Williston Observer 7/8/2021

Fourth of July Scrapbook — pages 1-7

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Independence Day serves as community reunion BY JASON STARR Observer staff For weeks this spring, Gov. Phil Scott talked up the Fourth of July as the “return-to-normal” date in Vermont after 15 months of pandemic restrictions. But the vaccination of Vermonters went faster than expected, and Scott lifted the state’s public health emergency orders in June. Still, at least in Williston, this year’s Independence Day celebration felt like the first real community reunion since COVID-19 initially forced us apart early last year. A much-anticipated and only slightly scaled back parade went off Saturday morning just before rain set in. Skies cleared later for the evening’s activities, including the Deb Beckett Memorial 5K race, an ice cream social hosted by the Williston Federated Church, a concert on the Village Green by the Williston Town Band and a fireworks display at Williston Community Park. Friday’s Dorothy Alling Memorial Library book sale was the only rain cancellation. The Ice Cream Social and Town Band concert originally scheduled for Friday were both postponed one day. “We always get love going down the parade route, but this year, it was just this outpouring,” said Lynn Blevins, a member of

Williston was once again able to celebrate the Fourth of July in style after months of pandemic restrictions, on Saturday. The parade route once again resounded with the sound of marching bands and fire engine sirens as the parade wound its way through town; the Williston Town Band performed live for an appreciative audience; and fireworks once again lit up the night sky in celebration. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

the Sue Pasco Memorial Williston Precision Lawn Chair March and Drill Team, always a memorable part of the parade. “It’s the comfort of seeing the familiar, from before the pandemic. I think we’re

all having those experiences right now, like ‘this is how life used to be. These are the things that we enjoyed, and here they are again!’” Parade starter Tony Lamb joked about a town ordinance that

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

as they lined Williston Road. Led by Boy Scout Troop 692, the parade left Johnson Farm Saturday morning and proceedsee FOURTH page 24

Superintendent Sanchez gets started BY JASON STARR Observer staff

Rene Sanchez is the new Champlain Valley School District superintendent.

says it can’t rain on the Fourth of July parade. But after Friday’s book sale cancellation and other event postponements, spectators and parade participants kept a close eye on the low gray clouds

Rene Sanchez is settling into his new office in Shelburne, meeting people in the five towns that make up the Champlain Valley School District and talking with fellow school district administrators. It is his first full week as the school district’s superintendent. Sanchez was hired to succeed Elaine Pinckney after a nation-

al search. He moved from South Bend, Ind., where he was an assistant school superintendent. He previously worked as a high school principal in his home state of Texas. Sanchez, along with his wife — a native of Vermont and UVM graduate — and their three children, signed a contract last week on a home in Williston after searching in a tight Champlain Valley home-buying market. He attended the Williston Fourth of

July parade Saturday for a first interaction with residents. He then went to the Hinesburg Fourth parade Sunday, and plans meetand-greets in Charlotte and at the Shelburne Farmers’ Market later this week. “Everyone I’ve met has been very welcoming, and I can really tell that my family and I are going to fit in very well here,” Sanchez said. “The cordialness, the way people treat one another, it feels see SANCHEZ page 24

Page 2  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

WILLISTON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2021

A light drizzle may have speckled the windshields of the firetrucks, right, as they drove the parade route Saturday, but didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the young man (left) who got a bird’s eye view of the festivities, or the other enthusiastic spectators. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 3

Williston on parade

All types showed up to participate in the Independence Day parade in Williston on Saturday. The Cat in the Hat (top left) was spotted strolling the route; farmers took an hour or two off (middle left) to show off their decked-out farm equipment; kids (bottom left) decorated their bikes and rode along. Even the Marines (above) showed up. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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Page 4  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

WILLISTON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2021

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A tribute to Deb Beckett, who was one of the parade’s four Grand Marshall honorees, graced the parade; the precision lawn chair team performed their drills along the route; the Town Band provided music; decorated floats interspersed with marchers; and (center) the police were there with a big smile and a thumbs-up. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 5

Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Race winners Saturday, at Williston Community Park OVERALL First place Erin Magill (19.07) Second place Tim Redmond (19.18) Third place Melanie Zimmerman (19.35)

FEMALES 19 & UNDER Gabriele Knight Claire Kim Maggie Lawrence FEMALES AGES 20-39 Erin Magill Melanie Zimmerman Allison Waring FEMALES AGES 40-59 Carolyn Siccama Elizabeth Ritchie Brianne Williams FEMALES AGES 60-PLUS Joan Spasyr Brenda Barsalou Steph Brown

MALES 19 & UNDER Diego Robinson Tyler Forrest W.M. Cate MALES AGES 20-39 Matt Gagnon Sean Beckett Theron Twitchell MALES AGES 40-59 Tim Redmond Paul Kartchoke McKew Devitt MALES AGES 60-PLUS Ben Rose Peter Moreman Bob Driver

Race in the rain The Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Race was a little damp, but that didn’t affect the enthusiasm of the participants, young and old. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY

Tunes and spoons

The Williston Town Band (above) filled the gazebo and surrounding area with tuneful renditions of patriotic music, led by Chapin Kaynor, Interim Conductor (left). A team of masked scoopers (below) prepare to dish up desserts at the Ice Cream Social, sponsored by Williston Federated Church. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Page 6  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

WILLISTON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2021

And the rockets’ red glare Fireworks lit up the night sky despite the weather. The clouds provided a misty backdrop to the display of bursts, rockets and sparklers which delighted the crowds. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

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High fives all around Thank you to everyone who helped or participated in one or more of the Independence Day events this year. Thank you to all the town employees who setup and took down for the different events, the Police Department for directing traffic and keeping everyone safe, the Fire Department for being on call for emergencies and at the fireworks, and to those who participated in so many ways to make this celebration a success. Thank you to the organizations that held events this year: the Town Band for their concert, the Williston Federated Church for the Ice Cream Social, the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club for the Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Race and the Historical Society’s for the tour of the Old Schoolhouse.

Thank you to Ken Morton for supplying the vehicle for the parade grand marshals. Thank you also to the parade lineup organizer, Tony Lamb, and to his wife Susan, who was at the end of parade handing out ice cream coupons to children in the parade. Thank you to the Lewis family for use of their driveway and field at Johnson Farm for the parade lineup. And finally, thank you to anyone who took part or helped, and to the community and our visitors for helping to make this celebration a fun and safe one. Hope to see everyone at next year’s celebration, Monday, July 4, 2022! — Todd Goodwin, Williston Recreation and Parks Director

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 7

WILLISTON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2021

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A day after the Town of Williston’s Independence Day parade, residents of the Willow Brook Lane neighborhood in Williston and St. George gathered for a parade of their own. Neighbors spanning nine decades marched, rode unicycles, drove cars and rode horses as people cheered them on from the ends of their driveways. The tradition was started last year when the town’s parade was cancelled due to the pandemic. OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTOS

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Page 8  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

GUEST COLUMN

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State’s commitment to people doesn’t end with COVID BY JULIE LOWELL

Income security

Vermont leaders demonstrated their commitment to Vermonters during the pandemic. They told the truth, faced reality and committed to the public good to weather the emergency. The post-COVID recovery requires this same level of commitment to address the ongoing challenges that the pandemic highlighted — deteriorating infrastructure, income insecurity and systemic inequities. Aided by federal relief funds this year, the $7.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2022, which started on July 1, provides a good start.

During the pandemic, caring for children kept some parents from their jobs. But lack of affordable, quality child care had already made it hard for parents to take on paid work, straining household budgets. The Legislature’s $12.7 million appropriation of state and federal funds makes the third investment in a five-year state plan that is increasing child care afford-

Infrastructure Lawmakers allocated $150 million of federal funds for broadband improvement to start fixing a system that left many unable to learn or work from home over the past 15 months. Another $115 million from the feds will go toward clean water, and $50 million will support climate action. These are entrenched state problems requiring large-scale investments. The need for more permanent, affordable housing also became apparent during the pandemic, with over 1,600 Vermont households needing emergency hotel accommodations. The budget invests $144 million of federal and state money in Vermont’s housing infrastructure to bring new and badly needed affordable units online.

The pandemic might be ending, but a lot of work remains to create a Vermont that works for everyone. ability, expanding affordable care to a larger number of families and improving provider compensation. With so many people out of work during the pandemic, the limitations of the unemployment insurance computer system — a part of Vermont’s safety net infrastructure in need of repair for years — left many Vermont residents scrambling for income. The state is beginning to fix this problem with $3.5 million set aside for the first step in a four-phase plan to

upgrade the system.

