The Citizen - 04-28-22 by Vermont Community Newspaper Group

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Longtime Vermont sportswriter joins elite group

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Page 12 Page 2

April 28, 2022

Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg

thecitizenvt.com

Three officers leave Hinesburg for other police departments

Kickin’ into high gear

Two cops head for Shelburne, while one moves to Williston COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

U.S. Her parents were initially unable to immigrate the U.S. due to exclusion laws — federal legislation that suspended immigration for the Chinese. Those laws were eventually replaced by ethnic quotas, which allowed her father to immigrate to the U.S. but prevented her mother from joining him, splitting up the family for four years. But they eventually reunited. Waples later worked side by side with her three

The Hinesburg Police Department is down to three full-time officers after Chief Anthony Cambridge last week announced that three cops had accepted job offers at neighboring departments, further complicating the future of the town’s police department. Brian Fox, an officer with Hinesburg, accepted a position in the Williston Police Department, while officer Dan Eickenberg and Sgt. Caleb Casco are headed to Shelburne. Eickenberg previously served in the Shelburne Police Department for more than 30 years before moving south to Hinesburg just four months ago. “All those employees left for significantly more money than what Hinesburg has been paying,” Todd Odit, Hinesburg’s town manager, said. “Regardless of the number of full-time officers that we settle on, we will not be able to attract anyone at the rates we had been paying.” Along with Cambridge, officers Frank Bryan and Jeremy Hulshof are now the only full-timers remaining, Odit said. The departures mark another setback for the department. After voters in March narrowly voted down the department’s $815,483 budget, 431-484, officials with the town and department worked to cut back that budget in hopes one could pass before a July 1 deadline. After the budget’s defeat, officials crafted a new plan that kept six full-time officers as well as a part-time administrative assistant but cut back on salary and benefits by roughly $10,000, reducingd the overall budget to $800,491. That figure dropped, however, after

See WAPLES on page 5

See POLICE on page 4

PHOTO BY AL FREY

CVU’s Alice Kredell wins the 1,500-meter run at the Essex Vacational Track and Field meet on Thursday in Essex. See more, page 11.

Hinesburg resident state’s newest justice First woman of color becomes member of Vermont Supreme Court COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Nancy Waples, a Hinesburg resident, was sworn in as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court this month, becoming the first woman of color to join the five-member bench. Dozens of family, friends, members of the state judicial branch and other top government officials attended the ceremony on April 15 as Gov. Phil Scott swore in Waples.

“This is a banner day for our state. Nancy Waples’ appointment breathes fresh air into the foundational notion of equal justice under the law,” Vermont Chief Supreme Court Justice Paul Reiber said. “I applaud your arrival to this court. Waples, 61, will replace Justice Beth Robinson, who was appointed to a seat on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Joe Biden. The daughter of immigrants, Waples parents fled the communist revolution in China to Canada and then eventually to the

Page 2 • April 28, 2022 • The Citizen

Champlain Valley district hires director of learning, innovation Sarah Crum has been appointed director of learning and innovation for the Champlain Valley School District. Crum, who starts her new job July 1, replaces Jeff Evans, who retires at the end of the school year. Crum will collaborate with the directors of Student Support Services and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Champlain Valley School District. In addition to curriculum, instruction and assessment, Sarah Crum the director oversees the English Language Learner program, instructional coaches and coordinators, faculty and staff mentor programs and manages the consolidated federal grants and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund grants. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to join the central office leadership team as the director of learning and innovation,” Crum said. “I look forward to continuing the strong foundation that has been built in the district and working toward an innovative and responsive experience for our CVSD students and community.” The director also leads continuous improvement planning, COVID-19 recovery planning and helps ensure compliance with

Vermont education quality standards. “Sarah’s experience as an English teacher, special educator and special education director will prove to be a valuable resource for the Champlain Valley School District,” superintendent Rene Sanchez said. “Literacy, instructional techniques and inclusivity are always among the most important current focus areas of school districts. Sarah’s background will help Champlain Valley’s already innovative work progress even further.” Crum graduated magma cum laude from Vanderbilt University with degrees in English and special education and holds a master’s in curriculum and pedagogy from the University of Colorado. She earned a special education administrator licensure with a certificate of advanced graduate studies from St. Michael’s College and is currently engaged in leadership work with the Snelling Center for Government’s Vermont School Leadership Project. She is currently the director of special education for the Williston schools. Prior to that, she was a special educator at Champlain Valley Union High School, and an English teacher in Telluride, Colo.

