the edible soybean varieties, such as Agate, Chiba Green, Midori Giant and Envy. These have a better flavor and are more suited to your garden and recipes than field varieties. Wait for the soil to warm for quick germination and increased success. Grow edible soybeans in a sunny spot. Plant and care for them the same as you would lima beans. Plant seeds 3 inches apart and 1-1.5 inches deep in rows 24-36 inches apart. Once the plants sprout and grow, thin them out by removing the weaker seedlings so the remaining plants are 6 inches apart. Harvest the soybeans when the pods are plump, green, rough and hairy. They

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Edamame pods are ready to harvest when they are plump, green, rough and hairy. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO BY MELINDA MYERS

are usually ready to harvest in 80 to 120 days, depending on the variety. Check frequently and pick when the seeds are fully enlarged, but before they get hard. Waiting too long to harvest the seeds reduces the flavor and quality. Since all the seed-filled pods usually ripen at the same time, you can pull up the whole plant and harvest the seeds from pods while sitting on a chair in the shade. Use edamame within two to three days of harvest for the best quality. Store fresh edamame in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag. Cook edamame by steaming, boil-

ing or microwaving the pods. Allow them to cool, then pop out the seeds to enjoy. Don’t let any surplus go to waste. Blanche, then freeze whole pods or just the seeds. Or dry the shelled edamame in the oven or dehydrator to use throughout the year. Purchase seeds and carve out some space in your garden or containers for this nutritious vegetable. Melinda Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is www.melindamyers.com.

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Home & Garden

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Page 10 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

Home & Garden

Garden cleanup and planning go hand-in-hand

BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE Special to the Observer Spring means it’s time to get back into your flower and vegetable gardens. Once the soil has dried out, remove any sticks, dried leaf debris and old mulch, being careful not to step on any emerging plants. Use this time to think about

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how you can build your garden’s soil health by adding organic matter. Dried leaf debris can be chopped fine with a lawnmower, collected and worked back into the soil. Or add a layer of compost or mulch to your soil. If you left your perennial flower heads and stems intact over the winter for bird and insect habitat, it’s time to trim these back. Try to cut these old stems as close as you can to the ground (within an inch or so). The new growth will begin to grow from the base, so be mindful of what you are trimming. When the soil is dry enough, you can add your first application of mulch for the season. There are many types of mulch. Consult with the experts at your local garden center to determine which mulch is best for you. Plan to spread 2-3 inches of mulch over the garden. After

When cleaning out flowerbeds, gently remove any dried leaf debris and old mulch, taking care not to disturb spring flowering and other emerging plants. PHOTO BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE

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In gardens with spring-flowering bulbs, you’ll want to be extra careful. You may even decide to leave the cleanup and mulching until after the bulbs have finished blooming to protect them. For your vegetable beds, clear out any plant matter from last season. This can be added to a compost pile as long as it is not diseased or insect-infested. Once you have cleaned out your beds, add a layer of compost or finely chopped plant material,

such as dried leaves, grass or hay, to return organic matter back to the soil. Some years spring can arrive quickly, and other times it seems to take forever. Either way, take this time to think about what you’d like to get out of your garden this year. More flowers in your vegetable beds? Healthier tomatoes? Experimenting with new herbs? Want to try growing zucchini in a container? Start by taking a few minutes to reflect on the lessons you learned from last season, and your desires for this season. From here, pick your top two or three priorities, and outline the steps needed to accomplish these. Perhaps you need to do more research, purchase materials, hire a garden designer or just get digging. Spring is the perfect time to do all these. Taking advantage of the spring slow period by doing light garden cleanup and setting a realistic plan will help you get the most out of your summer vegetable and flower gardens. Bonnie Kirn Donahue is a UVM Extension Master Gardener and landscape designer from central Vermont.

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Residents fan out to Green Up Richmond EMILY SHEDD Special to the Observer What began as a cold and cloudy day gradually warmed and turned sunny for the 51st annual Green Up Day in Vermont. In Richmond, residents dispersed throughout town to take part in both the trash pick-up and community bonding aspects of this event. JoEllen Swaine was one of several volunteers offering free muffins and coffee to Green Up Day participants at the Richmond Congregational Church “My husband and I have been greening up since we moved here,” Swaine said. Swaine tends to a stretch of Kenyon Road every Green Up Day, and this year she found tires, hubcaps, bottles and even a scooter along the road. “It really seems people use it for their personal dumping grounds,” said Swaine, “but luckily more and more people are trying to get out there and do their bit because they start seeing stuff laying in the ditches.” Swaine hopes for an even greener future in Richmond, and said it’s a matter of raising awareness and having people think about how their actions impact the environment. “Thinking about every piece of plastic you use is also important, because that’s what is really killing the environment,” Swaine said. In this spirit, the women distributed muffins and coffee in compostable paper bags and cups. Janet Morris, 62, a Richmond resident and retired healthcare worker, has also been participating in Green Up Day for several years and was found Saturday morning in a bright pink beanie venturing through a ravine on Jericho Road. “I knew I wanted to hit this ravine. It’s got a lot of crap,” she said. Morris had already filled two bags of

Carol Adams (left), Ingrid Cichoski (right) and JoEllen Swaine (center) distribute free muffins and coffee in compostable bags and cups to Green Up Day participants outside of the Richmond Congregational Church on Saturday. PHOTO BY EMILY SHEDD

trash, found an old lawn chair, house siding and an air conditioning unit before 11 a.m., and still continued to find more to

fill the green bags. Ken Mincar, a Richmond resident, wore his bright pink gaiter for Green Up

