The Citizen - 03-03-22

New justice

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Scott appoints Hinesburg woman to Supreme Court

Student journalists check in with Charlotte voters

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March 3, 2022

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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg

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In Charlotte

Voters nix community center, fire budget passes COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY COREY MCDONALD

Biathlete Leif Nordgren is happy to be home from Beijing, reunited with his wife, Caitlin Napoleoni, and to greet his new daughter, Astrid, who was born during the Olympics.

Hinesburg Olympian transitions to home life COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

The timing might have been a bit off for Leif Nordgren and his wife, Caitlin. Or it might have been perfect, depending on your perspective.

Anyone perusing online might have seen the numerous stories of the Olympian from Vermont who first met his newborn daughter, Astrid, over FaceTime on Feb. 6, and they may have thought, well, why plan a pregnancy right in the middle of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics?

“But that’s not really how it works, is it?”

Caitlin Napoleoni, a meteorologist at NBC5 and Nordgren’s wife, said. “You know, it’s not just as easy as snapping your fingers.”

Seen from another perspective, the timing was almost ideal. Nordgren — who

will soon be heading off to compete in the International Biathlon Union World Cup — is now winding down a career that boasts three Olympic games and numerous international competitions.

He’s not completely finished.

The 32-year-old is scheduled to compete in that World Cup March 3 in Finland, March 10 in Estonia, and March 17 in Norway. One of those competitions Caitlin hopes to make with Astrid.

But afterwards, Nordgren and Napoleoni, who have been married for four years, will get to transition into full-time parents as relative newcomers in Hinesburg. It seems a natural, almost easy change.

They both knew this would be Nordgren’s last season. In fact, they had been preparing for it for several years “so the timing for the Olympics thing was just

good luck or a bad luck, depending on how you look at it,” Napoleoni said.

“People can speculate … about why we would possibly do this, but again, it was just the way it worked out,” she said. “God’s plan.”

Not to say there weren’t some difficulties. After learning of the pregnancy last June, Nordgren began juggling his training with helping take care of Napoleoni in the first couple months, while she had to keep her work schedule going — waking up at 1:30 a.m. to get ready for a 4:30 a.m. broadcast.

“When you find out you’re pregnant, it’s really exciting, and I wasn’t sick at that time,” she said. “But it was a couple weeks later that I got really sick. That’s when he started doing See NORDGREN on page 13

Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly vetoed the Charlotte Community Center project feasibility study, voting 735 to 225 against the measure.

The article, which would have raised $50,000 in taxes to study the possibility of such a center, had been in the works for some time, and would have allowed the town to determine whether the center would be financially viable.

All other town meeting articles passed: the town budget of $2.6 million passed 719 to 230; the Charlotte Library budget of $282,515 passed 696 to 262; and the due date of Nov. 15 for property tax payments passed 908 to 42.

In a close vote, Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue’s $890,000 budget passed 534 to 405 while an article allowing tax exemption for property owners by the rescue service passed 746 to 193.

All candidates running for municipal office in Charlotte ran unopposed this year.

Selectboard member Louise McCarren and board chair Jim Faulkner were reelected to a two-year term and three-year term, respectively, while Hugh “Junior” Lewis, who has been road commissioner for 23 years, was reelected to a one-year term.

Janie Heilmann was elected to a fiveyear term on the Charlotte Library board of trustees; Mary Mead will serve another one-year term as delinquent tax collector; Charlie Russell won another one-year term as town moderator; and Richard E. Mintzer will serve another three years as auditor.

Selectboard member Matt Krasnow, meanwhile, secured one of three trustee of public funds positions to fill the last year of a vacant three-year term, while he serves the last year of his selectboard term.

Town clerk Mary Mead said there was a 29 percent voter turnout this year.

Page 2 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

Hinesburg voters reject police budget, pass all other items COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

All the candidates running for election on the Hinesburg ballot won this year. No surprise there — they all ran unopposed.

But voters in Hinesburg did reject the police department’s $815,483 budget, casting 484 no votes versus 431 in favor.

That, however, was the only article voters didn’t get behind.

They overwhelmingly approved all other items, including the town’s general budget of nearly $1.7 million, the highway department budget of almost $729,000, a fire department budget of $426,000, an ambulance budget of almost $40,000, and $235,000 for the Carpenter-Carse Library.

Voters also approved spending $51,000 for nonprofit organizations the town supports, including the Hinesburg Community

Resource Center ($23,000), Lake Iroquois Association ($7,500), University of Vermont Home Care and Hospice ($7,000), Agency on Aging ($4,000) and Lake Iroquois Recreation District ($3,000), among others.

As for the candidates, Michael Loner garnered 736 votes for a three-year term on the selectboard, while Phil Pouech received 753 for a two-year term. Both were incumbents.

Frank Twarog was elected town moderator, while Brian Dunlop, Marianna Holzer and James Jarvis were elected to library trustee positions. Tom Giroux was elected cemetery trustee and Heather Roberts as a trustee of the Peck Estate.

Keith Roberts was reelected to a seat on the Champlain Valley School District board, while voters approved the district’s budget 3,395 to 2,204.

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Several voters cast ballots in Hinesburg on Town Meeting Day, March 1.

State proposes moose hunt in NEK State wildlife officials will hold a moose hunt in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to help “reduce the impact of winter ticks on the moose population.”

“Department staff, including moose project lead biologist Nick Fortin and biometrician Dr. Katherina Gieder, brought incredible scientific expertise to this recommendation,” Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department commissioner Christopher Herrick said.

One hundred permits will be issued.

“Moose density in Wildlife Management Unit E is still more than one moose per square mile, significantly higher than any other part of the state,” Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s moose project leader, said.

“Moose densities greater than one per square mile support high numbers of winter ticks, which negatively impact moose health and survival.”

The Fish and Wildlife Department partnered with University of Vermont researchers to conduct a study of moose health and survival in the wildlife unit. The results of this study, in which 126 moose (36 cows, 90 calves) were fitted with GPS tracking collars, clearly showed that chronic high winter

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERMONT FISH AND WILDLIFE

The high number of moose in the northeastern corner of Vermont has stimulated a dramatic increase in winter ticks, causing moose health to severely decline. As many as 90,000 winter ticks have been found on one moose. More than half of moose calves have died in recent winters due to blood loss caused by the winter ticks.

tick loads have caused the health of moose in that part of the state to be very poor. Survival of adult moose remained relatively good, but birth rates were very low and less than half of the calves survived their first winter.

“Research has shown that

lower moose densities in the rest of Vermont support relatively few winter ticks that do not impact moose populations,” said Fortin.

“Reducing moose density decreases the number of available hosts which in turn decreases the number of winter ticks on the landscape.”

The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 3

Scott names Hinesburg woman state’s top court Nancy Waples of Hinesburg is Vermont’s news Supreme Court judge.