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Ted Ryan, a longtime Vermont sportswriter, will be inducted to the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame on April 30.

Longtime Vermont sportswriter looks back at 50-year career Ted Ryan to be inducted into Vermont Sports Hall of Fame COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Ted Ryan’s first byline was relatively short but still a bit of a challenge. He was a senior in high school in 1964, writing a piece as the newest Rutland High School sports correspondent for the Rutland Herald. “It took me forever to write that first story, which was probably about six inches long,” he said. “But once I got through that and got into it, it did come fairly easily. I felt comfortable.” More than 50 years later, the amount of copy Ted Ryan has written for newspapers in Vermont would be difficult to tally. He’s written thousands of stories as the beat writer for the University of Vermont hockey teams alone, not to mention the heaps of copy he’s written about fishing, auto racing, baseball, softball, soccer, “basketball, obviously,” and, of course, hockey — along with all of the winter sports played and practiced in Vermont. “I guess I haven’t done a lot of volleyball because it’s so recent as a varsity sport in Vermont,” he said, working hard to think of a sport he hasn’t covered during his tenure in the Green Mountains. Now, Ryan’s tremendous career, which he retired from in

2019, will be honored as the 2022 David Hakins Inductee into the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame “for exceptional promotion and development of sports and athletics in the Green Mountain State,” the group’s website reads. He will be inducted on April 30 at the Delta Marriott Burlington Hotel in South Burlington alongside fellow inductees Jayne Barber, Taylor Coppenrath, Stan Dunklee, Cathy Inglese, William “Bill” O’Neil, Erin Sullivan Lane, and Tim Thomas — the ninth class of inductees. He’s grateful, naturally, but says he feels “funny” about the whole thing. “You’re going to look at that list, and all of the ones before, that are all so talented or athletic, and their accomplishments as coaches,” he said. “And you know, I didn’t do that, all I did was write about their accomplishments. I’m honored, but I’m really humbled to even be put in that class.” He knew at a young age he was never going to be a great athlete. Instead, Ryan built a decades-long career documenting the development of dozens of sports and their athletes in the state with ease, all underpinned by a love for Vermont. “I had a great time — 55 years. I used to say, once upon a time, I was going to have to grow up and

get a real job. Well, I never did,” he said. “I never had a job because when you love what you do it isn’t work. I loved it for the whole time I was doing it.”

Student journalist Ryan began his career with the Rutland Herald, where he would work summers, filling in for the full-time writers on vacation. He kept up the work as he studied mathematics at the University of Vermont. Although by the time he was first enrolled, “having had a taste of sports journalism, I was pretty set that I was going to be pursuing that instead,” he said. His lifelong love of sports is evident — his home is adorned with photos of him with legendary athletes: Arnold Palmer, Willie Randolph, Mickey Mantle. Eventually, he became the Herald’s sports editor and remained there until 1975, when the Burlington Free Press recruited him as a beat writer covering the University of Vermont’s hockey team. His coverage took him throughout New England, driving through “rather hellacious snowstorms getting to Ithaca, N.Y., for Cornell or to Princeton, N.J., or to New Hampshire or Maine or wherever” for UVM hockey games, covering See RYAN on page 16

The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 3

Sign up now for Green Up Day Charlotte Green Up Day is Saturday, May 7, at the Charlotte Central School, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sign up for a route at charlottevtgreenupday.com before 6 p.m. on Friday, May 6; email Kim Findlay at farafieldfarm@ gmavt.net before May 6 at 6 p.m.; or day of the event. Pick up bags at the Charlotte Library, Old Brick Store and Spear’s Corner Store starting April 30 or on Green Up Day. After greening up your route, bring bags back to the school. Only tires picked up along roadsides will be accepted. To volunteer, email or call Findlay at 802-999-3084 or farafieldfarm@gmavt.net.

Even though it is illegal in Vermont to throw away recyclables, many people still fill the landfill with electronics. Good Point Recycling, which collects electronics, helps make sure these items get recycled. Sustainable Charlotte will be collecting all electronic devices, including computers and their components, DVD players, VCRs, stereos, phones, record players, radios, televisions, laptops, video machines, microwaves, small kitchen electronics and their various chords and chargers. Air conditioners, stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers cannot be accepted. Questions? Email ruahswennerfelt@ gmail.com or call 802-922-2259.