Day while he cleaned up a large amount of cigarette butts and other trash on Hinesburg Road. While he reflected on years past with his kids, he continued this morning on an independent mission to partake in the day that really “makes Vermont look and feel the way it does,” Mincar said. “The obvious thing you think about every year is what motivates people to think it’s okay to just toss things out of the car,” Mincar said, “And if you could possibly inspire people to not do that.” “Part of the reason why I do (Green Up Day) every year is that it’s occurred to me, I think it is one of the reasons why Vermont looks different,” Mincar said, “and when people come here and say ‘Vermont is so beautiful’ it’s not just because we’ve got great landscapes and we don’t have billboards … but I think because we don’t have trash on the roads, and when you go anywhere else you see it.” Laura and Scott Silverstein and their son Calvin were found commanding the upper half of Jericho Road. The family has been participants in Green Up Day for the four years since they moved to Richmond, with this being the second official time Calvin has come along. This year, the experience was uniquely special as Laura’s fully-vaccinated parents from Connecticut were able to join in the excitement for their first Green Up Day. Green Up Day serves as a “good excuse to get outside and an easy way to make Vermont better for everybody,” Scott Silverstein said. Throughout the year, “it’s actually kind of hard in Richmond to find a place where there is a lot of garbage,” Laura Silverstein said, “So I think overall people do a really good job.” Emily Shedd is a reporter with the Community News Service, a collaboration with the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.

Page 12 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

Winooski parking app hacked

BY SOPHIE HINDS Special to the Observer User data is believed to be safe, city and company officials say, for patrons of ParkMobile, an app that helps find and pay for parking spaces used throughout the City of Winooski. A tech website called www.bgr.com released an article with information about the hack. The tip for the breach came from Brian Krebs, a cybersecurity investigative reporter. He reported that the hacker is selling users’ account information, and has been able to access their emails, birth dates, phone numbers, license plates and passwords. ParkMobile released a statement where it blamed the cause of the breach on third-party software it uses. The company also launched an investigation and said that no customer credit card information or parking transaction history was accessed. Winooski City Manager Jessie Baker said ParkMobile notified the city of the breach and informed city officials of its on-

going investigation. “We do not believe that any customer information was compromised,” Baker said. Winooski is not the only city to fall victim to the data breach. Scores of municipalities that use the app across the U.S. have been dealing with the ParkMobile breach. The website www.BGR.com advised users to avoid future hacks by considering using two-factor authentication, as well as having a difficult password for hackers to guess. Change your password regularly, as well. This has been a year for hackers and data breachers. ParkMobile is one app in a long trend of compromised technology. A 2019 report from Accenture found a 67 percent increase in cybersecurity breaches in the last five years. Sophie Hinds is a reporter with the Community News Service, a collaboration with the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program.

Send your story ideas and photos to editor@williston observer.com

Unemployment fraud likely to cost state millions BY JAMES FINN VTDigger

The Vermont Department of Labor has paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic, according to the state’s labor commissioner. A massive surge of fraudulent activity struck the department’s system in April. The department announced Friday that it had shut down its online portal for filing claims after finding that up to 90 percent of entries coming through the system were fraudulent. Fraud has been a persistent problem for the department since last year. Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington said Monday that if the cost of unemployment fraud to Vermont is not already in the millions, it likely will be by the end of the pandemic. But he said an exact estimate of the fraudulent claims is difficult. “It’s a constantly moving number,” the commissioner said. “Just in terms of the volume of what we’re catching, recognizing we’re not catching everything that’s out there and recognizing what we have caught after it’s been paid out, it’s certainly in the hundreds of thousands,” Harrington said. Unemployment fraud was nearly nonexistent in Vermont before spring 2020. In a given pre-pandemic year, the state typically had between five and 10 fraudulent benefit claims, according to Harrington. At that point, claimants had to call the department to file for benefits. Fraudulent claims appeared immediately when the department first opened the online filing system at the onset of COVID-19, trying to accommodate a surge of unemployment claims. By April 2021, as Vermonters had to file new claims to qualify for a new benefit year, as many as 80 percent of the 500 to 800 claims coming through the de-

partment’s system each day were fraudulent, according to Cameron Wood, the department’s unemployment insurance director. Nationwide, officials estimate tens of billions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment insurance payouts could be lost by the end of the pandemic. Looking at all COVID relief efforts, not just unemployment benefits, fraudsters could have ripped off more than $100 billion during the pandemic. Officials in Vermont and nationwide believe international digital crime syndicates have taken advantage of states’ overwhelmed digital systems. Vermont’s losses are relatively low compared to larger states, Harrington said. In California, for example, The Hill reported the state has paid at least $11 billion in fraudulent claims, and New York paid $5.5 billion. The cost to Vermont “will be in the millions by the time this is all said and done, versus in other, larger states where they’ve shown tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars” in losses, Harrington said. “I think we’ll be on the lower side of that.” The number of fraudulent claims — and the number of claims filed with the department overall — have dropped by 90 percent since the labor department deactivated its online portal, Harrington said Monday. On Tuesday, 2,300 claims entered the department’s system, according to Harrington. On Wednesday, the day the department deactivated the portal, 1,700 new claims entered the system. That number was down to 159 people who called to file claims on Thursday and 154 on Friday. Harrington said he’s not sure when the system will go back online. “What we have said internally is that we’re not going to put it back online until we’re as sure as we can be that we’ve taken every step to prevent fraud from going into the system,” he said.