Gov. Phil Scott appointed Waples to the state’s highest court Feb. 25. She has served on the Vermont Superior Court since 2015.

Waples fills the seat previously held

by Beth Robinson, who now serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

“As I have said, there are few responsibilities a governor has that are more significant than naming a justice to the Supreme Court,” Scott said. “Character, competence, commitment and chemistry are the qualities I seek when deciding on an appointment. There is no doubt Judge Waples possesses these attributes and will excel on the court.”

Scott said her “perspective and skills will make her an exceptional justice.”

Waples is the daughter of Chinese immigrants who fled the communist revolution in China. Because her parents were unable to immigrate to the U.S. due to exclusion laws, they made their way to Canada. When the exclusion laws were replaced by ethnic quotas, only her father could immigrate to the U.S. and the family was separated for four years.

When they were able to reunite in the U.S., her family earned a living working together in their small Chinese restaurant outside of New York City. Growing up working in her parents’ restaurant, she learned to speak English at the age of 9.

“My parents traveled halfway around the world with literally nothing more than the clothes on their backs to live in a place that didn’t speak their language, where they didn’t have any friends or family,” said Waples. “They came here seeking greater opportunities and longed for a life of dignity and decency. They share my pride in receiving this historic appointment.

“I hope my appointment inspires other people of color to reach outside of their comfort zone and climb the same ladder I climbed, and I will be there to lend my hand.”

After law school, Waples began her career as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. She split her tenure between the appeals bureau and the trial division. She was also assigned to the civil litigation unit, where she represented the district attorney in civil actions.

She also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Vermont. She served in the criminal division in the Rutland office prosecuting general crimes in the southern part of the state. She has extensive trial and appellate experience in both the state and federal courts of New York and Vermont.

She has worked at private firms in Vermont and prior to her appointment as a Vermont Superior Court judge, she served by appointment from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals as the criminal justice act coordinator for the District of Vermont, through which she oversaw the panel of private attorneys assigned to represent the indigent clients in federal criminal cases.

In addition to other civic activity, she has served as president of the board of Spectrum Youth and Services, president of the Vermont Youth Orchestra, public relations chair for the Lake Champlain Junior League and volunteered in clinics and provided translation services to the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program.

A graduate of the College of William and Mary, she earned her Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law. She is married to Greg Waples and they have two sons currently studying law in New York City.

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Page 4 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

CRIME & COURTS Hinesburg Police Blotter Feb. 18 at 5:26 a.m., a burglar alarm was falsely tripped on High Rock Road.

Feb. 18 at 9:26 a.m., some cows were in the middle of Silver Street, but when officers checked the area, the bovines had already moved on.

Feb. 18 at 10:42 a.m., someone complained of cars passing other cars on Silver Street.

Feb. 18 at 3:25 p.m., an unattended vehicle parked on Route 116 was damaged.

Feb. 18 at 8:56 p.m., a resident reported a suspicious person walking around Jourdan Street, possibly knocking on doors but when officers checked the area, they did not locate anyone out of the ordinary.

Feb. 18 at 11:27 p.m., the Hinesburg Food Shelf burglar alarm was tripped but officers found the building to be secure.

Feb. 19 at 1:33 p.m., police conducted sex offender registry checks.

Feb. 20 at 12:45 p.m., officers opened a gate for the town on Observatory Road.

Feb. 21 at 10:55 a.m., someone on Hollow Road called 911, possibly while on route to the hospital.

Feb. 20 at 5:10 p.m., police responded to North Road where neighbors were disputing over dogs.

Feb. 21 at 7:13 p.m., officers attempted to cite an individual on Friendship Lane, for another agency, but the resident no longer lived there.

Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., two cars crashed on Route 116 causing some property damage but no injuries.

Feb. 22 at 9:12 a.m., officers assisted the Hinesburg Fire Department on CVU Road with a fire alarm that turned out to be false.

Feb. 22 at 5:54 p.m., an officer assisted a parent with a juvenile problem on Route 116.

Feb. 22 at 7:54 p.m., police assist-

ed Shelburne Police Department on Shelburne Road with an out-of-control individual.

Feb. 23 at 12:53 a.m., a burglar alarm was tripped at a residence on Richmond Road, but officers found the house secure.

Feb. 23 at 9:41 a.m., some power lines fell into North Road after a car hit a power pole, so police officers, the power company and others helped clean up the area and restore power.

Feb. 23 at 1:18 p.m., some cars had illegally parked on Lewis Creek Road near the trailhead, but the cars were gone by the time officers arrived.

Feb. 23 at 2:22 p.m., a car crashed on Silver Street with possible injuries.

Feb. 23 at 5:04 p.m., police continued investigation of an active burglary case on Jourdan Street.

See BLOTTER on page 10

Man sentenced for threats in COVID vaccine rollout MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

A Burlington-area man who made possible threats toward the distribution process for the COVID-19 vaccine shots in Vermont has avoided additional federal prison time.

Aaron R. Loucks, 28, most recently from Shelburne and Charlotte, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court last fall to a felony charge of possessing a 9-mm semiautomatic pistol in December 2020 while being a known user of controlled substances.

Chief Federal Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford recently accepted a plea bargain that called for Loucks to be placed on federal probation for five years with mental health treatment as a term of the deal.

Loucks must seek substance abuse treatment and testing, Crawford ruled.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the arrest came after working with Burlington, South Burlington and Shelburne police, along with conversations with members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force,

Aaron R. Loucks

the Vermont Intelligence Center and the U.S. Marshals Service, which is the federal agency responsible for security of vaccine distribution efforts.

Loucks, who was initially arrested in January 2021, spent about four months in federal custody.

A judge ruled in April 2021 that Loucks, after a mental examination, was competent to stand trial in federal court for the gun charge. The mental exam report See LOUCKS on page 10

The Citizen Serving the community of Charlotte & Hinesburg A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC thecitizenvt.com Advertising Wendy Ewing wendy@shelburnenews.com (802) 985-3091 x12 Advertising Director Judy Kearns judy@otherpapersbvt.com (802) 864-6670 x21 News Editor Tommy Gardner Staff Writers Avalon Styles-Ashley Aaron Calvin Corey McDonald Production Manager Stephanie Manning stephanie@shelburnenews.com Publisher Gregory Popa gpopa@stowereporter.com

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The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 5

OPINION Vermont should ban fatal foams Guest Perspective Jennifer Decker What do farm fields in Charlotte and South Burlington and schools in Thetford, Killington, Mount Holly and Woodbury have in common with the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the South China Sea? Following fires, accidents and industrial activity, they’ve all been poisoned with aqueous film forming foam or other materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAs. As reported by CNN, when an F-35 crashed across the deck of an aircraft carrier and into the sea “seven people were injured in the accident including the pilot, who ejected from the plane. The end of the (unofficially leaked) video shows the crew responding to the incident, spraying down the deck of the carrier with foam to prevent further damage.”