Sustainable Charlotte joins Green Up Day again

Hinesburg Green Up Day

Do you have old stereos, VCRs, boomboxes, or other electronic devices that are just cluttering your house? Are you wanting to be sure they don’t end up in the landfill? Sustainable Charlotte will once again coordinate electronic waste collection at Charlotte Central School in conjunction with Charlotte’s Green Up Day, Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. In addition to the importance of cleaning up the debris from road sides, the electronic collection eliminates thousands of pounds of waste from ending up in the landfill. Only one landfill currently services the state. It’s located in Coventry and will be at capacity around 2040, according to current projections.

Meet Saturday, May 7, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at Hinesburg Town Hall. Pick up more bags, enjoy a doughnut, review the town map, sign up for a road section, and grab a visibility vest to keep you safe along the roadsides. Trash bags available at the town hall and Carpenter Carse Library. Sign up for a route at hinesburg.org or go directly to bit.ly/3rwGJde. Drop off bags at the town garage between 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Green Up day. If you need a volunteer to pick up your bags, leave them tied up and secured on the side of the road. A community lunch will be held at town hall from noon to 1 p.m. Questions? Email Phil Pouech at ppouech@gmavt.net.

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POLICE

continued from page 1 continued pushback from residents, who argued that the first revised budget amounted to the town ignoring the will of the voters. On April 13, the town selectboard OK’d another budget that was nearly $40,000 less than what was originally proposed Town Meeting Day. During that time, Hinesburg offered to help provide coverage and overtime detail as needed while the Shelburne Police Department — also facing severe staff shortages — struggled to maintain services. “Just want to let you guys know both myself and the (police department) are here if you need anything,” Hinesburg Chief Anthony Cambridge said in an email, obtained via a records

request, to Shelburne Police Chief Michael Thomas “(But) given our budget issues I assume (the Hinesburg Police Department) is also headed into rough waters.” The blow to staff in Hinesburg means that starting on or about May 1, the department will only have coverage from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, Cambridge said. “We will be contacting the Vermont State Police to cover any remaining calls that our department isn’t open, including overnight on-call hours,” he said. The state police will only respond to violent crime and extreme emergencies, but response time is not guaranteed. Like Hinesburg and Shelburne, the state police also face staffing

shortages and have told departments not to rely on them for coverage. After the news of the departures, the town selectboard met Friday, April 22, to approve the original revised budget — set at $800,491 — as well as warn the vote for May 24, when voters will be able to vote at the polls. Residents can also vote early. But while the budget is set, Odit and Cambridge will have to “decide within the parameters of the approved budget how to staff the department.” “Everything’s out the window at this point,” Odit said. “I’m not even sure that that budget now can support six officers. It all depends on being able to attract someone with what their salary demands are. Basically, the positions that are being vacated just got more expensive.” The goal, they said, is to try to reduce the number of one-per-

son shifts. The future of overnight coverage, meanwhile, is unclear. The administrative assistant position now must be cut, while the per diem budget is going to be “very minimal,” Odit said. The two officers who left were making less than $30 per hour, Odit said, while Casco was making $35 an hour. The town’s hourly rate for patrol officers has already been increased to above $30 per hour. The news prompted some selectboard members to discuss the possibility of regionalizing neighboring police departments, an idea that was been informally discussed among officials with the Hinesburg and Shelburne departments. “Not to beat a dead horse, but it’s been mentioned a lot: regionalization or whatever it might be,” selectboard member Mike Loner said. “I hate to bring it up again, but it just seems all we’re going

to be doing over the next decade is trading officers back and forth with whoever gets the biggest bonus, and I just don’t know if there’s enough people out there in the work force to staff all the police departments in the area. I don’t know how and when, but I think it’s time to have a really serious conversation with other towns (because) we’re just competing against our neighbors.” The priority for the time being, other members said, has to be getting a budget approved before July 1, because it would take at least “a year to figure out and implement — it’s not a thing that’s going to happen in a few months,” Odit said. “The discussion on regionalization is something we certainly should have, no question about it, but that ain’t going to happen before we need to pass a budget,” selectboard member Phil Pouech said.