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May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 13

Renters scramble in Burlington’s tightening housing market BY KATYA SCHWENK VTDigger In April, Olivia Taylor stopped looking for a new apartment in Burlington. Taylor visited a dozen apartments over the span of a month, planning to move into a one-bedroom at the beginning of June. Every one fell through, she said. Units were being snatched up within hours of her tour. Though Taylor had looked for a rental in Burlington’s tight housing market several times before, she had never encountered such difficulty. She has a stable job and a relatively flexible budget — benefits that many local renters lack. “Every single person I talked to was like, it’s the worst it’s ever FILE PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER been,” she said. For years, housing in Burlington has been in perpetual crisis. Despite record scarcity. As of June 1 — a common perennial pledges from local officials to de- turnover date — approaches this year, proliver solutions, housing options — and par- spective tenants have been left scrambling. ticularly, affordable housing options — have “I’ve explored, I feel like, every option,” remained scant. said Laura Hardin, a student at St. Michael’s Now there are signs that rental vacan- College who has been searching for a room cies in the city, and countywide, are reaching in the Burlington area since February. She’s

not able to return home to Florida for the summer, she said, and worries what she will do if she cannot find a place to live. Over the past decade, Chittenden County’s rental vacancy rate has averaged about 2 percent — the lowest in the state and far below the national average, which has hov-

ered just under 7% in recent years. That’s according to Brad Minor, a partner with the firm Allen, Brooks & Minor, which surveys the county’s vacancy rates twice a year. In June 2020, according to Minor’s survey of 7,500 rental units in the county, vacancy climbed to 2.6 percent — a likely sign of the pandemic’s economic toll on renters. But in the firm’s most recent survey, completed in December, that figure plunged to 1.1 percent. That was striking, Minor said, because vacancy tends to ease in winter when fewer people are searching for housing. And now that spring has arrived, landlords and property managers are reporting unusually high demand. “It’s the tightest I think I’ve ever seen it,” said Linda Wurth, who has managed the Olde Orchard Park apartment complex in South Burlington for more than two decades. Wurth is renting out units sight unseen due to the pandemic, but that has not slowed interest, she said. “It’s a crapshoot. Wait a day and wait an hour, and it’s gone,” she said. “You have to make a split-second decision.” When James McCormick, a landlord in Winooski, posted a single vacancy earlier this year, he received about 50 applications in two weeks, he said. “There’s definitely see RENTERS page 16

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Page 14 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

UVM students stage mass protest over sexual violence BY GRACE ELLETSON VTDigger

University of Vermont students on Monday afternoon participated in one of the largest protests the institution has seen in recent years, sparked by a student’s social media post detailing their experience with sexual violence on campus. The Instagram post was written by junior Athena Hendrick, who said they were raped in February 2020 by a fellow student and received lackluster support from the university. Their story inspired dozens more social media posts — and a viral Tik Tok video — many of which criticized UVM for not doing more to support survivors and hold alleged perpetrators accountable. The social media storm inspired Monday’s walkout, which led about 2,000 students to leave class and join a march throughout campus chanting slogans such as “Believe survivors” and “What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!” Students walked from the Redstone Campus to the Waterman Building, where they engulfed the area and blocked off traffic on South Prospect Street. On the steps of the pillared building, students shared their own stories of how they said the university failed to

Thousands of University of Vermont students take part in a Survivors Solidarity Walkout to protest the university’s response to sexual assault in Burlington on Monday. PHOTOS BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

help them find accountability. Senior Syd Ovitt, a survivor of sexual violence and founder of Title IX reform group Explain the Asterisk, told VTDigger that Monday’s demonstration was a reflection of the student body’s frustration. “When someone is being vulnerable and open about their experience,” Ovitt said, “it can really ignite things in people.” She added that during the pandemic, when partying is less

prevalent, the community can forget that sexual assaults continue to take place on campus. So when the stories appeared on social media, UVM community members rallied around those who shared their experiences. Dozens of students have shared personal stories on their own Instagram accounts. Other stories have been shared anonymously on an Instagram account that was created this past weekend

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called ShareYourStoryUVM. Ovitt and other organizers sent a list of demands to UVM administrators explaining how the institution could reform its Title IX system to better support survivors. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational institutions and also applies to complaints and investigations of sexual misconduct. Students asked that the university conduct an independent investigation into the Title IX office, hire three to four more campus victim advocates, establish a Sexual Violence Response Team, create a 24/7 hotline for survivors of sexual abuse, and require various organizations and officials on campus to undergo sexual violence prevention training. The university agreed to all 17 of the demands, according to Erica Caloiero, vice provost and dean of students. “As I read the accounts that survivors were sharing on social media, it was clear to me what students are asking for in the way of clarity, support and affirmation that we believe survivors,” Caloiero said in an interview. She said the university could improve its practices around sexual misconduct prevention and re-

sponse, and would seek new models to employ at the university. Caloiero said she met with students over the weekend to discuss how the university could move forward. Standing before hundreds of students at Waterman, Hendrick held up a bull horn and expressed awe that the experience they shared on social media had resonated with so many others. In their Instagram post, Hendrick said that after they had been raped on Feb. 1, 2020, they went to the UVM Medical Center for help and had reached out to the Title IX office. They said they didn’t hear back until the first week of March. Then the pandemic hit, which further slowed the investigation. According to Hendrick, the investigation began in April and was closed by UVM in August without a finding because there wasn’t enough evidence. Hendrick said they’ve been cycling through various emotions the past week: anger, fear, grief, gratitude and hope. “I am so mad that UVM did this to so many people that I love and care about,” they shouted, before encouraging attendees to engage in a group-wide collective scream. But Hendrick also acknowledged their gratitude for friends who supported them and to the UVM community for showing them that there is hope that the culture on campus can change. “We are here because we love ourselves. And we value ourselves,” Hendrick said. “And we’re here because we love survivors.” Another speaker, graduate student Robin Rice, also shared his experience with sexual assault. When he was in high school, Rice said, he visited another college with a group of friends. There, he became drunk and was raped by a male friend, he said. Rice specifically called out to the men in the crowd and reminded them that sexual assault prevention is not a “women’s issue.” “This is my work. This is our work,” Rice said. “What the world needs is for men to rise up and say this is our fight.”