Equity Equity investments this year are small. A $180,000 investment of one-time state money will fund activities to address health inequities, which became more pronounced during COVID. Another $150,000 of federal funds will support research on how Vermont can support BIPOC business development, recognizing the large racial wealth gap and its impact on businesses. Both initiatives require collecting and disaggregating state health and business-ownership data by race, ethnicity and gender (and disability status for health data). This is needed in a wide range of areas so we can better understand inequity and develop responses that eliminate disparities. As Vermont enters the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers need to apply the same candor and commitment they’ve used to solve problems over the past 15 months. This year’s budget begins that work, but now we must build on it, with or without the federal relief that made this year’s progress possible. The pandemic might be ending, but a lot of work remains to create a Vermont that works for everyone. Julie Lowell is a policy analyst at Public Assets Institute, online at www.publicassets.org.

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July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Change needed on the Fish & Wildlife Board Wildlife advocates recently presented four petitions at a meeting of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board, including a petition to restrict recreational trapping. Despite the fact that the petitions were submitted to the Fish & Wildlife Department in February, petitioners were contacted only one week prior to the June board meeting, and were told we had to attend in person if we wanted to participate. Fish & Wildlife staff responded to the petitions with presentations that were less responses than orchestrated takedowns of the petitioners. Additionally, a prior board member (a former president of the Vermont Trappers Association) whose term expired in February, was brought back on for June’s

meeting, although his county seat remains vacant. Vermont statute states that reappointments are not allowed. This member lamented that people come to Vermont from other states and want to change trapping laws. Not surprisingly, he voted no on our petition. Trappers comprise less than one percent of the Vermont population and have been over-represented on this board, which includes no one from the wildlife protection community. Protect Our Wildlife contracted with the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies to survey Vermonters about their position on trapping. The results indicated that 75 percent of respondents wanted to ban leghold and body-gripping traps.

Fish & Wildlife claims the survey question led the public to a desired response, so they’re critiquing UVM’s survey methodology. Yet, they have a $125,000 contract with Responsive Management, a company that creates trapping surveys for fish and wildlife agencies nationwide. To protest that Protect Our Wildlife contracted with UVM (an unbiased party) on our survey, while not disclosing who conducts theirs, is disingenuous at best and reeks of political pandering to trappers. Change is certainly coming, but will it arrive too late for Vermont’s wildlife? Lisa Jablow Brattleboro

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Righting the inequity in school funding The Legislature has passed S.13, establishing a task force to study and implement updates to weighting factors in Vermont’s education funding formula. The task force will use a UVM study that contains some very specific recommendations for how to address the issue of inequity as the basis for its work. The recommendations of the study do not add any funding from either state or local sources, they simply re-allocate the same pot of money so that local tax rates become more equitable. It is generally accepted that some taxpayers in Vermont pay more than others to educate the children in their community. The residents of communities with larger levels of poverty, larger

levels of non-English speaking populations and schools in more rural settings have a larger tax burden than is equitable compared to schools in other communities. It costs more and puts a larger tax burden on local taxpayers to educate these kids. This means that for 25 years, rural schools, impoverished students and students with English language learning needs have been given short shrift, if not completely neglected. In the past, Vermont has used block grants or categorical aid to some schools to cover needed extra spending, but this is a stop-gap way to address the issue. Correcting the weighting formulas will be a more precise and less arbitrary way to get the funds to needy kids. We encourage Vermonters to

reach out to one of the many organizations at the forefront of this issue. The Coalition for Vermont Student Equity is a great place to start, as well as your local school board chair to see if a) they are aware of the issue and understand it and b) are advocating on your town’s behalf to ensure that 25 years of inequity is righted. We hope the public will see that the right thing to do is to look out for the children in our schools who have been underfunded for the last generation. They will not be getting those years back. Dan MacArthur and Douglas Korb The Coalition for Vermont Student Equity

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Leveling the lodging playing field ject to onsite visits from officials throughout the pandemic for compliance checks. Short-term rentals (AirBnB, for example) were exempt from this because they are permitted to operate anonymously. Owners could not be contacted and there is no system in place for communication with the state. With thousands of short-term rental units in Vermont, we believe it is important that these property owners receive communications on how to ensure the health and safety of the traveling public. Vermont’s lodging businesses have suffered disproportionately throughout the pandemic, yet they

have been public health champions. The passage of this bill would have provided a glimmer of hope for licensed lodging properties and would have demonstrated that the administration understands the need to level the playing field for businesses providing overnight accommodations. The Vermont Chamber will continue advocating for the establishment of a short-term rental registry when the Legislature reconvenes. Amy Spear Vermont Chamber Vice President of Tourism

Have a comment? Write a letter. Email editor@willistonobserver.com.

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.

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We at the Vermont Chamber are surprised and disappointed by Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of S.79, which would have moved the state toward greater regulatory equity in the lodging marketplace. The administration did not indicate they had a serious problem with the bill at any point during the 2021 legislative session. The sudden change of course is difficult to understand considering several administration officials publicly offered support for the legislation over the last few months. As an example of inequity in the lodging marketplace, licensed lodging properties were sub-

Page 10  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

Vermont Youth Orchestra to perform at Isham Farm Members of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association and Broadway actor Mackenzie Mercer will play the Isham Family Farm barn in Williston next Thursday, July 15, in an evening celebrating youth in music. Mercer will perform well-known Broadway works, joined by a Vermont Youth Orchestra string trio and flute choir. Pieces by Beethoven, Schubert, Vivaldi and Fauré will also be performed. The event will open with a pre-show environmental talk with farm owner Helen Weston. This concert is part of the “First: Earth Summer Series” of events on the Isham Family Farm. The series is a nonprofit dedicated to nature preservation and promotion of the arts. Doors open at 5 p.m. for pre-show picnicking. Tickets are donation-based and must be reserved in advance at www.vyo.org.

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Sarah Jerger’s little free art gallery in Essex Junction. PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

Inside Essex’s ‘little free art gallery’ BY LUCA KOLBA Community News Service

After a long year without gallery visits or museum trips, you can get your art fix on Oneida Avenue in Essex Junction. There’s just one catch — everything is tiny. Sarah Jerger has been the curator for Vermont’s tiniest art gallery since she began it in early April. Like a little free library or little free pantry, the little free art gallery is open to the public year-round and anyone is welcome to drop off or pick up the tiny art inside. The gallery was an immediate hit. “In the first few months, we’ve seen over 300 pieces of art go through the gallery,” Jerger said. “I was not expecting it to be that much. It was really amazing.” Jerger was inspired when she saw that a Seattle-based artist,

Stacy Milrainy, had created a little free art gallery. It turns out they are popping up around the country. Hers may be the only one in Vermont, but Jerger hopes to see more appear throughout the state. “It’s obviously served people in our town, but I know of other people from other towns who’ve come and visited as well, so I think the more that joy can be spread around, all the better,” Jerger said. One highlight was a special exhibit last week — a display of art by the kindergarteners at Hiawatha Elementary School. About 50 kids came to leave art they made for the gallery, a welcome outing after a year with few field trips. Jerger, who has two sons who attend Hiawatha, was happy with the results. “Everyone has the capacity to be creative and make art. And so this was a lovely way to be able to

share that idea with them and also help remind them to keep their inner artist alive,” she said. Jerger encourages everyone to take art from the gallery freely, even if they’re not leaving anything. She says there’s never a shortage of art. “If someone likes a piece, they should take it home with them. The art wants to be loved,” she said. Just don’t forget to leave behind the miniature gallery furniture and attendees. Regular updates on the little free art gallery and its contents can be found on Instagram @freelittleartgalleryessexjct. The Community News Service is a partnership between the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program and Vermont community newspapers.

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July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 11

Former Vt. Gas president to lead Natural Resources Board Don Rendall has been appointed interim chair of the Natural Resources Board. The appointment, by Gov. Phil Scott, comes following the July 2 resignation of Diane Snelling as chair. Rendall was the president and CEO of Vermont Gas until his retirement in 2020. The Natural Resources Board administers the state’s ACT 250 land use and development law.

“Don has the experience to understand the importance of having a clear, predictable and consistent regulatory process, and will be able to hit the ground running in this interim role,” Scott said. “I appreciate his willingness to help us out over the next several months and I know he will serve Vermonters well.” Rendall will serve as interim chair until a permanent replace-

ment is identified, ensuring a stable transition, assessing current operations and recommending improvements. “I’m pleased to accept this appointment to serve as interim chair of the NRB,” said Rendall. “I look forward to meeting and listening to the NRB members, staff and other Act 250 stakeholders, as we continue the board’s mandate to administer

Act 250 fairly, efficiently and effectively.” Before joining Vermont Gas, Rendall held several executive positions at Green Mountain Power, including general counsel and senior vice president of strategy and finance. He practiced law at Sheehey Furlong & Behm in Burlington from 1987 until joining GMP in 2002. Rendall has served as presi-

dent of the Vermont Bar Association, board chair of the United Way of Chittenden County and board chair of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Duke University School of Law. The Scott Administration will begin a process to find a longterm NRB chair in August.