But what the crew was not told is that the firefighting foam causes invisible injuries. Dedicated members of the armed services have been lied to by commanders for decades about the foams and the diseases they cause in living organisms.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are called forever chemicals because they bioaccumulate, and they are linked to liver, thyroid, hormonal and immune disorders, child devel-

Letters to the Editor

opment issues, and testicular mind that prior to offering their and kidney cancer. Exposure help in Charlotte, the Vermont to even infinitesimal amounts Guard already contaminated of them is linked to decreased seven other unmitigated sites fertility and high cholesterol. around the state.

Research suggests connections Will the military that has between this class of chemicals funded the development of aqueand neurologious film formcal conditions. ing foam come Will the town The fact is that back to clean alternative and up Church Hill of Charlotte get an effective fireRoad? That fighting foams depends on an apology from the exist, but using informed citia less hazardous zenry willing to Vermont National product would act. While some affect profits at families choose Guard for another corporations like legal remedies Dupont and 3M. to protect their toxic contamination As reported farms and in The Citizen, households, site? Keep in when a fire like the Belter mind that prior to broke out at the family of facility housSouth Burlingoffering their help ing Charlotte’s ton, there are snowplow fleet many ways for in Charlotte, the in late December, Vermonters “the fire departto take part Vermont Guard ment used over in legislative 100,000 gallons action this already contaminated spring. of water and a year’s supply of Support seven other foam to fight the S.113, a medifire. Charlotte cal monitoring unmitigated sites Fire and Rescue bill focused was joined in the on giving around the state. effort by fire and Vermonters the rescue departments from Shelright to recoup costs for medical burne, Hinesburg, Vergennes and monitoring, as people can in the Vermont National Guard.”

16 other states. This bill passed Will the town of Charlotte twice before, but Gov. Phil Scott get an apology from the Vermont vetoed it, saying the law would National Guard for another toxic See DECKER on page 6 contamination site? Keep in

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Bucknam obfuscates problems of racism To the Editor: There is a great deal of confusion in Deborah Bucknam’s guest perspective. (“Good trouble: Vermont must ‘stop racist indoctrination’,” Feb. 24, 2022) In comparing Justice Roger Taney’s opinion on the Dred Scott case of 1857 with the state employee trainings on systemic racism she somehow conflates Taney’s decree that Black people should remain slaves with the trainer’s attempts to teach that slavery was racist, and that the repercussions of enslaving others don’t easily disappear.

I did not attend the trainings to which Bucknam refers, but her copious use of ellipses in “quoting” the trainer is rather suspect.

Does an ellipsis really justify changing someone’s meaning? Can I say that Deborah Bucknam believes that “Justice Clarence Thomas’s ... monstrous and barbaric ... doctrines ... violate ... Americans?”

Probably not, although those are all her own words.

The recognition of systemic racism in our society is not an attempt to

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“shame and denigrate white Vermonters,” any more than teaching about the Holocaust would be an attempt to shame white Vermonters.

Antisemitism exists, racism exists, discrimination against LGBTQ people exists. These realities hurt and kill people. To bring them out in the open and to explore the ways in which we continue to perpetuate them is to heal our society. If those who continue to harbor racist ideologies feel shame in the face of honest exploration, that might ultimately be healing as well.

Bucknam expresses concern that “our children are also hearing comparable racist messages in our public schools.” Although she does not name this as critical race theory, obviously as a lawyer she knows that it is not being taught in our schools. Many people do believe that when racism is talked about in the classroom, they are teaching critical race theory.

Critical race theory is a legal theory that explores the relationship between racial inequity and the law. It is taught in law schools, not in kindergarten, or sixth grade or 12th grade. Hopefully,

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Page 6 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

LETTERS

continued from page 5 what our children are being taught in our public schools is that discrimination based on skin color, poverty level, religion, sex and gender identity is not a good thing.

If that relegates me to the “progressive left” that Bucknam fears, I’m OK with that.

Bucknam quotes Dr. David Moshman in making her point about the trainings being in violation of the First Amendment. She doesn’t seem to notice that her desire to silence these trainings is also an attempt to limit freedom of speech.

To further quote Moshman, “Perhaps academic freedom only protects us as long as we don’t offend others.”

Bucknam has a right to be offended by the idea of systemic racism, but she does not have the right to try and silence those who speak about it.

Congressman John Lewis’ phrase “good trouble,” with which he was referring to civil disobedience in the service of civil rights, and all that he stood for in recognizing systemic racism, seems to me to be the antithesis of what Bucknam says and believes.

I can’t speak for him, but I strongly suspect he would not have approved of being used in this way.

Karin Shearer Hardwick

Rural Vermonters left out of decision-making To the Editor: As our current legislative session proceeds to debate bill after bill that impacts every citizen’s life, an unreported threat to democracy has clearly emerged

that nobody seems willing to acknowledge: that only the privileged few are consistently heard in matters of state government.

In this day of remote telecommunications, affluent urbanites enjoy stable broadband access with reliable connections that allow them to fully participate in civic discourse — the bedrock of our society and democracy.

Their opinions are easily heard by legislators, and they enjoy the privilege of representation in the state Senate and House, as well as, if not more importantly, in committee meetings prior to any call for votes.

Rural Vermonters, however, do not enjoy that same privilege.

The lack of broadband infrastructure across the state prohibits many from participating in the most basic of public discussion when it comes to matters of policy, which is the very founda-

tion of our republic. In parts of the countryside where access is available, it’s often unreliable or lacks the necessary bandwidth to adequately run live-conferencing applications such as Zoom or other means of telecommunications.

The impact of this geo-economic disparity is that rural citizens of Vermont are left unrepresented when it comes to legislation directly impacting their income, property, day-today life and culture.

Current bills 316, 201, 281 and 129 are just the most recent examples of privileged urban dwellers enjoying an outsized voice in state politics. H. 316 requires hunters to be in visual and verbal control of their hunting dogs to hunt black bear; S. 281 bans hunting coyotes with dogs; S. 201 bans the use of leg hold traps; and S.129 transfers authority from the fish and wildlife board to the fish and wildlife department.

The kicker here is that these bills have nothing to do with zoning laws, mass transit, industrial sprawl, education or health care but with wildlife management. The very people

these policies will impact every day are underrepresented or left out of the policymaking process altogether, while the affluent voice their opinions without any skin in the game. If the policies are poorly designed, they do not suffer the consequences the silenced majority will struggle under.

In effect, the state will victimize rural residents twice over by failing to provide the infrastructure that allows them to participate in the full civic life of our communities and state.

Regardless of where you stand on the aforementioned bills, equal opportunity to participate in our government is something we can all agree on. It’s about time someone recognized that rural voices are being left out of policy discussions precisely when we need them most.