May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 15

SPORTS BOYS BASEBALL 1. Redhawk Braedon Jones got the starting nod as CVU took on the Hornets in Essex on April 23. 2. Redhawk Jared Anderson barrels up a pitch. 3. Redhawk Angelos Carroll makes the play at second. 4. Redhawk Oliver Pudvar dives safely back to first.

BOYS LACROSSE

5. Redhawk Colin Zouck fires in the double over-time winner during CVU’s game vs. the Essex Hornets on May 3 in Hinesburg. 6. Redhawk Sean Gilliam ducks past his Essex defender. 7. Redhawk Aiden Machanic rips a shot past the Essex goaltender. 8. Redhawk Jake Bowen makes the save .

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SPORTS

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1. Redhawk Ella Kenney eyes the backhand return during CVU’s match vs. Burlington on April 27 in Shelburne.

4. CVU’s Emma Crum wins the 1500 meter run in a time of 5:15.17 at Burlington April 28.

2. Redhawks Stella Makay (R) and Phoebe Henderson (L) compete in a doubles match.

5. CVU’s Matt Servin cruises to victory in the 1500 meter run in a time of 4:18.67.

3. CVU’s Cassie Bastress makes a forehand return.

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Renters continued from page

more influx now,” he said.

What’s going on?

What’s causing the contracting market? There are a range of explanations. For one thing, state housing programs prompted by the pandemic are beginning to phase out, and eligibility for such social supports is being restricted. “As those rules begin to tighten up, as we come out of the pandemic, a lot of people are looking for housing in a very limited market,” said Travis Poulin, director of Chittenden Community Action, which runs rent and housing assistance programs. In Chittenden County alone, social support agencies are working with several hundred people

who lack stable housing, Poulin said. These individuals and families bear the greatest burden when vacancy declines, he said. “We are working with people who are desperately looking for something that is stable and affordable and habitable,” he said. Then, there’s the influx of out-of-staters, which has caused a boom in Vermont’s real estate market. Anecdotally, Wurth says she’s seen an uptick in applicants from outside Vermont for her apartments. “I think a lot of people beelined it up here,” she said, putting further pressure on local housing. Minor said he believes the state’s rental assistance efforts, funded by federal Covid-19 relief dollars, have also kept vacancy down — a sign of the program’s success. About 3.5% of Chittenden County landlords that Minor surveyed in December were receiving

money through the rental housing stabilization program, which was designed to protect tenants from eviction. “We could have had a pretty big increase in vacancy if it weren’t for that program,” he said. But for those who are searching for housing, the federal aid offers little hope. “We have funds available,” Poulin said. “But the long and the short of it is that all the money in the world won’t necessarily impact the immediate availability of housing.” Even if people meet eligibility criteria for subsidized housing in the county, providers such as the Champlain Housing Trust have lengthy waitlists. “The average wait we’re looking at is a year to a year and a half,” Poulin said. Furthermore, Burlington homeowners are reeling from recent property reappraisal notices, which caused many properties

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to shoot up in value. Though the property-tax impacts are not yet clear for owners, there are worries that the burden of any potential price hikes will fall upon tenants, even further reducing affordability in the area. “Somebody’s paying the extra money,” McCormick said of his own plans to raise rents, should his taxes increase. For Taylor, the spring’s constricted housing market is the latest sign of a city that has become increasingly unwelcoming for renters. “It’s just really frustrating. It’s making me consider leaving Burlington,” she said. Taylor, 28, hoped to move in with her partner this spring. They had been thinking about getting a dog. For now, though, she’s had to put off those plans. “If this continues,” she said, “it’s just not a place that I want to stay.”

May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 17

April 11 April 17, 2021 April 11 at 5:29 a.m. Police provided a case number for documentation purposes. April 11 at 2:11 p.m. Police responded to a report of a dog left in a vehicle on Marshall Avenue. The officer found that the dog appeared distressed, before unlocking the vehicle and getting the dog into a cooler environment. The dog was later returned to its owner, who was cited. April 11 at 6:43 p.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Hawthorne Street. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 11 at 7:10 p.m. Police conducted a motor vehicle stop for a missing license plate on Route 105. The operator received a warning. April 11 at 11:32 p.m. An officer assisted a citizen with explaining civil issues at Falcon Manor. April 12 at 1:04 a.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Boyer Circle. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 12 at 11:15 a.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Market Street. The officer advised the individual to stop and referred him to Community Support. April 12 at 11:19 a.m. Police took custody of found property on Redmond Road. April 12 at 11:36 a.m. Police responded to a 911 hangup on Park Avenue. Upon arrival, there was no emergency. April 12 at 1:51 a.m. Williston Police assisted Rescue with a medical call on Bittersweet Circle. April 12 at 2:33 p.m. Police responded to a report of theft on Harvest Lane. The case was referred to the Williston Reparative Board, and the officer issued a no-trespass notice. April 12 at 4:19 p.m. Police provided a case number for a theft on Zephyr Road. April 12 at 6:30 p.m. Williston Police assisted Williston Rescue with a patient in Maple Tree Place. April 12 at 6:42 p.m. Police responded to a lockout on Trader Lane. The officer was able to gain access to the vehicle. April 13 at 12:02 p.m. Police took a report of a motor vehicle complaint on Meadowrun Road. April 13 at 12:35 p.m. Police provided a case number for property damage on Boxwood Street. April 13 at 2:43 p.m. Police provided a case number for property damage on Williston Road. April 13 at 3:15 p.m. Police provided a case number for property damage on Fairway Drive. April 13 at 4:04 p.m. Police