PROPERTY TRANSFERS Property transfers in June • Clay Morgan bought a home on Hanon Drive from the Leslie A. Quinn Revocable Living Trust for $620,000. • Kyle Conant bought a home on Applewood Lane from Paul Brisette for $710,000. • Benjamin Psaros bought a home on Sundown Drive from Eric Love for $410,000. • Ryan Derek bought a home on Ledgewood Drive from John Donnelly for $820,000. • The Scott J. Michaud Revocable Trust bought a home on O’Neil

Lane from Gerald LeBlanc for $440,000. • Judith Kinner bought a home on Dunmore Lane from Luis Manuel Acevez Arnout for $517,000. • Johnathan Lombardo bought a home on Essex Road from David Antonioli for $476,000. • David Antonioli bought a home on Hanon Drive from Marc Gagnon for $691,500. • Ronald Herath bought a home on Tower Lane from Richard Leggett for $600,000.

• Audrey Degrechie bought a home on Stonehill Road from Eric Love for $183,100. • Michael Henry bought a home on White Birch Lane from Yuning Lie for $360,000. • Andrew Hagyari bought a condominium on Twitchell Court from Adriana Roper for $305,000. • Kenneth Janson bought a home on Oak Hill Road from Stephen Pomarico for $400,410. • A&M Construction Corp. bought a home on 4 acres on

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North Williston Road from Whitney Fellows for $174,900. David Nurnberger bought a home on Shirley Circle from Mark Sweeney for $355,500. Kelsey Springer bought a home on Gallop Drive from Richard Plaisted for $429,500. Patrick Buteau bought a home on Whitewater Circle from Lois Alberti for $415,500. Landmark Infrastructure Holding Company bought commercial property on Merchant’s Row from Taft Corners Associates,

Inc. • Marion Fonville bought a condominium on Maidstone Lane from Charles Peter Bankart for $500,000. • Timothy Albertson bought a condominium on Eastview Circle from Marion Fonville for $289,000. • Andrew Dow bought a condominium on James Brown Drive from Jenna Aldrich-Arel for $240,000.

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Page 12  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

Gypsy moth caterpillars are devastating this year

now, after one too many dry seasons, the fungus hasn’t been able to proliferate enough to keep the Milton resident Lynne Manley caterpillars at bay. had heard talk of a caterpillar isManley hiked up Arrowhead sue, but hadn’t noticed anything Mountain to see the devastation up herself — until one day when she close. looked up at a shocking view. “It’s really eerie up there. It’s The Manleys like winter time own most of Arbecause you can rowhead Mounsee through the tain, which has woods like you been in the famcan in the winily for generater when there’s tions. Now, an no foliage,” she almost perfect said. line cuts across Not only the view of the does it look mountain, seplike the wrong arating the lush season, Manley greenery below said it sounds from a barren like it’s raining brown landbecause of the scape on top. constant sound Manley postLynne Manley of the caterpillar ed an image on a frass, or dropMilton Milton commupings, falling to nity Facebook the ground. group juxtapos“You’re walking around and ing two photos of the mountain, there’s caterpillars everywhere. one from this year and one from It’s disgusting,” Manley said. last year, and it got close to 50 Even experts have been surcomments, many by people shar- prised by the scale of the devastaing their own horror stories of tion. According to Judy Rosovsky, dealing with the invasion. Vermont State Entomologist, the The caterpillars are gypsy Agency of Natural Resources moths, an invasive species intro- couldn’t do its yearly survey of induced to the U.S. in the late 1800s. sect populations last year because They’ve barely been an issue for of the pandemic. three decades, due to a fungus that “So while we knew these keeps the population down. But numbers were going up, we just BY LUCA KOLBA Community News Service

‘It’s really eerie up there. It’s like winter time because you can see through the woods like you can in the winter when there’s no foliage.’

Gypsy moth caterpillars have barely been an issue for three decades, due to a fungus that keeps the population down. But now, after one too many dry seasons, the fungus hasn’t been able to proliferate enough to keep the caterpillars at bay. PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

didn’t know where or how much or whether it was going to rain this spring and help control the infestation,” Rosovsky said. Trees can bounce back from this type of defoliation, but Rosovsky has concerns that, if patterns of drought and caterpillar infestations continue, there could be more permanent damage. “We’ve had a drought at least

one season per year since 2016,” Rosovsky said. “This is not really great for some of our hardwood trees.” The good news is that most of the caterpillars will be onto their next life stage by the end of the month. “Some are well advanced and some are slower to develop, but certainly by the beginning of July

they should all be starting to pupate. And then two weeks after they spin cocoons, they’re going to emerge as adult moths,” said Rosovsky. But even though the caterpillars will soon be gone, Rosovsky and others are already concerned for next year. see CATERPILLARS page 13

Weed warriors uproot invasive species BY CLAIRE MACQUEEN Community News Service Weed warriors armed with gloves and garden shears gathered at the entrance to Wheeler Nature Park in South Burlington last month, ready to learn about and assist with the removal of invasive plant species. The Weed Warriors program began in 2017 to address invasive species in City Center Park, led by Mike Bald, owner of Got Weeds? According to Ashley Parker, South Burlington’s city project manager, the goal of the program is to train volunteers who will then return to natural areas and deal with invasive species on their own. It has since expanded to include Red Rocks Park, Wheeler Nature Park and Underwood Property in the city. “The ultimate goal is diversity and resilience … a place that can function, really, without too much heavy-handedness on our part,” said Bald. Bald, who has worked to protect natural areas from invasive species

since 2003, uses only manual methods, advocating against the use of herbicides in his work. At the park on June 19, he gestured to a row of tall grasses that border the parking lot. Though similar in height, there were two distinct species: the invasive phragmites and native cattails. Bald spoke about how the cattails were being crowded out as the invasive species outcompeted them, “gently, year after year, a few feet at a time.” Disposing of weeds in the right way is another aspect of managing invasive species within natural spaces. Pinched between two leaves, Bald held the pale root of a wild parsnip he’d found. Though it varies by species, drying out a plant by hanging it from a tree or elevated surface is one way to keep smaller species from reemerging. “You can’t be sloppy with vegetation in the first part of the year — May and June — because if I throw that on the ground, it could actually

recover,” said Bald. It was not a planned discovery, but the root led to a conversation on safety while dealing with invasive species. Wild parsnip root, for example, can cause a chemical burn on human skin. Long pants, sleeves and gloves help protect against the oils of some plants, as well as sun damage and bug bites. Consistent hydration is also important when out weeding during the summer, whether in a natural area or one’s own garden. Education is vital as well: Bald recommends not going after plants like the wild parsnip or similarly dangerous plants such as wild chervil, giant hogweed and poison ivy. Instead, contact a professional. For more information or to register for Weed Warrior events, contact Parker at aparker@sburl.com. The Community News Service is a partnership between the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling Mike Bald girdles a common buckthorn, removing a layer of bark to stop the program and Vermont community species’ spread in South Burlington. PHOTO BY CLAIRE MACQUEEN/COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE newspapers.

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 13

Scott says he’d refuse federal unemployment extension Weekly $300 supplement continues through summer BY GUY PAGE Special to the Observer The Vermont unemployment rate is down to 2.6 percent and isn’t expected to climb much until more workers re-enter the workforce, Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington said earlier this month. However, the federal government will continue to pay $300 a week in pandemic unemployment until Sept. 4. Asked at a recent press conference if he would consider declining the federal unemployment payments before Sept. 4, Gov. Phil Scott said, “we have to give 30

days notice. I think we should see this through. If Congress decides to extend, I would probably not accept. It’s gone on long enough. We would let it lapse.” As for this summer, Scott said the state will try other strategies to boost employment. “Every single sector in Vermont is challenged by workforce needs,” Scott said. “This is no surprise. Before the pandemic we had the lowest unemployment rate. We had more jobs than people. That hasn’t changed.” He said the state continues to encourage refugee workers and market the beauty of Vermont and the health of its people. He urged the Legislature to not raise taxes and in particular to pass a state income tax exemption on military pensions.

Vermont is one of only six states to continue taxing military retirees. “If we didn’t do that, (military retirees) might consider staying,” Scott said. At 2.6 percent, Vermont now has the second-lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The comparable United States rate in May was 5.8 percent. While the Vermont labor force has nearly 20,000 fewer workers than a year ago — after the pandemic had begun — the new numbers reflect some gains in the number of employed. Employment increased by 1,296 in May and is up 3,212 from the same time last year. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed people decreased by 918 and is 23,006 fewer than a year ago.