Gone are the days of no taxation without representation; today’s equivalent is no representation without telecommunication.

Mike Covey Williamstown Executive director Vermont Traditions Coalition

DECKER

continued from page 5 deter business in Vermont. Scott missed the memo that businesses in Vermont are socially and environmentally responsible and that voters prize a government that keeps us safe.

Residents of Vermont can speak out by supporting H.650, which would prohibit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from being sold in Vermont, and the use and import of wastes containing microplastics. Both the state Senate (S.267) and House (H.677) are considering acts regulating cosmetic products containing certain chemicals, and the Senate act also prohibits the installation of athletic turf fields containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Concerned neighbors may also wish to spread the word to friends who fish about the detection at the Winooski River Salmon Hole of 145.2 parts per trillion of perfluorooctanoic acid and other variants of the chemical, which is more than seven times the legal limit in Vermont.

If Vermont can test its wastewater during a pandemic, what stops the state from testing fish to ensure consumption is safe?

This problem originated at VTANG’s historic burn pit on the Winooski River, one and a half

miles upstream from the Salmon Hole. If you have ever swum or fished in this area, or eaten produce grown at the Intervale, then the medical monitoring bill may become important to you and your family over time. Families in affected communities may wish to test their private wells and school drinking fountains for safety in lieu of health department action on this front.

Accurate and inexpensive tests for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are available.

Relocating from the F-35s’ dangerous flight path ought to be a choice for all impacted. F-35s have crashed eight times around the globe during their brief deployment. South Korea grounded their F-35 fleet after a bird encounter caused a crash. When one goes down in Vermont, aqueous film forming foam could still be used on the fire and smoke from the F-35’s toxic stealth coating. Manufacturers are making new foams all the time to evade regulation, so pick a poison and pressure your government officials to clean up the fatal foams.

Jennifer Decker is a community organizer who lives in Hinesburg.

The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 7

Town Meeting Day vignettes 11:55 a.m. — Charlotte resident votes against community center study Charlotte Town Hall was busy and moving on town meeting day, as this cold and cloudy Tuesday didn’t keep voters away from the polls or speaking up about Charlotte town issues.

One of these voters was Kristen L’Esperance, 42, who works as a designer.

“I feel like there was an exploratory budget for a potential community center that I don’t feel like we need,” L’Esperance said.

“I just felt it was my obligation,” said L’Esperance regarding her decision to come out Tuesday, voting on the issues that were pertinent to her and leaving the others blank.

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12:04 p.m. — Resident votes in her second Town Meeting Day Local Charlotte resident Madison Denton, 22, works as a bookkeeper in Charlotte and braved the cold Tuesday to vote.

She came to oppose the community center building, saying she thinks it will negatively impact Charlotte residents with higher taxes.

“They’re trying to put in the building for the swimming pool and basketball courts, and I voted against it for property tax reasons,” Denton said.

Denton said it’s an unnecessary use of time, money and space.

“That was my main reason for coming to vote today,” Denton said, regarding her second Town Meeting Day experience.

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Kristen L’Esperance.

potential for the new community center issue, and also the library, which was pulled out of the budget and put in a different category,” Weed said.

“The budget was very high for the Charlotte fire department, much higher than surrounding towns and much higher than usual. I voted for supporting the fire department mostly because I read a lot about it and I know

what they do for us,” Weed said.

Weed was unsure how to vote regarding the community center, ultimately deciding to vote against the idea.

“The first president I was able to vote for was John Kennedy, it was a wonderful thing, and you wouldn’t believe how excited we were to vote,” said Weed.

— Halle Segal Community News Service

Do you have photos you would like to share with the community?

Send them to us: news@thecitizenvt.com

TheCitizenVT.com

12:23 p.m. — Charlotte resident has never missed a chance to vote Joan Weed, 83, has been voting her entire life, and this year’s town meeting day was no different.

Weed even put on an old pair of dazzling, blue-stoned earrings for the event, highlighting the importance of the occasion in terms of coming out to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weed grew up in Connecticut where voting is “far more political, believe it or not. Up here, at least locally, it doesn’t matter, at least to me, what party you’re in.

We don’t think about what ticket you write. We think of who’s running and if they’re worthy of the office,” Weed said as she left Charlotte Town Hall.

“I’ve been reading about the fire department budget, and the

Winter Open House Sunday, March 6th 2pm Vermont Commons School GRADES 6-12 | VERMONTCOMMONS.ORG

Page 8 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

Squalling

Community Notes Learn about Vermont’s architectural styles Join architectural historian Frances Foster for a presentation of Vermont’s most prevalent architectural styles of the 19th century at the next Charlotte Senior Center Wednesday lecture March 9, 1-2:30 p.m.

In “What Style is that Old Building” Foster will talk about why Vermonters built quasi-Greek temples, why there is no such thing as Victorian architecture and other tidbits about the state’s built environment.

Foster will show slides of buildings ranging from the Federal style through the late 1900s Colonial Revival that aimed to mimic some of the details of 100 years prior.

The free, in-person lectures start at 1 p.m. Questions? Leave a message at (802) 425-6345 or visit charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

There is no lecture scheduled on March 16. On March 23, the lecture series features “Farms in Charlotte.”

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

A snow squall Friday makes navigate Shelburne village a dicey proposition, but a powder day always pleases Vermont’s ski and tourism industry and winter outdoor enthusiasts.

Garden club helps green up interior spaces Theresa Carroll and her husband Mick Levine started Mother Nature’s Helper in 1982. Armed with a degree in forestry and a love of the outdoors, she knew the value of green plants — they provide beauty, reduce stress and minimize airborne illness. Some plants can extract harmful substances from the atmosphere.

On Tuesday, March 22, Carroll offers a talk on interior landscaping, Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington, at 1 p.m., sponsored by the Burlington Garden Club of Vermont.

Register ahead for Age Well meals The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, March 3 is from 11 a.m. to noon, Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features beef stroganoff with sour cream, egg noodles, broccoli florets, cauliflower, dinner roll, strawberry shortcake and milk.

You must have pre-registered

by Monday, Feb. 28, with Lori York, 802-425-6371 or lyork@ charlotteseniorcentervt.org The meal on March 10 — register by March 7 — is barbecue chicken breast, O’Brien red potatoes, spinach, wheat bread, pumpkin bar with raisins and milk.

The meal on March 17 — register by March 14 — is beef round, boiled potatoes, cabbage and carrots in beef stock, dinner roll, leprechaun cake with frosting and milk.

Check the website for last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

Student milestones and graduations Tyler Brooks of Hinesburg was named to the fall 2021 semester dean’s list at the College of Charleston.

Sophie S. Yarwood of Hinesburg was named to second honors on the Clark University dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester.

Lindsey Willis of Hinesburg earned an award of excellence at Western Governors University College of Health Professions.