provided a case number for property damage on Marshall Drive. April 13 at 8:16 p.m. Williston PD assisted South Burlington Police in answering a call on Williston Road. April 13 at 8:34 p.m. Police responded to a report of a noise disturbance on Ledgewood Drive. Upon arrival, the officer did not observe a disturbance. April 14 at 2:02 a.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Avenue D. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 14 at 8:36 a.m. Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on Williston Road. There were no injuries or hazards. April 14 at 8:50 a.m. Police responded to a dispute on Casey Lane. April 14 at 9:13 a.m. Police conducted a fingerprint check for local employment. April 14 at 11:03 a.m. Police provided a case number for property damage on Leroy Road. April 14 at 11:34 a.m. Police responded to a report of an animal problem on Essex Road. The dog was later returned to its rightful owner. April 14 at 12:08 p.m. Police provided a case number for property damage on Trader Lane. April 14 at 1:07 p.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Blair Park Road. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 14 at 1:15 p.m. Police responded to assist Williston Fire and Hinesburg Fire departments with a house fire on Martel Lane. April 14 at 3:02 p.m. Police

responded to a report of a motor vehicle complaint on Wright Avenue. The officer could not locate the vehicle in question. April 14 at 3:37 p.m. Police responded to a report of a disabled vehicle on Saint George Road. The officer located the vehicle and stood by while the vehicle was removed by a wrecker. April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Police responded to a report of theft on Cypress Street. April 14 at 4:57 p.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Falcon Manor. Upon arrival, the officer did not observe any behavior that required police intervention. April 14 at 6:05 p.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior at Taft Corners. Upon arrival, the officer did not observe any behavior that required police intervention. April 15 at 12:59 a.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Williston Road. The officer could not locate the individual. April 15 at 9:19 a.m. Police conducted a background check for employment. April 15 at 9:57 a.m. Police responded to a report of theft on Harvest Lane. The case was referred to the Williston Reparative Board. April 15 at 10:26 a.m. Police responded to Harvest Lane to assist a business in escorting an individual out. K9 Duke also arrived on the scene and assisted an upset citizen. April 15 at 11:17 a.m. Police assisted Williston rescue with a medical call on Zephyr Road. April 15 at 1:54 p.m. Police responded to a report of a parking problem on Cornerstone Drive. Upon arrival, there was no parking issue.

April 15 at 2:04 p.m. Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision on Oak Hill Road. There were no injuries or hazards at the scene. April 15 at 2:40 p.m. Police were dispatched to a report of a medical issue on Trader Lane. The individual was eventually transported by Williston Rescue. April 15 at 2:46 p.m. Police conducted a background check for employment. April 15 at 2:55 p.m. Police successfully unlocked a vehicle for a citizen on Marshall Avenue. April 15 at 3:55 p.m. Williston police assisted Williston Fire Department with a fire alarm on Tyler Way. April 15 at 5:22 p.m. Police responded to Merchants Row to assist Williston Rescue with a medical call. April 15 at 6:57 p.m. Police responded to a 911 hangup on Knight Lane. Upon arrival, there was no emergency April 15 at 7:06 p.m. Police conducted a background check for employment. April 15 at 9:32 p.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Trader Lane. Upon arrival, the alarm was found to be false. April 16 at 1:56 a.m. Police assisted Vermont State Police in responding to an alarm activation on Railroad Street. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 16 at 9:37 a.m. Police assisted civilians in resolving a dispute on South Road. April 16 at 11:51 a.m. Police responded to a report of trespassing on Saint George Road. Upon arrival, the officers took an individual into custody. April 16 at 12:23 a.m. Police processed a set of fingerprints for employment.

April 16 at 1:01 p.m. Police responded to assist with a medical call on Harvest Lane. K9 Duke also arrived on the scene to help comfort the individual. April 16 at 1:39 p.m. Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on Harvest Lane. There were no injuries or hazards at the scene. April 16 at 1:56 p.m. Police responded to Zephyr Road for a 911 hangup. Upon arrival, there was no emergency. April 16 at 2:26 p.m. Police responded to a motor vehicle accident on Wright Avenue. There were minor injuries and no hazards at the scene. April 16 at 2:33 p.m. Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on Bayberry Lane. Upon arrival, there were no injuries or hazards. April 16 at 6:33 p.m. Police assisted Williston Rescue with a medical call at Maple Tree Place. April 17 at 8:25 a.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Jasmine Lane. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 17 at 10:15 a.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Marshall Avenue. The officer woke up the individual and another citizen came to pick them up. April 17 at 12:44 p.m. Police took a report of a theft on Abbey Road. April 17 a 12:49 p.m. Police responded to a report of suspicious behavior on Williston Road. Upon arrival, the officer did not observe any suspicious behavior. April 17 at 5:10 p.m. Police responded to an alarm activation on Leroy Road. Upon arrival, the alarm was observed to be false. April 17 at 7:21 p.m. Police responded to a motor vehicle collision on Walker Hill. There were no injuries or hazards at the scene.