The unemployment rate one year ago was 9.3 percent. “As job seekers return to the labor force, it can be expected that the unemployment rate will rise,” Harrington said. “This is because the labor force and unemployment rate both calculate individuals who are actively seeking employment. However, Vermont’s unemployment rate has decreased to 2.6 percent, putting us back to pre-pandemic levels.” The Vermont labor force is expected to expand when federal unemployment benefits expire

Sept. 4. In addition to the federal unemployment benefit, the State of Vermont pays up to $533 per week if recipients can demonstrate they have tried and failed to find suitable work. Vermonters who are no longer receiving state unemployment benefits must earn four times their benefit, or work in two consecutive quarters, before being eligible to receive benefits again. Guy Page is publisher of the Vermont Chronicle, online at www. vermontchronicle.com.

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Caterpillars continued from page

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“I think what we’re worried about is, given the population that was around, they’re going to be, you know, pupating and laying their eggs so that we could conceivably have a really big population next year that we’re going to have to try and deal with the best we can,” said Nick Meyer, chair of the Essex Junction Tree Advisory Committee. The Tree Advisory Committee maintains and monitors the public trees within Essex Junction and has planted about 200 new trees in the village since its start in 2014, according to Meyer.

Meyer said he’s been checking Essex Junction’s trees for caterpillars, especially the 38 new trees the committee planted this year. He said the area he monitors hasn’t been hit that hard. In preparation for next year, Meyer would like to explore aerial spraying of a bacteria that kills caterpillars when they feed on it and is non-toxic to humans and the environment. “We’re probably doing that early on, where we can,” he said. “It used to be widely done that people would spray trees, but there aren’t a lot of contractors who can do that work anymore.” For now, Rosovsky has some tips for homeowners experiencing the gypsy moth outbreak. She

says to look out for egg masses, which will appear after the adult moths emerge and begin to mate. Egg masses should be scraped off into a bucket of soapy water to kill them, says Rosovsky. She also recommends giving ornamental trees you really like a thorough watering once in a while if conditions stay dry to offset the drought. “If you do have a big forest,” she added, “there’s not a lot you can do except hope for rain.” The Community News Service is a partnership between the University of Vermont’s Reporting & Documentary Storytelling program and Vermont community newspapers.

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Page 14  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

SPORTS

The Vermont Lake Monsters take to the field during their home opener against the Norwich Sea Unicorns at Centennial Field in Burlington on Saturday, May 29. PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

Vermont baseball lovers fear for the future of America’s pastime BY SEAMUS MCAVOY VTDigger Tom Simon is waxing eloquent on baseball, the game that he lives and breathes, and its decline in popularity in recent years. Younger generations are just not as interested as they are in other sports, said Simon, 55. Gone are the days of impressive baseball card collections, or pickup games around the neighborhood. He’s on the phone offering a reporter one of many ideas he has about how to reverse the trend — for example, that coaches should pick up the pace during practices to make them more exciting — when he gets a call from his 17-year-old son. When Simon gets back on the line, he can’t help but laugh. His son, a baseball player at Burlington High School, called to ask permission to be late to his American Legion team’s practice that evening. The European Championship soccer game between France and Switzerland was about to head to penalty kicks, and the teenager wanted to see it finish. “Tell me that doesn’t sum up everything that you and I just talked about. You can’t even make this stuff up,” Simon said. Simon, of course, told his son no — much to the teen’s disgust. But no other answer could be expected from Simon, a Burlington-based lawyer and author who founded

the Vermont chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research. He’s come to love soccer, too, but today’s lesson was about honoring the commitment his son made to the team. Simon said his son’s call typifies the state of the game among young people. For myriad reasons, fewer kids are flocking to baseball at earlier ages, and fewer still are advancing through to the high school level. Baseball suffers from a steep drop-off problem, especially around the time kids graduate to the fullsized field at around 13 years old. The distance between the basepaths generally leaps from 60 feet to 90 feet — a hard adjustment even for quality players, Simon said. The impact on the sport is dire. Almost 2 million fewer kids aged 13-17 play baseball than kids ages 6-12, according to an Aspen Institute 2020 report. No sport loses more participants by middle school. It’s enough to make Simon wonder whether baseball, America’s traditional pastime, is now becoming America’s past. “I think the pace of play has something to do with it, I think the steroid era probably has something to do with it,” Simon said. “But mainly it’s just progress, it’s Darwinism. (Young people) have better options.”

Top of the first A recent Thursday is what might

be called a perfect night for baseball. It’s a cloudless evening, and the crowd at Centennial Field in Burlington is drenched in early-summer warmth. The sun is hanging just over the third base line, causing the player in right field to flip down his flashy sunglasses. All baseball players at this level, regardless of talent, know how to do the seemingly impossible: look cool. It’s necessitated by a sport that involves a lot of standing around. The players chew, spit, make strange signals to each other with their hands and adjust their protective equipment. The result is a kind of unique swagger in which young men manage to look good in tight pants and button-front jerseys. A cursory look around Centennial Field, where baseball has been played since 1906, suggests the future of the game is in good shape. Earlier this year, that stretch looked in peril. Reshuffling at the top of the Major League Baseball structure resulted in the Vermont Lake Monsters losing their MLB affiliation. The University of Vermont, which played the first-ever baseball game at Centennial, dropped its baseball program in 2009. After two weeks in limbo, the Futures Collegiate Baseball League announced it would welcome the Lake Monsters into its fold. Instead of developing pros, the teams

would be made up of standout college players looking to stay sharp over their summer breaks. The difference in quality is apparent to the trained eye, but most in attendance don’t seem to notice. Families corralling swaths of children decked out in official Lake Monster gear populate the stands. As of the first pitch, everyone is glued to the action. But the action never comes — not really. The odd runner reaches on a softly hit ball that squirts through the infield, or reaches on an error. After three innings, the game is scoreless. Restless cries calling for Champ, the team’s mischievous mascot, soon break out among the younger attendees, and are soon matched by cries for snacks.

Bottom of the fifth The Lake Monsters are an attractive outing for those plugged into the Vermont baseball community, and perhaps the best place to see homegrown talent at the next level. This year’s roster features nine players originally from the state, including Sky Rahill, a Burlington High graduate who Simon saw play while still in Little League. “Man, he really pursued baseball so hard to get to where he is at now,” Simon said. “He’s really one of the very few who did that.” Rahill plays college ball at sixthranked Salisbury University, and

this year contributed to the team’s first NCAA Division III national title. Many in the baseball community — and pro scouts — are also excited about Owen Kellington. Geoff Green, Kellington’s high school coach, said the former U-32 High School standout was topping 94 mph on the radar gun during his state title-winning senior season. That’s enough to make opponents’ pupils dilate, and a pro scout’s eyes water. “In my experience, I’ve never seen a pitcher in Vermont throwing that hard,” Green said. Kellington’s numbers this year were extraordinary. Of the 147 outs he recorded across 49 innings, 133 came from strikeouts. Only 18 batters reached base safely via walk (11) or hit (7). Last Tuesday, Kellington was named Gatorade Vermont Baseball Player of the Year. Projected to be drafted by a big league team this summer, he’s the type of player that Vermont doesn’t frequently produce. Winooski-born Ralph LaPointe, the University of Vermont’s first superstar, debuted in 1947. After his death in 1967 at age 47, the clubhouse at Centennial Field was renamed in his honor. More recent are players like Hall of Famer and Bellow Falls-born Carlton Fisk, or Kirk McCaskill, from Ontario, Canada, who played baseball and hockey at see BASEBALL page 15

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 15

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UVM. Until the draft, Kellington will be one of a handful of Vermont natives on the Lake Monsters roster. Kellington struck out three batters over two scoreless innings in his first appearance on June 19. Green thinks Kellington’s success has already captured the attention of younger kids, which could provide a boost to the program he’s been building since becoming head baseball coach at U-32 in 2019. “It grabs them, gets them involved in baseball, and once they’re there, you can keep them in the system,” Green said. Around the country, Little League programs are struggling to fill out leagues, and high schools are finding it difficult to fill varsity rosters. Those numbers are down locally, too. In 2018, 2,729 players were enrolled in Vermont’s District 1 Little League, which includes the greater Burlington area. That number plummeted to 1,893 during a COVID-affected 2020 season, and the 2,064 reported this spring is hardly a recovery. In the Central Vermont Little League, which feeds into the U-32 region, things are a little better. Enrollment climbed to 389 in 2019 from a three-year average of 375 before then, and enrollment was on track to increase once again before the pandemic limited the league’s program offerings. Still, Green said the biggest challenge to running the U-32 baseball program is keeping numbers up, and kids matriculating through from middle to high school. “A lot of the action that makes a game fun doesn’t happen as frequently at the lower level,” Green said. It can be a challenge for young pitchers to hit the strike zone consistently, leading to play that drags. Even when pitching is accurate, making good contact on a round ball with a round bat is one of sports’ greatest challenges. For kids who are drawn to action, comparably fast-paced sports such as lacrosse offer a tantalizing alternative. Both are played during the spring, making them direct competitors, even as more sports move to year-round models and the prevalence of one-sport athletes is on the rise. When Simon was a kid, he said, the lacrosse team was made up mostly of the kids who weren’t good enough to keep playing baseball. Now, the sport has begun poaching baseball’s better athletes at earlier ages. “Lacrosse is nonstop action; you are always doing something,” said Bob Johnson, associate executive director of the Vermont Principals’ Association, the governing body of Vermont’s high school athletics. Johnson pointed to Bellows

Free Academy-Fairfax, which he said didn’t field a varsity baseball team this year after years of success. The school’s relatively new lacrosse team, however, just notched its first varsity playoff win in program history. It’s a tale of two sports: the best of times for lacrosse, and the worst of times for baseball.

fund and 4) The teams were almost always competitive. Robert Corran, the previous athletic director, reportedly told Carter that his group would have to raise an eye-popping $15 million to fully endow the team. Officials reached that number by multiplying the $1 million operating budget for base-

All athletic departments are conscious of compliance with Title IX, a federal law that protects people in education programs from discrimination based on sex. A new men’s baseball team would mean creating the same number of positions and scholarships for a women’s sport as well.