Anna Cornish of Hinesburg made the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at Tufts University.

Sam Sturim of Charlotte made the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at Tufts University.

Julie Sulva of Charlotte was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at the University of New Hampshire.

Henry Robert Harmeyer of Charlotte made the dean’s list at Norwich University for the fall 2021 semester.

Jared Badger of Charlotte graduated from Champlain College with a master’s degree in business administration.

Judy Buxton of Charlotte graduated from Champlain College with a master’s degree in business administration.

Taylor Palmer of Hinesburg graduated from Champlain College with a master’s degree in business administration.

Caleb Nye of Hinesburg was named to the dean’s list at Endicott College for the fall 2021 semester.

He is a criminal justice major.

Isa Kaplan, of Charlotte, an electrical and computer engineering student, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Jordan Ayer of Hinesburg has been named to the Champlain College president’s list for the fall 2021 semester. Ayer is currently enrolled as an accounting major.

Toni Blackburn of Hinesburg was named the dean’s list for fall 2021 semester at Champlain College.

The following students from Charlotte were named the dean’s list for fall 2021 semester at Champlain College: James Fox, Heloise Guyette, Quinn Mlynarick, Brennan Murdock and Suzannah Zimmerman.

Julia Daggett of Hinesburg was named to Emmanuel College’s fall 2021 dean’s list.

Moira Brown from Charlotte was named to the dean’s list at the See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9

The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 9

News from Charlotte Library All programs will take place via Zoom unless noted until further notice. Links can be found on the library website.

115 Ferry Road, Charlotte.

802-425-3864. Register at charlottepubliclibrary.org or info@charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Regeneration book discussion Tuesdays, March 1, 8, 15 and 22, 7-8 p.m.

Discussion of Paul Hawken’s “Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation.”

Short story selections Thursdays, March 3, 17 and 31, 1-2 p.m.

Featuring short stories old and new. Join the discussion at bit.ly/3HFIuuo.

Masking, testing, vaxxing Tuesday, March 8, 7-8 p.m.

A community COVID-19 conversation about vaccines, tests and masks as the best way to manage risks related to coronavirus. Presented by Jim Hyde, professor of public health (emeritus) and Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, senior pastor of Charlotte Congregational Church. Offered in-person and on Zoom. Register at 425-6345

Recycling right Saturday, March 12, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Chittenden Solid Waste District staff for a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to your household recycling after it leaves your

house — and find out why it’s so important to recycle right.

Media literacy take 2 Thursday, March 17, 7-8 p.m.

Disinformation, declining trust in established news organizations and increasing popularity of conspiracy theorists. Join the conversation on media literacy with Adam Davidson, Chea Waters-Evans, and Jesse Wegman. Register in advance.

Re-use workshop Saturday, March 19, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Do you have a favorite T-shirt stuffed in your dresser that you never wear but just can’t part with? Give it a new life by turning it into a T-shirt bag.

Mystery book group Monday, March 21, 10-11 a.m.

Join author S. Lee Manning to discuss her first thriller, “Trojan Horse.” Can an American spy complete a mission he doesn’t even know he’s on after being betrayed by his own agency? Email for the Zoom information.

‘Leaving Mother Lake’ Wednesday, March 23, 7:30-9 p.m.

Book discussion of “Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World,” a widely acclaimed memoir that will transport you to the remote reaches of the Himalayas, to a place the Chinese call “the country of daughters,” to the home of the Moso, a society in which women rule. Register in advance.

COMMUNITY NOTES continued from page 8

College of William & Mary for the fall 2021 semester.

The following Community College of Vermont students made the student honors list for the fall 2021 semester: Charlotte, Stuart Robinson; and Hinesburg, Delaney Ayer and Zachary Rock.

Tuesday, March 8, noon-5 p.m., St. Catherine of Siena, 72 Church St., Shelburne.

Friday, March 18, 12:30-6 p.m., United Church of Hinesburg, 10580 Route 116, Hinesburg.

Thursday, April 14, 2-7 p.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte.

Screening with Sean Moran features ‘Tick, Tick,Boom!’

Monday Munch, men’s breakfast returns in March

Enjoy a screening of “Tick, Tick …

Boom!” Thursday, March 10, 1-3 p.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road.

The film is based on the autobiographical musical by playwright Jonathan Larson.

Screenings are free, but registration is required as there is limited seating. To register: call 802-425-6345 or stop by the center.

Masks required.

The next Monday munch at the Charlotte Senior Center is March 7, 212 Ferry Road, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The themed menu features Irish beef stew, Irish pub salad, Irish soda bread and Bailey’s poke cake.

A men’s breakfast will be held Thursday, March 10, 7-9 a.m. with guest speaker Peter Kurth, the New York Times leading author with a lifetime specialty studying Russia.

Register by Tuesday, March 8, with Tim McCullough at cubnut5@aol.com.

A $5 donation is appreciated for both meals.

Check the website in case of last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

Upcoming blood drives Saturday, March 5, 7:15 a.m.-4 p.m., University Mall, 155 Dorset St., South Burlington.

News from Carpenter-Carse Library Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg To register, reserve books or for more information, contact Meg Malone at meg@ carpentercarse.org. Masks required indoors.

Folk Jam with Songfarmers of Hinesburg Thursday, March 3, 6-8 p.m.

Do you play an acoustic instrument or just love to sing along to old time, blues, country and folk music? Join SongFarmers during its monthly gathering and participate in a live music offering. Masks required.

‘The Blackbird Season’ Wednesday, March 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

This month’s mystery is “The Blackbird Season” by Kate Moretti. Contact library for Zoom link.

Writing workshop Wednesday, March 9, 7-8:30 p.m.

Interested in flexing your writing muscles a bit? Come to a workshop organized by Carpenter-Carse Library and led by Geoffrey Gevalt, writer, editor and founder of the

Young Writers Project. Contact library for Zoom link.

Saturday Storytime Saturday, March 19, 11 a.m.-noon Stories about the animals that live in this area in winter. Head outside for a fun animal track craft and outdoor snack time. This event is for parents and kids of all ages. No registration required.

Zoom trivia Thursday, March 24, 7-8 p.m.

Enjoy three rounds of trivia on an array of topics and take advantage of a chance to impress your neighbors with your knowledge.

Prize for the winning individual or team.

‘The Woman Who Smashed Codes’ Tuesday, March 29, 7-8 p.m.

Jason Fagone’s “The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies,” a biography of Elizabeth Smith Friedman. Contact library for Zoom link.

Page 10 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

LOUCKS

Obituary Edward A. Deeds Edward A. (Andy) Deeds, 88, of Charlotte, a community leader, accomplished pilot and outdoorsman, died at home Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.