Page 18 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

The Williston Recreation and Parks Department is located at the Town Hall Annex Building at 7878 Williston Rd. For online program registration, visit www.willistonrec. org. For department information, email recreation@willistonvt.org or call 876-1160. PARK RESTROOMS OPEN Restrooms are open at Williston Community Park (WCP) and there are port-o-lets in the other parks. WCP restrooms go handsfree. The facilities have automatic flush valves, the sink faucets are sensored (put hand under faucets to turn on water), the towel dispens-

er is sensored (put hand under it to receive paper towel). Toilet paper and soap dispenser are not handsfree. PICKLEBALL INTRO learn the rules, a variety of drills, some basic game strategy and how to play this unique sport in this two-hour introductory clinic. Resources will be provided for continued learning and playing opportunities. Bring your own paddle or loaner paddles will be available. Age 18+ - Saturday, May 8, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. $32/$37. Instructor: Corey Gottfried PICKLEBALL 101 Like the “Pickleball Intro” program, but more time spent on each part of the game. Drills will

include serving, return of serve, 3rd shot drop, the soft game, volleying, basic strategies and actual playing time. Bring your paddle. Loaner paddles will be available for the clinic upon request. Age 18+ - Mon, Tues & Wed, May 1012, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $72/$77. Instructor: Corey Gottfried STRENGTH TRAINING — VIRTUAL Online live with Toni Kunker, Age 50 -plus, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free to seniors. Go to www.willistonrec.org, click on the ‘Programs’ icon, then click on the ‘Strength Training’ button for directions on how to join the program. GENTLE/SEATED YOGA — VIRTUAL Online live with Toni Kunker, Age 50 -plus, Fridays, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free to seniors. Go to www.willistonrec.org, click on the ‘Programs’ icon, then click on the ‘Yoga’ button for directions on

how to join the program. BOATERS SAFETY Age 12-plus. The course provides the opportunity to earn the certification necessary to legally operate a boat on Vermont’s waterways. Course can be taken online at any time at w w w. b o a t - e d . c o m / v e r m o n t . CAMPS Registration is open for summer day camp and enrichment camps. For payment, use the drop box at the back entrance to the Town Hall Building at 7900 Williston Rd. NEW CAMPS ADDED Baseball Camp and art camps have been added to the camp lineup for this summer. Baseball Camp is for kids age 7-12, July 26-30, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Art camps are for kids age 6-15; June 28-July 2 — Bookarts and Fairy/Gnome Houses; July 6-9 — Mudflat City and Mosaic/Sculpture.

Send you story ideas and photos to editor@willistonobserver.com

Have photos you would like to share? Holidays, nature, village, pets, kids, seniors, family, sports, all things Williston! We would love to publish your work! Send your high resolution digital photos to editor@ willistonobserver.com with a photo caption, photo credit, and your contact information.

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May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 19

SENIORS

CULINARY CORNER

How seniors can learn new technology skills online during business hours.

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good technology classes or online learning resources for inexperienced seniors? I have a computer and a smartphone, but my knowledge and skills are pretty limited. Tech Challenged Senior

Savvy Senior

Local classes or workshops

GetSetUp.io This is one of the best online learning websites that partners with guides to provide training on tech tools for adults 50 and older. They provide more than 350 online classes taught in real-time by retired educators and tech industry experts in a way that lets older adults learn by doing, versus just watching a video. Their technology classes — all taught via Zoom — cover things like learning how to use smartphones and tablets, how to setup and use Zoom, how to utilize Gmail features, how to recognize

This is the perfect recipe as the days start to warm up. Enjoy this on a hot day to cool down, or on a cool day with a sweater on because it’s just that good. These measurements serve 2-4.

Sunshine Smoothie

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Dear Senior, There are many different technology teaching tools available to older adults that can help you learn new tech skills so you can better utilize your devices. Here are some good options to consider.

Depending on where you live, there may be community resources that offer beginning computer and personal technology classes, be it online or in-person, for older adults who are new to technology. To find out what’s available in your area, contact your local public library, senior center, college or university, or local stores that sell computers. Your Area Agency on Aging may also be able to help you. Visit the Eldercare Locator at www.Eldercare.acl.gov or call 800-677-1116 to get your local number.

A healthy, refreshing smoothie

BY JIM MILLER

online scams, how to sell your stuff online and so much more. Most of their classes are free, but some charge a small fee.

SeniorPlanet.org Created and sponsored by national nonprofit OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) and recently joining forces with AARP, Senior Planet offers 60-and-older adults a wide variety of free online courses, programs and activities that are taught in real-time to help seniors learn new technology skills, as well as save money, get in shape and make new friends. Some of their more popular tech classes include “All Things Zoom,” “Everything Smartphones,” and an “Introduction to Social Media.” They even offer a “lunch & learn – tech discussion group” offered at various times throughout the year where you can ask questions as well as share your struggles and experiences. And, if you ever have a technology question that pops up during the week, you can call their National Senior Planet Hotline for tech help at (920) 666-1959 anytime Monday through Friday

This nonprofit educational organization for older adults provides more than 10 low-cost/free online computer, internet and mobile technology courses for beginners. And when the pandemic dies down, they will resume offering beginner tech classes in their 27 locations (located in nine states) throughout the country.

CandooTech.com This company provides feebased online tech support and training to help older adults feel more comfortable with phones, computers, tablets, home safety devices and more. Their specially trained tech concierges will teach you how to use your technology, fix what’s not working and install software, as well as learn how to set up and use email, video chat, social media, online shopping and entertainment, ride sharing services and more. They offer one-hour, one-onone or small group sessions for $50, or you can become a member and get two 90-minute training sessions plus unlimited quick support (30 minutes or less) for $180 per year. They also provide device installation and set-up done remotely for $180.