Top of the ninth Another thing about baseball: The game is long. Two hours into last week’s Lake Monster game, there were still four more innings to play. Heads of households started to trickle out, glumly referring to “work in the morning.” As some people departed, an older man walked by in a shirt colored in unmistakable Catamount green and gold, bearing the message “Bring It Back.” The “it” refers to the baseball program at the University of Vermont, which was cut, along with softball, in 2009 by the athletic department, citing budgetary concerns. Jim Carter, an assistant baseball coach at UVM when the program was canned, later formed the Friends of UVM Baseball to attempt to resuscitate the program. “I think (dropping baseball was) the worst decision, in my opinion, that’s ever been done at UVM,” Carter said. Carter has four reasons for why baseball should return: 1) Centennial Field is an iconic location, 2) Vermont has rich baseball talent, 3) It’s a relatively cheap program to

A fan awaits a foul ball at the Vermont Lake Monsters’ home opener in May. PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER

ball and softball across several years, then adding inflation, Corran told Seven Days in 2016. Jeff Schulman took over as athletic director in 2016, and for a moment it seemed as though baseball’s return could be on the table. Carter said the $15 million number has dropped to $1 million, but the alumni he’s spoken with have been unwilling to commit to donations without more initiative by the university.

Friends of UVM Baseball is now “totally dead,” Simon said — Carter suggests it’s “on life support,” even though the sentiment to “bring it back” is very much alive. Even with a successful endowment, a privately funded baseball program would be in a precarious position. Boise State University, which dropped its program in 1980, brought baseball back just in time for the 2020 season. After 13 games

in a pandemic-shortened season, the university decided to terminate baseball once again. Gary Van Tol, then-head coach of the Boise State team, told The Athletic that he had cobbled together the necessary funds himself. His daughter raised over $100,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. It wasn’t enough to appease university officials, though, and Boise State became one of at least five Division 1 schools to drop their baseball programs during the pandemic. It’s immaterial to speculate whether Kellington, who’s committed to play baseball at the University of Connecticut, would have considered suiting up for the Catamounts if the option had been on the table. Still, perhaps there’s something of a loss when the state’s best high school baseball talent in decades doesn’t have the option to stay home for college ball. Major League Baseball viewership among younger people has been in dire straits for years, but the league experienced a boost in that demographic during the pandemic. As the league appears to improve its ability to sell its must-watch superstars, lovers of the game will hope more kids get sucked in. But being late to baseball practice to watch soccer would have once been unthinkable. Now it’s the state of the game. “I know a lot more kids who follow the English Premier League,” Simon said, “than the MLB.”

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In the market for a doomsday bunker? Alburgh has just the place

Page 16  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

BY SHAUN ROBINSON VTDigger

while to sell,” he said. “It needs a special buyer.”

Some people dream of buying a swanky apartment in the city. Others dream of building a quiet cabin in the mountains. But Igor Polenov hopes someone out there wants to settle someplace a little different: a doomsday bunker near the northern shores of Lake Champlain. “I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff,” said Polenov, who’s the Realtor for the roughly 3,200-square-foot structure built into a hillside in Alburgh, less than 10 miles south of the Canadian border. “But I haven’t seen a bunker yet. It’s my first.” From the outside, the bunker seems to match its description online — “a post-apocalyptic hobbit house.” The structure’s outside wall faces southeast and has several openings for doors and windows. All around, it is lined by dense plant growth. The bunker’s walls are 10 inches thick and built with concrete formulated to withstand additional pressure, according to the listing online. Its roof is

A tough housing market

A bunker for sale in Alburgh is lined with dense plant growth. PHOTO BY SHAUN ROBINSON/VTDIGGER

built using prestressed concrete and has been insulated with multiple layers of protective sheathing. Inside, the structure is split into four sections, though none

are finished, and the floors are dirt. There’s a hookup for a septic system that includes a leach field and tank, as well as a separate gray water dry well. Electricity is available.

The bunker is listed for $389,000 and sits on about 13 acres. Its address is 5280 Route 2, though the structure itself is several hundred yards uphill from the road.

‘Special property’ Polenov, who works for the South Burlington-based agency Chenette Real Estate, said the structure was built in the 1990s, but abandoned and never finished after the builder’s wife died unexpectedly. “A lot of it is hearsay,” he said of the building’s history. One of Polenov’s friends bought the property and this year decided to put it on the market, hoping someone might have an interest in remote living — or doomsday preparation — sparked by the pandemic, Polenov said. Most of the land around the property is untamed. There are woods, swampland and a small pond in the back. It occupies one of the highest points in the Lake Champlain islands, Polenov said, and the top of the structure affords a sweeping view of the water and the Green Mountains in the distance. Asked if the list price was fair, Polenov said the property is unique, so it’s difficult to compare with almost anything else. It is not uncommon for properties in Alburgh to sit around on the market, he said, much less one built for such a niche interest. “Special property takes a

Still, Polenov said he’s been encouraged by the spike in people moving to Vermont from out of state during the pandemic. Home sales to new Vermonters percent last year from the year before, VTDigger has reported. The real estate market in Grand Isle County is competitive, he said, though property sells more quickly farther south on the islands — and therefore closer to the schools and amenities in Chittenden County. Kathy Sweeten, CEO of the Vermont Association of Realtors, said the overall housing market in Grand Isle County reflects trends she has seen statewide. There was almost three years’ worth of housing inventory available on the islands in May 2020 — that is, enough properties for sale that it could take three years to sell them. There was just a single month’s worth of inventory available in May of this year. The median sales price for residential properties increased about 125 percent during the past year, after decreasing yearover-year in both 2020 and 2019, data shows. In May 2020, the median sale price on the islands was about $199,000. This May, it was about $445,000. Sweeten said one of the biggest challenges facing buyers and sellers is that properties often get multiple offers above the asking price, which can lead to more intense bidding. “There’s not a lot on the market,” she said. “And it moves very quickly.” Across the state, in the Upper Valley, another fortified bunker was recently put on the market — though it is much larger and has been fully renovated. The Valley News reported Tuesday that a 100-acre compound in Plainfield, N.H. — which includes the 7,500-square-foot turreted home where tax evaders Ed and Elaine Brown held a standoff with U.S. Marshals in 2007 — was on sale for about $1.6 million. The real estate agent listing the home said there was significant interest in the property, the Valley News reported, attributed in part to an uptick in regional home sales.

What is your garden’s personality?

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 17

BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE Special to the Observer Like many things in nature, plants come in all shapes, sizes and growth tendencies. Some work best in an informal setting, while others are ideal for a formal garden. Understanding the growth characteristics of plants can help you make the best choices for your garden aesthetic, as well as the amount of time you want to spend on care and maintenance. Some plants spread as far as they can reach, while others stay in place and slowly expand their range. Others fall somewhere in between. Each growth habit lends itself to a certain garden style or outcome. This is helpful to know, depending on whether you want to create an informal or formal garden. Informal gardens have a more naturalized look than formal gardens. You may not be able to see mulch or the ground in these gardens as plants grow close together. Plants may be allowed to spread or selfseed, mixing with neighbors or popping up in new areas of the garden each year. Perennials and grasses that spread by seed or roots would be good choices for an

Perennials and grasses that spread by seed or roots, such as black-eyed Susan (pictured), are a nice option for an informal garden. COURTESY PHOTO BY BONNIE KIRN DONAHUE

informal garden. Perennials such as blackeyed Susan, Butterflyweed, creeping phlox and purple coneflower gently naturalize by seed, though not aggressively. More vigorous spreaders include common milkweed, chives, tickseed and ornamental grass prairie dropseed.