Andy was born in Hartford, Conn., on Aug. 19, 1933. He graduated from Westminster School and Denison University, where he was captain of the tennis and football teams. Upon graduation, Andy was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and spent two years on active duty at Craig Air Force Base in Selina, Ala., as a squadron adjutant.

As a young man, he developed what would become a lifelong love of flying and flight. In 1961, he combined that passion with his business acumen when he founded Northern Airways, a fixed base operator at Burlington International Airport. Ten years later, he founded Air North, a regional air carrier that provided commuter service through Washington, D.C., New York City, and upper New York state.

Andy was also an avid polo

Edward A. Deeds

player, sailor, skier and tennis player. In 1964, having nowhere to play tennis in the winter, he and three friends founded Burlington Indoor Tennis, Inc. or Twin Oaks, which was renamed The Edge and has grown to four indoor tennis and sports facilities in the Burlington area.

He was known throughout his community as generous, kind and adventurous, often flying off in his seaplane, a Grumman Widgeon, with his trusty co-pilot and wife, Birgit, to remote

continued from page 4 destinations such as the northern Ontario lakes and rivers, Turks & Caicos Islands, Alaska or wherever children or friends needed them. Andy was most comfortable in the air, whether at the stick of his Piper Cub, behind the yoke of his Widgeon or DC-3 — a World War II era cargo-plane — or at the controls of a Cessna Citation.

Andy is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Birgit Nielsen Deeds; his six children, Diane Stebbins, Lisa Mackenzie, Andy Deeds III, Susan Griffis, Martha Deeds and Jennifer Huff; four stepchildren, Harold Findlay, Kim Findlay, Lee Potter and Michael Findlay; 23 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Andy’s independent spirit will be missed by all who knew, loved and were inspired by him.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Andy Deeds Junior Sports Scholarship, c/o Mike Feitelberg, The Edge, 75 Eastwood Dr., South Burlington VT. Arrangements are in care of Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, Essex Junction.

was filed under seal with the court preventing the public from better understanding the case.

After Crawford ruled Loucks was competent to stand trial, he was released in May 2021 under home detention and told to refrain from alcohol. Loucks was also ordered to avoid any potential witnesses, except for his father and stepmother.

The case began as an investigation late in 2020 during which Loucks had said he had serious concerns about the distribution of vaccine shots for COVID-19, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In court papers, special agent Eric Brimo said in December 2020 Loucks believed the government and the “deep state” were after him and he made mention that he believed the COVID-19 screening precautions were a part of the government conspiracy to gain control over the population.

Investigators seized several notes from Loucks as part of the joint investigation. One note listed tactics and strategies and others listed hospital locations, phar-

Expand Your View

BLOTTER

continued from page 4 Feb. 24 at 9:16 a.m., officers delivered a message on behalf of another law enforcement agency to a resident on Lincoln Hill Road.

Feb. 24 at 7:03 p.m., a resident wrangled their horses who had gotten loose and were prancing in Silver Street, back to their snowy pasture.

Feb. 25 at 10:10 a.m., police checked Mulberry Lane to make sure cars weren’t parked in the roadway so the highway department could plough.

Feb. 25 at 11:35 a.m., officers offered help to an elderly resident near Route 116 who was in possible need of services.

Feb. 25 at 4:19 p.m., multiple cars were stuck on Lincoln Hill Road due to the snow, which accumulated between 6-12 inches throughout the day and night following a winter storm warning, so officers helped clear them out.

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macies, prisons, EMTs, nurses, doctors, colleges, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, court records show.

Authorities credited the public with bringing Loucks’ psychological struggles to the attention of law enforcement. They were concerned about Loucks’ deteriorating mental status, involvement in violent incidents and desire to obtain firearms, Brimo said.

Chittenden County law enforcement agencies responded to a residence in Shelburne Dec. 16 after a warrant for emergency examination was filed for Loucks.

Law enforcement received information that Loucks, who might be armed, was reportedly en route to the residence of a person who had provided information to police as part of the case, records show.

Shelburne police found him at a home in Shelburne, where he admitted he had a firearm.

Police later found a Taurus 9-mm semi-automatic pistol inside the car, records show.

A trace showed Loucks purchased the semi-automatic from a gun shop in Highgate on Dec. 13, 2020, three days before it was recovered by Shelburne Police, the ATF said.

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The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 11

Ruffed grouse: an unexpected visitor The Outside Story Tim Traver A few weeks ago, I noticed a dark, football-shaped shadow skulking quietly among the stems of honeysuckle and lilac by our driveway. I was throwing seeds to the blue jays that wait for it in the morning, and I tossed a handful into the border for the stranger in the shadows.

Out popped the head and neck of a ruffed grouse. She took a few steps toward me, stopped and began filling her crop, an expandable pouch near her throat useful for storing food the bird will digest later. This took a few minutes and then it was back under cover for our unusual visitor.

Ruffed grouse — named for their long, chocolate-colored, lightedged neck feathers — generally live an elusive and solitary life.

Male and female grouse look much the same, with males typically slightly larger than females. During courtship displays, the male mounts a fallen log and rapidly beats its wings against the air to create a low, drumming sound. Simultaneously, the bird extends its ruff and fans its tail to grow in apparent size and vitality.

We hear them drumming in the spring, but if we see grouse at all, it’s generally a blur on the wing.

Grouse are members of an order and family — Galliformes and Phasianidae — that includes turkey, pheasants and most quail species. Gallinaceous birds are the group from which our domesticated chickens, fowl and turkey come from. Obviously, the grouse in our yard had found an abundant and easy food source and became quickly habituated. By the third day, she was coming to our feet to feed. Unperturbed by human activity, she allowed us a rare close-up view.

Ruffed grouse may be mainly red-brown or gray in color. Ours was a lovely reddish-brown, painted in hues from tawny and tan to pale yellow and amber. From our vantage of two feet away, we could see the finest feathers of the head, including the pen-line thin decorations below the eye, the pale-yellow bib under the chin that gives way to the delicate horizontal lines, and the tawny line through the eye.

Her breast and sides were adorned with horizontal white and dark barring. This cryptic coloration allows her to blend in with the leaves and shadows of the forest floor.

One morning, at 8 degrees below zero, we found the grouse

standing on the concrete kneewall by our back door. She churred softly, tuk’tuked, then filled her crop with seed. Her food in the wild would be less seed and more flower and leaf bud of birch, cherry and aspen, and the catkins of hazels.

Back on her perch in the snow, her body contour feathers rose, neck to belly. She became a feathered football. Her body lowered onto her feet, then her head sank into her neck. Now she was impervious to the cold, the heat-trapping spaces between her contour feathers and downy feathers doing their work: even a thin layer of feather-trapped air can maintain bird’s body temperature at around 104 degrees.

Grouse spend much of the winter buried in snow, which provides both insulation and safe cover. Many a woods-skier and snowshoer has been startled by a grouse exiting its snow roost in a sudden burst of feathers and flapping wings. Typically, they dive under the snow headfirst, then hollow out a cavity and settle in for the night.