2 cups orange juice 2 cups grapefruit juice 2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks 1 cup vanilla yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract In the blender, blend orange juice, grapefruit juice, bananas, yogurt and vanilla extract. Serve immediately and enjoy. — Eva Benway

Share your recipes! Do you have a tasty recipe you would like to share? We welcome reader contributions for publication in our weekly Culinary Corner. Please email submissions to editor@willistonobserver.com. Please include a photo of the finished dish if possible.

TechBoomers.com This is a free educational website that provides video and article tutorials that teach older adults and other inexperienced technology users how to use the most popular and trusted websites, apps and devices. 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.

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

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SEC TIONS • Info from experts on camps in Vermont and beyond! • Great tips for parents and more! • SPECIAL PRICING! To advertise in the Observer (and other community papers as well), email Marianne@willistonobserver.com or call 872-9000

• Pet Memorials

ELMWOOD-MEUNIER FUNERAL

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Page 20 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

EMPLOYMENT Part-Time Production Designer Williston’s community newspaper is seeking a production designer to join our collaborative team. Enjoy the challenge and reward of putting out a vibrant, quality newspaper every week to serve the needs of our valued local readers and advertisers. The successful candidate will offer graphic design and layout expertise along with a high degree of organization and effective communication skills. Must be proficient with InDesign, Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat applications. Experience in a newspaper environment desirable, but not required. Position is remote, 20-25 hours/week, primarily Mon-Wed. For a full job description, please email Susan Cote, susan@ willistonobserver.com or call 802-489-5499.

Williston Hannaford is hiring both Part AND Full Time in most departments • FT Meat Cutter • FT Assistant Deli Manager • FT Hannaford To Go Expeditor Currently available: Meat Cutter Sign-On Bonus!! If you are 18+, and can pass a Hannaford Meat cutting test , you may be eligible for our NEW Meat Cutter Sign-On Bonus! • Full Time benefits include 401k matching 5%, medical and dental insurance, disability and life insurance, health and dependent pre-tax reimbursement, company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability, discounts on pet insurance, as well as vision care plans, opportunities for advancement, and paid parental leave for up to 6 weeks. • ALL associates are eligible to receive additional My Hannaford Rewards incentives as well as access to our Employee Assistance Program.

Competitive pay and benefits package!

APPLY ONLINE: www.hannaford.com/careers

Or Email Hiring Manager Becky Ashton Reashton@hannaford.com or call 802-878-0032

SUMMER PROGRAMS AND CAMPS ARE HIRING! Love working with children and youth? Summer programs and camps across Vermont are hiring for full- and part-time positions. Help youth reconnect, recharge, and have fun! Teens, college students, educators, and anyone seeking a seasonal job are welcome to apply. Programs are especially keen to hire energetic, responsible, creative people who have diverse skills to share. Most jobs are in-person, and employers carefully follow COVID-19 safety protocols and health guidance. Visit www.VermontAfterschool.org/Recruit to indicate your interest in applying for an open position near you.

Exceptional Care. Community Focused. That’s Copley.

May 6, 2021 • Williston Observer • Page 21

EMPLOYMENT

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 22

NOW HIRING Dump Truck Driver - CDL A Looking for a flexible and versatile driver ASAP. Our team takes pride in our work and it shows! Looking for candidates in Northern Vermont. Please contact Melissa: 802.503.4565 or jobs@cccvt.net More information at: courtlandconstruction.com/job-opportunities/ #Undergroundsince2005

Courtland Construction Corp. is a Milton-based Equal Opportunity Employer offering competitive pay, paid holidays, paid time off and retirement plan.

Copley Woodlands, located in Stowe, VT, is hiring! Open positions include:

Front Desk Attendant Part-Time Head Waitstaﬀ Housekeeper/Security/Maintenance Utility Worker-Kitchen/Dining Waitstaﬀ Full-Time Sous Chef W e have Per Diem openings available, which include incentive rates. Schedule may vary. Reach out to Shannen Dando at sdando@chsi.org or apply online at www.copleyvt.org/careers

ACROSS 1. Skewer 5. Grab bag abbreviation 9. Striped or largemouth 13. Formula One car 15. 15th-century Peruvian 16. Pilaf base 17. On one’s toes 18. Herbal brews 19. Grace ending 20. Poppa’s pairing 21. Garden pest 23. Terminate, not germinate 24. Uranium, e.g. 26. Shows off 28. Chronic 33. Inattentive 34. Like some surgery 35. Funny one 37. Endures 41. Crossed paths 42. Aromas 44. ___ a plea 45. Desert rest stop area 48. Give out 49. Bangkok native 50. Vehicle 52. From Dixie 54. Paint type

58. Pedantic 59. Little white one 60. Diabolical 62. Protection for King Arthur 66. Smile 68. Like some fans 70. Auto type 71. High schooler’s shame 72. Acidic fruit added to some cocktails 73. Scrabble squares 74. Freedom from concern 75. Not busy, at work 76. Fender problem DOWN 1. Shoot down 2. Water sport 3. New couple 4. Hurly-burly 5. Cambridge sch. 6. Chemical suffixes 7. Head skin 8. Type of Friday? 9. Woman’s support 10. Intended 11. View 12. Remits payment 14. Turn on

22. Snatch 25. Money from abroad 27. Feller 28. Sapiens or novis 29. Square footage, say 30. Upside-down sleepers 31. Confidential help 32. Weaves 36. Crosby, Stills and Nash, e.g. 38. Yearn 39. Belly laugh 40. Press agent’s specialty 43. Shirt button 46. Far from friendly 47. Post-Christmas event 49. Gland that may be overactive 51. Competitors 53. Stretch 54. Pool dilemma 55. About 56. Horse controls 57. Kind of engineer 61. Airport pickup 63. Brayer 64. Airy 65. Part of R&R 67. It indicates a born name 69. It’s fresh every morning

Exceptional Care. Community Focused. That’s Copley.