In formal flower gardens, plants may be arranged specifically by height or placed at particular locations to create a design. These gardens typically have more order and balance or symmetry. The plants tend not to spread, so you may see obvious separations between plants and may see more

of the ground. To achieve a garden like this, try to select plants that spread less and more slowly. Daylilies are a good example of this. While they do grow bigger, they mainly keep to their own clump, and it is up to the gardener to divide and transplant them over time. Peonies are another perennial that stays in the same place and can be divided over time. False indigo, Catmint and New England aster are perennials that tend to stay put. Grasses such as little bluestem and big bluestem also are good picks. Although you can use plants that spread vigorously by seed in this type of garden, keep in mind that you will need to weed out seedlings to keep the plant in one place. This approach works, but requires a high level of maintenance. For more ideas for plants for informal or formal gardens, and information on garden perennials and their growth habits, sun/ shade requirements and other characteristics, visit www.go.uvm.edu/garden-plants. Bonnie Kirn Donahue is a UVM Extension Master Gardener and landscape designer from central Vermont.

How to keep your garden looking its best through summer BY MELINDA MYERS Special to the Observer Summer means hot and often dry weather, but that doesn’t mean your garden can’t stay looking its best. Here are some tips and techniques to keep your garden going through the warmest months of the year. Spread a layer of organic mulch-like leaves, evergreen needles or wood chips on the soil surrounding plants. This helps keep plant roots cool, conserves moisture, suppresses weeds and improves the soil as it decomposes. Use a 3-4 inch layer of coarser material (like wood chips) and a 1 inch layer of finer materials (like leaves). Pull the mulch away from the trunks of trees, stems of shrubs and bases of flowers and vegetables. Water thoroughly to encourage deep, drought-tolerant roots. Light, frequent watering promotes shallow roots, making plants more susceptible to drought and other environmental stresses. Check new plantings every day or two and water often enough to keep the root area and surrounding soil slightly moist. Gradually extend the time between watering. Most plants thrive with an inch of water each week. Let soil moisture, not the calendar, be your guide. Adjust your watering practices based on temperature, soil type and rainfall. Water gardens early in the day to reduce water lost to evaporation and the risk of disease. Consider using drip irrigation or soaker hoses to apply water directly to the soil where it is needed. You will conserve moisture and help reduce the risk of spreading disease with overhead watering.

Check container gardens daily. Water thoroughly until excess water exits through the drainage hole whenever the top few inches of potting mix are dry. Succulents like to go a bit drier while moisture-loving plants prefer evenly moist soil. Continue weeding throughout the summer. Unwanted plants compete for water and nutrients. Many are hosts for insects and disease, attracting them to the landscape and putting your garden plants at risk. Remove faded flowers (deadhead) to improve the plants’ appearance, encourage more flowers or prevent reseeding. Self-cleaning plants like impatiens, cuphea and calibrachoa need no deadheading to keep blooming. Columbine, Amsonia and bee balm are a few perennials that produce lots of seedlings. Deadhead these and other plants that produce more seedlings than you desire. Stop deadheading perennials in late summer or early fall to allow seed heads to form. The seed heads add winter interest and many attract songbirds to the garden. Use twigs, decorative stakes or other supports to keep tall, floppy plants standing tall in the garden. Take time to mask functional supports so staked plants still look their best. Consider decorative stakes or convert found items into garden art that adds interest while keeping your plants upright. Don’t fret when some of your annuals stop blooming during the hotter days of summer. Lobelia, French marigolds and sweet alyssum are a few annuals that may stop flowering (heat stall) during hot

weather. Continue to water and trim back as needed. Then wait for cooler temperatures and flowers to return. Add a few hanging baskets or containers for extra color and pizzazz. Place containers and hanging baskets in lackluster garden areas like the front entrance, next to the patio or anywhere a bit of fresh color is needed.

Employ a few or all of these strategies to keep your garden looking its best. You will be amazed at the big impact such small efforts can provide. Melinda Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her web site is www. MelindaMyers.com.

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Page 18  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

SENIORS

How to pick the best place to retire Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I will both be retiring in a few years and are interested in relocating to a warmer climate, but could use some help. What resources can you recommend for locating and researching good places to retire in the U.S.? Retiring at 65

meet your wants, needs and budget. Here are several to help you get started.

Where to Retire?

If you’re at the beginning of your search, a good starting point is to take the “Find Your Best Place” retirement quiz at Sperling’s Best Places (www.BestPlaces.net/fybp). This free quiz Dear Retiring, asks 10 questions on your prefIf you’re interested in relocat- erences, such as climate, recreing when you retire, like millions ation, community size and more, BY JIM MILLER of other baby boomers, there are a and suggests possible destinations wide variety of books and online that match your answers. Marketresources that can help you find Watch also has a new matchmakand research a new location that ing tool called “Where’s the best place for me to retire?” at www. M a r k e t Wa t c h . com/graphics/ OPEN best-place-to-reSOON! tire/. CALL TO Media reSCHEDULE sources like YOUR VISIT U.S. News & TODAY! World Report, K i p l i n g e r ’s , Forbes and Money Magazine also pubLearn more about our Memory Care Program lish “best places to retire” lists Services & Features Include: • 24-hour personal care service • Art Studio on their web• Emergency response system throughout the • Library sites each year. building and in every apartment • Scheduled transportation • Bed & Breakfast-style guest suite for families • Maintenance services on demand And be sure you • The Harvest Dining experience • Housekeeping and laundry services check out Milk• Inspired Life Activities Program • Full-service beauty salon/barber shop en’s “Best Cities for Successful Aging” (www. SuccessfulAg2 Freeman Woods, Essex Junction, VT 05452 • MapleRidgeEssex.com • 802-872-7775 ing.MilkenInsti-

Savvy Senior

Brand New Community - Maple Ridge Lodge

tute.org), which ranks 381 U.S. metropolitan areas based on factors that are important to older adults. You should also consider getting a copy of “America’s 100 Best Places to Retire” (the sixth edition book; $25 at www.Amazon.com) that looks at a range of destinations and groups some in categories like best college towns, mountain towns, undiscovered towns and main street towns. Once you find a few areas that interest you, your next step is to research them. Here are some important areas you need to investigate. Cost of living: Can you afford to live comfortably in the location where you want to retire? Tools at www.Numbeo.com and www. BestPlaces.net compare the cost of living between your current location and where you would like to move. They compare housing costs, food, utilities, transportation and more. Taxes: Some states are more tax-friendly than others. If you’re planning to move to another state, Kiplinger’s has a tax guide for retirees at www.Kiplinger.com/

Once you have narrowed your [retirement location]choices down to two or three, spend a couple weeks in each location at different times of the year…

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links/retireetaxmap that lets you find and compare taxes state-bystate. It covers income taxes, sales tax, taxes on retirement income, Social Security benefits taxes, property taxes and inheritance and estate taxes. Crime rate: To evaluate how safe a community or area is, websites like www. AreaVibes.com provide crime data for certain localities. Climate: To research the climate in the areas you’re interested in moving, Sperling’s Best Places is again a great resource that offers a climate/ weather comparison tool at www.BestPlaces.net/climate. Healthcare: Does the area you want to relocate have easy access to good healthcare? To locate and research doctors and hospitals in a new area, use Medicare’s compare tool at www.Medicare.gov/ care-compare. Also see www. Healthgrades.com, which provides detailed information on U.S. hospitals and doctors. Transportation: If you plan to travel much, or expect frequent visits from your kids or grandkids, convenient access to an airport or train station is a nice advantage. You should also investigate alternative transportation options, since most retirees give up driving in their 80s. To do this, visit www. RidesInSight.org, a free website that provides information about senior transportation options in local communities throughout the U.S. Once you have narrowed your choices down to two or three, spend a couple weeks in each location at different times of the year so you can get a feel for the seasonal weather changes and carefully weigh the pros and cons of living there. You may find that you like the area more as a vacation spot than as a year-round residence. It’s also a good idea to rent for a year before buying a home or making a commitment to a retirement community.

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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.

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 19

CROSSWORD • SOLUTION ON PAGE 23 1

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Across

1. Dummkopf 4. Wild ___

8. Bible book 12. Goon 14. Map

51. Not up to beating a jack 52. Lighten 53. Cell stuff 56. Shade of green 59. Lummoxes 61. Great fear 63. Madison Square Garden, e.g. 65. Humorless 67. Gung ho 68. Deep pink 69. Alternatively, in ___ of 70. Donate 71. Delicate 72. No more than 73. Played the first card, in bridge Down 1. Book with legends 2. Excelled 3. Swell up 4. Prefer 5. College graduates 6. Hues 7. Goblet feature 8. Quick 9. Queen topper 10. Laundry detergent 11. Disfigure 13. Make sense 16. Look upon 21. Track shape

18. Whistler's whistle 19. Now

20. Goes with Saxon 22. Exec's note

Ingredients: 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

70

2 tsp coriander seeds 2 Tbsp. olive oil

73 23. Olfactory property 27. Chopper 29. Be obligated 30. Nail holder 31. Aircraft compartment 32. ___ believer 33. English nobleman 34. Not home 35. Cut short 36. It may be polished 37. Smooth 38. Run into hard 41. Part of an E-mail address 42. Remains 44. Sensitive subject, to some 45. Fish 46. Much used verb in history 47. Beat, the competition for example 50. Less taxing 51. Purport 52. Unearthly 53. Mischief maker 54. Extremely trustful 55. Put on 56. Squeeze 57. Length x width, for a rectangle 58. Sandwich maker 60. Goes with pilot 62. Berate 64. Unspecified number 66. Expected

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro Salt and pepper

Preheat your grill to high—let the grill heat up for at least 30 minutes before beginning to grill.