The grouse in our yard, however, used a different roosting tactic.

Late one morning, she made her way down the fresh snow along the edge of the drive. She stopped, turned and slowly began to settle, moving her body this way and that, using her feet and wings until her See OUTSIDE STORY on page 13

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Publication Dates: March 10, April 7, May 12, June 2 Deadlines: Thursdays before each issue Contact: Stowe Reporter/News & Citizen at 253-2101, Shelburne News/The Citizen at 985-3091 or The Other Paper at 864-6670 for information or to advertise your camp (ask about multi-paper, half-price color and Burlington Area Newspaper Group deals).

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Page 12 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

SPORTS CVU girls’ basketball loses close matchup LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

After COVID-19 derailed the last two postseasons for Champlain Valley girls’ basketball, the team was hoping for a return to the Division 1 state championship game.

It took some heroics from their opponent to deny them the chance.

Mount Mansfield’s Jada Diamond hit two key three-pointers — the first sent the game to overtime and the second led MMU to the 28-25 win Feb. 28 night in the Division 1 semifinals at University of Vermont’s Patrick Gym. It is the first appearance in the DI title game for Mount Mansfield.

Champlain Valley struggled with the Cougar defense all game, missing shots from the floor and turning the ball over. The girls

looked as if they might overcome those mistakes when they took their first lead of the game with under four minutes to play.

The two teams traded turnovers in the final minutes of regulation and CVU held a 22-19 lead with just 17 seconds to play.

Enter Diamond. The MMU guard hit a three-pointer from the wing to tie the game and send it to overtime.

In the extra frame, both teams traded baskets and were tied 25-25 as time ticked down.

Enter Diamond, again. She hit a three-pointer with under five seconds to play to give MMU the 28-25 win.

The Cougars now face No. 1 Rice in the final game, which will be played on Saturday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. at UVM. Champlain Valley wrapped up the season with a 16-4 record.

Redhawks weekly recap LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Girls’ Nordic skiing Emma Crum paced the Champlain Valley girls Nordic ski team to a third-place finish at the state championships Monday, Feb. 28, at Rikert Nordic Center in Middlebury.

Crum finished fourth in the freestyle race Monday and came in third place in the classic race at Craftsbury Outdoor Center on Thursday, Feb. 24, on the first day of competition.

The relay team came in third place in the classic race Thursday and third place in the freestyle relay on Monday.

Boys’ Nordic skiing In second place after the first day of competition, the Champlain Valley boys’ Nordic ski team could not catch Mount Anthony in the Division I state championships, coming in second place overall.

Matthew Servin was the top finisher on day 2 for CVU, coming in fourth in the freestyle race. Goeo DeBrosse came in fifth in freestyle on the second day and sixth in the classic race on day one.

The CVU relay team came in

second place in both relays, solidifying its spot in second place.

Girls’ hockey The Champlain Valley-Mount Mansfield girls’ hockey team struggled in the final weeks of the regular season, but the team’s strong start helped them earned the No. 5 seed in the DI playoffs.

The CougarHawks will take on No. 4 Rutland in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 2, at 7 p.m.

CVU-MMU has seen Rutland twice in two weeks of the regular season, losing the first time 4-1 but battling to 4-4 tie in the most recent meeting.

The winner of the CougarHawks/Rutland matchup will take on the winner of No. 2 Spaulding versus No. 7 South Burlington.

Boys’ hockey The Champlain Valley boys’ hockey team will traveled to No. 2 BFA-St. Albans on Town Meeting Day to face off in the DI quarterfinals.

The seventh-seeded Redhawks will look to rebound from two regular season losses to the Bobwhites when the puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

CVU, which lost to BFA 3-0 and 3-1, looks to improve on its 6-12-2 record.

PHOTO BY AL FREY

CVU’s Chloe Snipes makes a bucket from the paint during the Redhawks’ semifinal playoff game against the Mt. Mansfield Union Cougars Feb. 28 at University of Vermont’s Patrick Gym.

The winner of the quarterfinal matchup will take on the winner of No. 6 Spaulding and No. 3 Essex in the semifinals.

Boys’ basketball A successful regular season led to a first-round bye for the

Champlain Valley boys’ basketball team as the D-1 playoffs get underway.

The Redhawks finished with a 13-3 record and the No. 2 seed and awaits a winner in the DI quarterfinals on March 4.

CVU will take on the winner

of No. 7 South Burlington and No. 10 Colchester.

The Redhawks beat South Burlington in both matchups during the regular season — 57-50 and 49-45. They also beat Colchester 52-38 and 51-38 in two games this season.

The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 13

START SPREADING THE NEWS!

NORDGREN

continued from page 1 all the juggling of training, because summer training is possibly the most important part.”

She later transitioned to working from home, which was its own kind of adjustment many are now familiar with. “It was pretty lonely. But I was home and, you know, just kind of waiting for the baby,” she said.

Nordgren, meanwhile, kept up his training regimen, despite the looming conclusion to a sport he’s been competing in for nearly two decades.

“We talked about it a lot back then and, you know, knowing that this was my last year, in my last Olympics, Caitlin was super supportive, saying ‘I want you to be there, and I want you to take this last chance that you can,’” he said.

His preparation leading up to the Beijing games felt almost normal, “because I knew her parents were here with her I could

OUTSIDE STORY

continued from page 11 belly was under the snow, then her shoulders, and finally her head, retracted like a feathered periscope.

Our grouse guest has stopped by regularly for several weeks now. We aren’t far from the natural woodland haunts of these birds, and other homes with feeders are closer still. So I’m curious about what first brought this bird out of her natural habitat to our driveway.

Whatever her reasons, we’ve enjoyed her presence and the chance to get an up-close look at this forest bird.

Tim Traver is author of “Fly Fishing and Conservation in Vermont, Stories of the Battenkill and Beyond.” He lives in Taftsville, Vt. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.

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just focus on training.” Until the run up to competition at least, when Napoleoni went into labor, and when he spent most of the day on the phone checking in with her and other relatives across the western hemisphere — just hours before he was set to compete.

He didn’t perform as well as he would have liked. He finished 87th place in the 20K individual biathlon, a race that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

“Going into that competition the next day, I was still thinking about everything more than I should have,” he said. “So that competition was not very good. I had kind of an uncharacteristically bad shooting. I wasn’t as focused.”

He then packed all his stuff, ate dinner and left for the airport,

facing a roughly 40-hour flight home — “quasi-torture” for the two of them.

But it was — naturally — a relief arriving back in Vermont and coming home to a “totally different life than before,” he said.

“We have basically cultivated our lives around my job, my own weird schedule, and then his job, so for all that to kind of be blown to bits in the next three weeks, especially now that Astrid is here.