To place a classified or service directory ad, email marianne @willistonobserver.com

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Page 22 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

CLASSIFIEDS GARAGE SALE

SERVICES

GARAGE SALE - Lamps, home decor, clothing, games, coffee maker, frames, cooking and bakeware and much more! Saturday, May 15 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at 594 Zephyr Road (in the back of the townhouse), Williston.

PAINTING - Need a fresh start in 2021? Let Lafayette Painting give your home a beautiful new look. Our painters can do a lot in a day. LafayettePaintingInc.com or call 863-5397 to hear about our spring discount.

FOR SALE

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CROSSWORD SOLUTION

FUNCTIONING REFINISHED AND REFURBISHED ELECTRIC DUO ART PLAYER PIANO - Valued at $4,000, selling for $1,000. Comes with 200 + ( new and old ) music rolls as well as a reproduced in 1956, Duo Art Reproducing Piano service manual( copyright 1927 ). Contact for pictures and more information. carpenterg@myfairpoint.net. Title subject “player piano.“

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DINING TABLE - Walnut with 6 chairs and a bench 33 x 55, 55 x 55 opened, asking $325. Call 578-6258.

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MOTORHOME - 1996 Bounder, new roof and tires, fully equipped, asking $12k, OBO. Call 578-6258.

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SERVICE DIRECTORY REAL ESTATE

SAFES AND LOCKS

Your Williston Neighbor

CARPENTRY

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Michelle Desautels REALTOR®, PSA (802) 846-9503

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Visit our website to see current and past photos Adam Hall • 802-309-8971

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of Williston events, school sports, nature shots and more!

Photos from Digital the and prints available. Very reasonably priced. LOCAL MEATS Williston Observer AlFreyPhotography.com Photos from the available for purchase! Place your order online or Pork email Pastured Williston Observer Visit our website to see current and past photos 17 kinds of pork sausage photography of Williston events, school sports, nature shots and more! afrey202@gmail.com Digital and prints available. Very reasonably priced. available for purchase!

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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

Rabies is a to deadly viralofficials, disease of the According wildlife rabid brain that infects mammals. It is animals often show a change inmost theiroften norseen behavior, in raccoons, foxes, bats, mal but skunks, you cannot telland whether butanimal unvaccinated pets simply and livestock can also an has rabies by looking at get rabies. The virus is spread through the it. People should not touch or pick up wild bite of anorinfected or contact with its animals strays –animal even baby animals.

According to wildlife officials, rabid lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food venanimals often show a change in their nordors round out the event with everything mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether May 6,and 2021 lemonade • Williston Observer • Page 23 from coffee to burgers and an animal has rabies simply by looking at creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals it. People should not touch or pick up wild from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and animals or strays – even baby animals.

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Spring House Washing Specializing in Low-Pressure Vinyl Siding Washes

Our experience will get you home. Jeff Teplitz

SinceRemodeling 1988 & Additions

1/9/14 DEE.PT.bCARD.2.4x1.5FINAL.indd 9:12 AM 12

MOWING | MULCH/SOIL DELIVERY WEEDING | PRUNING SPRING/FALL CLEANUP | HAUL A-WAY

We specialize in service, customer education, and experience in the industry. We are proud to serve you and your family with a phenomenal home loan experience.

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Insurance Health

VERMONT MADE

Family owned and operated since 1921 Pre-planning services available 209 Falls Road, Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3370

Washing Decks, Driveways, Walkways & More!

Owner operated - Call Greg Mack

802-310-6379 ANTIQUE SHOP ANTIQUE SHOP

IVE CORNERS ORNERS FIVE CORNERS FFIVE C ANTIQUES NTIQUES ANTIQUES A A Multi Dealer Shop A Multi Dealer A Multi Dealer Shop Shop

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11 Maple Street, Street, Essex Junction, VT VT 11 Maple Essex Junction, 11Open Maple Street, Junction, VT Mon SatEssex 10-5 Sun 11-4 Open-Mon - Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 Open Mon - Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 5CornersAntiques.com 5CornersAntiques.com 5CornersAntiques.com

Page 24 • Williston Observer • May 6, 2021

Green Up Day 2021

1 4 1. Steve Madden tackles some trash on Green-up Day Saturday along South Road. 2. Davarna Gosto greens up along Mountain View Road. 3. Dzemal Gosto cleans up along Mountain View Road.

4. Canine Pepper does her part on Governor Chittenden Road.

OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO

5. Blythe Leonard finds plenty of trash along North Williston Road.

OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Call today for a personal tour and to learn about our Spring move-in promotion! Now Open For Tours and Visitation

For Over 35 Years We’ve Been Providing Assisted Care The Way It Was Meant To Be. • Experienced, 24 Hour a Day Care • All-Inclusive Monthly Pricing • Private, Spacious Apartments • Vermont Owned and Managed • Convenient Location

Come Learn What We Have to Offer!

Call Erin Knox today to schedule a Personal Tour at 802-861-4003 or visit our website: gazeboseniorliving.com 1510/1530 Williston Road | South Burlington Gazebo_Move_in_BANG_10.25x7.75.indd 1

4/28/21 1:35 PM