32. Social

Begin by preparing the lime yogurt. In a bowl combine the yogurt, lime zest, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

35. Spicy cuisine

38. Undercooked

Toast coriander seeds in a small, dry frying pan until aromatic. Cool on a plate and then grind in a burr grinder or with a mortar and pestle. They should be coarsely ground. Toss shrimp with olive oil, coriander, salt and pepper.

39. Good way to eat vegetables Make grilling easier by skewering your shrimp—just make sure to 40. Not replayed

41. Calendar square 42. Glow

leave some space in between the shrimp; don’t pack them too tightly together. Place shrimp on the hot grill. Cook no longer than one minute per side. Move shrimp to a platter. Pour sauce over the shrimp and serve immediately.

43. Berg material

44. Small amount

46. Well-informed manner

25. Spot

49. Instinctive

26. Moving vehicles

50. Per person

and personal care with your comfort and trust in mind through routine and complex treatments.

Zest and juice of one lime

31. Curtsey

48. Compose

28.r. Mafia boss Goslin and his dedicated, skilled dental team provide focused

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

30. 2004 Queen LatifahDirections: movie

24. "___ #1!"

D

Coriander Grilled Shrimp with Lime Yogurt

62

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15. Important to set this right 17. Old stories

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This summery coriander grilled shrimp recipe is so quick and easy to prepare! We think it’s a prefect light meal for those nights when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven. Aromatic coriander flavors the shrimp beautifully and is a perfect pairing with the citrusy yogurt dipping sauce. Serve alongside a summer garden salad, over pasta, or even as an appetizer. The recipe can easily be doubled for a crowd!

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Page 20  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

FUNERAL SERVICES Barbara and Wayne Larrow

The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is open for in-person service Monday and Wednesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Masks are no longer required for vaccinated persons, except in the library’s youth area, where everyone ages 2 and up must wear a properly fitting mask. To place holds, apply for a card, get updates on programming and access all of the library’s digital offerings, visit www.damlvt. org. Public Wifi is available 24/7 from the patio.

YOUTH PROGRAMS StoryWalk on the Green: “Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping” by Melanie Watt Through July 31. Can Scaredy Squirrel handle camping? Find out if this nutty worrywart conquers his fears as you read and walk along the Town Green behind the library. StoryWalk in the Park: “Lola Plants a Garden” by Anna McQuinn Through July 31. Enjoy a stroll and read a favorite Lola story at the Williston Community Park. Preschool Story Time on the Green Tuesdays, July 13 and 20, 10:3011 a.m. Join Miss Jess for stories, songs and rhymes. Geared toward preschoolers, but all ages are welcome. Register once for all story time sessions at www. damlvt.org. Craft on the Green: Fun with

Slime Friday, July 16, 4-6 p.m. Make stretchy slime! All ages. Register at www.damlvt.org. DIY Braided Dog Toys on the Green Tuesday, July 20, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Recommended for children ages 7 and up, but all are welcome. Transform an old T-shirt into a fun toy for a four-legged friend. Participants may take home their creations or donate to a local shelter. Dog food donations will also be accepted at the event. Register at www.damlvt.org. Preschool Music on the Green Thursday, July 22, 10:30-11 a.m. Dance and sing along with musician Linda Bassick. Register once for all preschool music sessions at www.damlvt.org. No program July 15.

MULTI-AGE PROGRAMS Summer Reading Challenge Through Aug. 14. All ages are invited to register for the Summer Reading Challenge at damlvt.beanstack.org and earn raffle tickets and other rewards for reading and doing fun activities. Open to Williston and St. George residents. Dottie the Bookmobile Through Aug. 26. Visit our full-service bookmobile at any stop, including Isham Family Farmers’ Market on Tuesday evenings and Allen Brook School on Wednesday mornings. Come see what’s new and borrow a book or two. Don’t have a library card? Get one on

the bookmobile! Check www,damlvt.org for routes and schedule.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS Online programs are held via Zoom. Please email programs@ damlvt.org or call 878-4918 to sign up for a program. Guided Meditation Fridays, July 9 and 16, 12:30-1 p.m. Maryellen Crangle leads a short meditation online over Zoom. Current Events Discussion Wednesday, July 14, 10-11:30 a.m. Connect with others online to talk about timely newsworthy topics at our popular discussion series. New Perspectives Book Discussion Tuesday, July 20, 12-1 p.m. Join us online to discuss “The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have” by Mark Nepo. eBook available in Hoopla. Contact library for print copy. Next month, New Perspectives will move to monthly in-person meetings. Join us Aug. 17 to discuss “The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer. Available as an eBook or eAudiobook in Hoopla or in print from the library. Brown Bag Book Discussion Tuesday, July 27, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Join us online to discuss Brit Bennett’s “The Vanishing Half.” Available as an eBook on LUV/OverDrive and in print from the library.

Photos from the Williston Observer

available for purchase! Visit our website to see current and past photos of Williston events, school sports, nature shots and more! Digital and prints available. Very reasonably priced.

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Services will be held for Barbara and Wayne Larrow, who passed away in 2020 and 2013 respectively, at the Williston Federated Church at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021 followed by a luncheon at the church. A graveside service will follow starting at 2 p.m. in the family lot in East Cemetery, Williston.

EMPLOYMENT TRUE INDIVIDUALS ARE OUR FAVORITE KIND OF TEAM. Hotel Vermont and Juniper Restaurant are looking for warm and engaging Vermonters to help our guests explore like a local and relax like it’s their job.

We are interviewing for:

MAINTENANCE FRONT DESK BELL/VALET RESERVATIONS HOUSEPERSON

HOUSKEEPING BANQUETS HOST LINE COOK SERVER

To schedule an interview, please visit www.workathotelvt.com.

South Burlington School District

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY SEARCH: CONSULTANT SOUGHT The South Burlington School District is seeking proposals from a consultant to help design and lead a recruitment and selection process to hire an Executive Director of Equity. Please see www.sbschools.net under announcements for more details. Priority will be given to proposals received by July 26.

“BUILDING A PROUD TRADITION”

Vermont PBS and VPR merge New brand will launch in 2022 Vermont PBS and Vermont Public Radio merged this week into one media organization. The Vermont PBS and VPR boards of directors first announced their intention to merge last September. The organization will unveil a new name, mission, vision and brand identity in early 2022. “Together, we can reach out to new audiences so we live up to our vision of being a place for everyone,” said the new organization’s CEO, Scott Finn. “This merger allows us to expand our offerings while continuing the services our existing supporters depend on every day.” Finn will lead the new, organization alongside COO Steve Ferreira. Nicole Junas Ravlin chairs the new board of directors, and Marguerite Dibble serves as vice chair. A new leadership team, composed of executives from both of the legacy organizations, has been named, and the staff has been reorganized into teams. No staff positions were eliminated as a result of the merger. The former headquarters of each organization, located in Winooski and Colchester, will be retained, with integrated teams staff-

ing both locations. “We’ll still offer our audience all the programs they know and love, and those offerings will grow,” Finn said. “We’ll be doing a lot of listening and learning, to understand the needs of the community, as we make plans for the future.”

July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 21

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL TOWN OF WILLISTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AGENDA Tuesday, July 13, 2021 – 7:00 PM 7928 Williston Road – Police Station Meeting Room OR Zoom Meeting ID 823 369 798 on zoom. us/join or call 1-646-558-8656 DP 09-01.23 Snyder FC Commercial Properties LLC and Rieley Properties LLC request pre-application review of Building H (restaurant) and the urban

park on Holland Lane in Finney Crossing located in the TCZD. HAAC review June 15, 2021. DP 09-01.24 Snyder FC Commercial Properties LLC and Rieley Properties

LLC request pre-application review of Building F (senior living) on Holland Lane and Market Street in Finney Crossing located in the TCZD. HAAC review June 15, 2021. Project details and site plans are available online, go to bit.ly/DRBagendas. Contact Planning & Zoning Office for more information: 802-878-6704.

SERVICES 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.