It is surreal,” Napoleoni said.

They’ve both been home together for two weeks, and they’ve seen more of each other than they have all year.

“I’d spent the first several days like having her all to myself,” Napoleoni said. “I basically handed over the baby and didn’t get her back.”

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE IS ISSUING REQUESTS FOR MOWING/LAND MAINTENANCE & BRUSH-HOGGING The Town of Charlotte is seeking bids for: • mowing and maintaining certain town parcels and trails • mowing and maintaining cemeteries • brush-hogging certain town parcels A description of the parcels and bid requirements can be viewed at www.charlottevt.org and can also be obtained at the Town Office.

Contractors can bid on one, two or all three contracts.

Bids are due on Monday March 14, 2022 @ 4 PM Any questions should be directed to Dean Bloch, Town Administrator at 425-3701 ext. 5 or dean@townofcharlotte.com

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Page 14 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen

service directory To advertise in the service directory email: Advertising@thecitizenvt.com or call 985-3091

Antiques

Construction

ANTIQUES WANTED

Insurance 4281 Shelburne Rd. Shelburne, VT 05482 Office: 985-2453 titus@titusinsurance.net www. titusinsurance.net

Decluttering? Downsizing?

Settling an Estate?

We can help you discover, learn about and sell:

WATCHES • JEWELRY • COINS • SILVER • ARTWORK

Insurance for: Home • Auto • Business • Motorcycle • Renters • Condo Farm • Boat • Recreational Vehicles

We can field questions, review photos and coordinate estate work.

Contact Brian Bittner • 802-272-7527 • bittnerantiques@gmail.com

www.bittnerantiques.com

Metal

Landscape / Lawncare

Rug Cleaning

Full Line Steel Service Center

Serving all your metal needs for over two generations

ews & The Citizen

8.00/week for both papers $432.00

802-864-0326 800-540-4692 35 Intervale Rd, Burlington

www.qcsteel.com

Huge inventory of steel, aluminum and stainless in many shapes and sizes from sheets to tubing to angle iron Cutting, Punching, Drilling and Bending Services We’ll even recycle your ferrous and non-ferrous metal Delivery available

vermont

Rug cleaning vermontrugcleaning.com | 802.985.1178

Siding/Remodeling

BEAGLE BUILDERS, LLC Remodeling & Additions

ALL TYPES OF SIDING Vinyl/Wood/Composite

Windows & Doors • Decks & Porches

Kitchens & Bathrooms Sunrooms & Garages

Monkton, VT

beaglebuilders@gmavt.net

802-453-4340 CALL US! 802-355-0807

WHY GO

LOCAL?

The Citizen Service Directory It does a BIG job for your business for a little price.

Call 985-3091 for details.

Shape the community’s character Vermont Community Newspaper Group

The business next door donates nearly twice as much as big-box stores and online retailers to local non-profits, events and teams.

The Citizen • March 3, 2022 • Page 15

CROSSWORD

ARIES

LEO

March 21 - April 20 Aries, an exciting relationship may soon develop after you socialize with friends.

If you already are involved romantically, someone you meet could be an important ally.

TAURUS April 21 - May 21 Unexpected changes are the name of the game this week, Taurus. This could mean anything from learning a new skill to having to train a new coworker.

GEMINI May 22 - June 21 Gemini, there’s potential to meet someone interesting on a trip you will be taking shortly. Strike up conversations with those around you, as you never know what will happen.

CANCER June 22 - July 22 Cancer, do not be discouraged when something seems like an insurmountable task. You just have to find the right help and then you’ll quickly master the job.

July 23 - Aug. 23 An unexpected phone call or text from someone in your past could come your way soon, Leo. Whatever the news, don’t let it scare you.

You’ll do fine.

VIRGO Aug. 24 - Sept. 22 A significant sum of money could be coming your way shortly, Virgo. It may be a bonus or some sort of repayment. Be pleased at the windfall and utilize it wisely.

LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 Libra, an exciting group activity involving a number of your friends is on the horizon.

You may be wondering whether to go. Don’t pass up the opportunity.

SCORPIO Oct. 24 - Nov. 22 Exciting prospects and fortunate events seem to be in your orbit, Scorpio. Enjoy this bit of good luck that garners much of your attention and could have further benefits.

SUDOKU Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 23 - Dec. 21 Sagittarius, are you feeling adventurous lately? Now may be a good time to enter a race or try something daring, like sky diving. Let your instincts guide your decision.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Your mind is attuned to learning new lessons. If time permits, enroll in some college courses or explore trade school offerings. This will enable you to expand your mind.

AQUARIUS Jan. 21 - Feb. 18 This is a good week to travel or to make the arrangements for it, Aquarius. The journey promises to be an exciting time that you will remember for a while.

PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 Pisces, bizarre dreams may invade your comfort levels.

Don’t try to analyze their meaning too much, but be aware of symbolism.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Neckwear 7. Fish parts 13. Cooking 14. Quality 16. Rural delivery 17. Popular superhero 19. Partner to Pa 20. Shivering fits 22. Wrath 23. Linguistics pioneer 25. Large integers 26. A way to prepare food 28. Group of badgers 29. Peyton’s little brother 30. Rock out 31. Danish krone 33. Take from with force 34. Baroque musical instrument 36. Zodiac sign 38. Hebrew alphabet letter 40. Independent member of a clone 41. Type of garment 43. Satisfy 44. One point south of due east 45. A way to wipe out 47. Moved quickly on foot 48. Bar bill 51. An idiot 53. Performed with the

voice silent 55. Body fluids 56. Rhythmic patterns 58. “__ my i’s” 59. Type of wrap 60. It shows who you are 61. Carousel 64. Type of college degree 65. Molding 67. Closes again 69. Verses 70. Surface CLUES DOWN 1. Short, thick stick 2. Rhode Island 3. Animals of the horse family 4. Very important persons 5. Folk singer Di Franco 6. Boredom 7. Long speech 8. Footballer Newton 9. Expression of sorrow or pity 10. Linear accelerator 11. One quintillion bytes 12. Smallest interval in Western music 13. Box 15. Cheese dish 18. Make a mistake 21. Done by all people or things

ANSWERS

24. Circumference 26. Chum 27. Electrocardiogram 30. Sandwich chain Jimmy __ 32. Showed old movie 35. Important event on Wall St. 37. Where wrestlers work 38. Free from contamination 39. Eastern Canada coastal region 42. Slang for gun 43. High schoolers’ test 46. Fathers 47. Call it a career 49. Productive 50. Musical groups 52. Yellowish-brown 54. Lowest point of a ridge 55. Beloved late sportscaster Craig 57. Fill up 59. Cardinal number that’s the sum of 5 and 1 62. Frost 63. Jewel 66. Atomic #45 68. Top lawyer

Page 16 • March 3, 2022 • The Citizen