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Williston Hannaford is hiring both Part AND Full Time in most departments FT Deli Lead • FT Bakery Lead • FT Assistant Bakery Mgr. FT Meat Cutter Trainee • Overnight Asst. Stock Crew Mgr. FT Hannaford To Go Shopper • FT Hannaford To Go Expeditor FT Produce Lead • FT Produce Associate • 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.

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erver

Page 22  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

EMPLOYMENT

Fire Protection Technician — Full Time Burlington VT Area ARE YOU LOOKING TO BUILD A CAREER? By joining our Team, you will follow a personalized career path with company provided training, meeting important certification milestones, increasing your compensation potential while protecting property and lives. We provide a robust health and wellness benefits package including 401(k) company matching, paid time off, company paid disability and life insurance. Eligible for $1,500 sign-on bonus plus commission potential. Apply today by sending your resume to: JGreenblott@impactfireservices.com If you have any questions, speak directly to our team at: (954) 673-7131 Responsibilities: • Service Fire Extinguishers, Restaurant & Suppression Systems, and Emergency & Exit Lighting (Full Training provided), identifying deficiencies and making recommendations aligned with specifics and codes Looking for individuals who: • Strong ability to service our customers and problem solve • Work independently and take on challenges • Comfortable working with technology • Ability to work with hands and possess basic mechanical skills • Occasional climbing/working in various situations, lifting/pushing objects weighing up to 50 lbs. or more • Possess Valid driver’s license • High School Diploma/Equivalent

To place a classified or service directory ad, email marianne@williston observer.com or call 872-9000.

As the leading provider of fire and life safety products and services in the area, Impact Fire Services (formally FireProTec) is conveniently located in Williston, Vermont. Established in 1962, we provide services regionally to over five thousand customers and serve a wide range of commercial clients throughout Vermont, Northern New York, and Western New Hampshire. We provide products, installation and services on fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, advanced special hazards fire suppression systems as well as Fire Alarm and Sprinkler. Our clients are supported by remote Service Technicians throughout our service area. We are growing company with opportunities to progress in your career. We currently have 15 additional offices in 8 states as a best in class fire protection and life safety company. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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July 8, 2021  •  Williston Observer  •  Page 23

SERVICE DIRECTORY CARPET CLEANING

HOME INSPECTION

BASEMENT SYSTEMS BASEMENT SYSTEMS

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The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Forestry Vermont and Services the U.S. Mulching forWildlife private and Department of Agriculture Services commercial projects to stop the spread of the potentially fatal Driveways, Ponds, Land Clearing, disease. Trails, Farms, Ski Areas, Natural Disaster Recovery, Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the Logging Cleanup, Invasive Vegetation, Excavation brain that infects mammals. It is most often Visit our website for more information seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, www.vtlandmaintenance@gmail.com Brian Washburn but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also 802-434-4533 • 802-373-1755 (cell) get rabies. The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

RABIES saliva. If left BAIT untreated, rabies is almost alcontinued from page 2 ways fatal in humans and animals. However, treatmentHOME with MORTGAGE the rabies vaccine LOANSis nearly week-long drop is asoon coopera100The percent effectivebait when given after effortis between and the U.S. ative person bitten byVermont a rabid animal. Department Agriculture Wildlife Services So far thisofyear, 23 animals in Vermont to stop the positive spread offortherabies, potentially have tested and 14fatal of Our experience disease. those have been raccoons. getviral you home. Rabies is awill deadly disease of the According to wildlife officials, rabid We specialize in service, customer education, and experience in the industry. We are proud to serve you brain that infects mammals. It is animals often show a change inmost theiroften norJeff Teplitz and your family with a phenomenal home loan experience. Loan Officer seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, mal behavior, but you cannot tellloan whether Contact me today for your home needs! NMLS #184421 jeff.teplitz@academymortgage.com P: (802) 448-7935has rabies but unvaccinated petssimply and livestock can also an animal by looking at Corp NMLS #3113 | Equal Housing Lender MAC322-1474155 getPeople rabies.should The virus is spread through the it. not touch or pick up wild bite of anorinfected or contact with its animals strays –animal even baby animals.

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Family PT, owned andAoperated I C T O M since W 1921 I S E MS,EDPT P E N G U T E A C H Pre-planning services availableD South Burlington Shelburne T E N E A S E 23 San Remo Drive 166 Athletic Drive 209 Falls Shelburne, J A Road, D 985.4440 E A P E S D VT R E tel 865.0010 tel A R E N A A R I D A V www.DeePT.com (802) 985-3370 43

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Page 24  •  Williston Observer  •  July 8, 2021

Nighttime detour planned for Route 2A this week

The Vermont Agency of Transportation and contractor Engineers Construction Inc. will be replacing a 24-inch corrugated metal culvert on Route 2A in Williston between Helena Drive and the Blair Park Road intersection beginning Friday. They will be replacing the culvert with one almost double the size. Construction will occur during nighttime hours Friday and Satur-

day. There will be a detour along Interstate 89 and Route 15. Work will continue with minimal traffic impacts through August. Meanwhile, at the intersection of Route 2 and Industrial Avenue, drivers can expect daytime lane shifts as crews continue an overhaul of the intersection. Crews are constructing a detour around the intersection that will be opened later this summer.

F-35s to fly at night Thursday The Vermont Air National Guard will conduct F-35 night flying Thursday between 7:30-10:30 p.m. Guard pilots are required to conduct night operations to meet U.S. Air Force requirements and proficiencies. “Night flying proficiency is a

crucial component of our training, especially as we prepare for an off station night exercise later this month,” said Lt. Col. Trevor Callens. The guard has launched a new website with F-35 schedule information at www.vtguard.com/f-35.

Fourth continued from page

ed toward waiting crowds. Kids scrambled for candy as it bounced along the asphalt at their feet. Fire engines, classic cars and flag-bedecked golf carts all passed at a stately pace. Just as the parade drew to a close, intermittent sprinkles turned to a downpour. People brought umbrellas and rain gear to the Village Green on Saturday evening, but the rain held off for the ice cream social and what was the Town Band’s first performance in nearly two years. “That was the first time the band had been willing to sit so close to each other,” said band

Sanchez continued from page

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very welcoming and I’m extremely happy to be here.” He has already been out for bike rides, golf outings and mountain drives. “This place is stunning,” he said. “I’m anxious to get lost in all of Vermont.” Also this month, Sanchez

recycle you live here

the state will be attending parades, cookouts and firework displays, heading to state parks, the lake or downtown, with a new sense of independence, born from our collective efforts, hard work and determination in our battle against COVID-19. “Since our nation’s founding, Vermonters have served as an example. Our response these past months has been no exception. As we enter our recovery phase, let us be inspired by the words of our founders, build on the progress we’ve made and have the courage to do things differently and boldly in pursuit of a more perfect union.” — VTDigger contributed reporting

plans introductory meetings with town selectboards, reading up on Vermont Agency of Education materials, attending a planning retreat with the Champlain Valley School Board and meeting with the Champlain Valley Superintendents Association. Additional introductions with are planned in late August when families are invited into school buildings before the first week of school.

“My job is to get a true understanding of where we’ve been, then work with the board and the community to determine where it is that we need to go next,” said Sanchez, who will also be a parent in the district with kids in the schools. “I’m eager to listen and make sure we have the district that is going to help our community and help our state further its excellence.”

Free Stormwater Evaluations

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There are real people who sort your recycling. The wrong items make their job gross— or downright dangerous. Put only paper, cardboard, and clean containers (like bottles, cans, jars & tubs) in the recycling bin.

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member and interim conductor Chapin Kaynor. “Everybody is vaccinated in the band, but just getting comfortable. The transition to not-mask-wearing is as difficult as it was to mask-wearing, I think. “The town is so ready to be able to socialize, to enjoy an event together,” Kaynor added. “It was so nice that it could come together.” That was the feeling statewide, according to Gov. Scott. “After 16 long and difficult months dealing with a once-in-acentury pandemic, this Independence Day, Vermonters are together once again, celebrating the birth of our great nation with friends and family,” the governor said in a statement Friday. “Many around

Does your property experience flooding? Do you care about protecting water quality? If you want to learn about ways to reduce pollution in stormwater runoff from your property, sign up for a free evaluation!

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The Town of Williston is offering free stormwater consultations this summer through the BLUE® stormwater mitigation program. An evaluator identifies opportunities and offers solutions specific to your site. Perhaps you could use a rain barrel, rain garden, or better drainage to improve your property and reduce your water pollution footprint. Find out how you can make a difference to prevent toxic algal blooms and beach closures throughout the Lake Champlain Basin by stopping runoff before it leaves your land. Rebates for up to $200 are available for homeowners who choose to implement suggested improvement projects. Request your evaluation today at: www.salix-solutions.com Or email: blue-program@salix-solutions.com

LEARN MORE (802) 872-8111 www.cswd.net/recycle 20210420-Recycle-Like-You-Live-Here-01_opt.indd 2

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