Hinesburg Police Blotter April 18 at 8:09 a.m., someone found a loose debit card on Friendship Lane and took it to police who reunited the card with its owner. April 18 at 10:26 a.m., officers served paperwork on Mead

Farm Road on behalf of the court. April 18 at 10:41 a.m., officers assisted with a man having a mental health crisis on Ballard Corner Road. April 18 at 1 p.m., police worked

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on an active online fraud investigation on Route 116. April 19 at 12 a.m., a false alarm was triggered at a residence on Lewis Creek Road. April 19 at 8:30 a.m., no one was injured after a car skidded off Richmond Road. April 19 at 8:44 a.m., no one was injured in another car skid off Charlotte Road. April 19 at 9:07 a.m., some downed power lines across Route 116 were blocking traffic, so police assisted at the scene until they were removed. April 20 at 8:20 a.m., officers checked on a broken car on Baldwin Road. April 21 at 3:20 a.m., a false alarm went off on Richmond Road. April 21 at 10:23 a.m., officers responded to a domestic incident at Hillview Terrace, separating the people involved. April 21 at 1:10 p.m., police assisted a resident of Richmond Road with a stalking issue. April 22 at 7:52 a.m., a false alarm went off at a residence on Farmall Drive April 22 at 10:03 a.m., a single car was involved in a crash on Richmond Road. No further information was available, police said. April 22 at 11:10 p.m., an officer unlocked someone’s car for them on Route 116 after they left their keys inside. See BLOTTER on page 5

The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 5

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Nancy Waples of Hinesburg, the newest justice on the Vermont Supreme Court, speaks during her induction ceremony on Friday, April 15.

WAPLES

continued from page 1 siblings in her parent’s restaurant outside of New York City, learning to speak English at the age of nine. “By sheer force of will, my family succeeded,” she said. “I grew up with the dust of honest labor on my hands. My father and late mother faced many challenges with great courage and integrity so that their children could pursue their American dreams.” She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and then her law degree from St. John’s University of Law in New York. She has worked as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and as an assistant U.S. attorney in the criminal division of the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office before she was nominated by then-governor Peter Shumlin to serve as a state superior court judge. “Nancy wouldn’t be the person she is today if not for her impressive personal story. Her life story and experience give her perspective that only add to her qualifications for this role,” Scott said before swearing her in. “Judge Waples will be a justice who reflects not only the talents of a well-qualified candidate, but the possibili-

ties that are open to all.” The nomination marks Scott’s third supreme court justice appointment in his tenure. He last swore in Associate Justice William D. Cohen in 2019. The court is now made up of three men — Reiber, Cohen and Harold E. Eaton Jr. — and two women, Waples and Karen R. Carroll, also a Scott appointee. Waples “is the right person at the right time for the supreme court,” Scott said. “The unanimous, bipartisan support she received from the senate demonstrates that as well.” Waples lives in Hinesburg with her husband, Greg. Vermonters since 1991, they have two sons, Lane and Graham, both law students working in New York City. “My life has been enormously impacted by growing up in two very different cultures ... I now have a new home in this court, and to the justices and the entire staff of the supreme court — you’ve welcomed me so warmly and graciously and it is a distinct honor to be in your midst,” she said. “I will learn and grow every day I sit on the bench and that process will continue for as long as I have the privilege to wear that black robe.”

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BLOTTER

continued from page 4 April 22 at 5:30 p.m., police investigated an active harassment case on Route 116. April 23 at 11 a.m., officers assisted with a mental health call on Silver Street. April 23 at 7:06 p.m., the Vermont State Police requested assistance over a car crash in St. George, so Hinesburg cops helped by controlling traffic at the scene. April 23 at 8:48 p.m., a false alarm went off at a business on Route 116. April 24 at 4:36 p.m., people were driving too fast in the Hillview Terrace neigh-

borhood, complained one of the residents to police. April 24 at 8:21 p.m., police were called to a domestic incident on Richmond Road; they separated the people involved. April 25 at 3:11 p.m., a resident of Green Street was worried someone had been in their house when they weren’t home, but when police checked it out, they did not find anything out of place.

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Note: The incidents above are not a full recount of police activity, rather a highlight of some of the events that occurred. AER CITIZEN_033022_VFIN.indd 1

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Page 6 • April 28, 2022 • The Citizen

OPINION

Vermonters challenged to clean up roadways of the signature Green Up Day bags and have requested more. Many schools are back and more interested than ever to do Kate Alberghini their part. Communities are reviving their outreach and sense of celebration around Green Up Day, a 52-year-old tradiGreen Up Day with community projects, tion that spans generations of volunteers, volunteer breakfasts and potlucks. continues to impact our landscape and This togetherness is fueled by two years quality of life. of social distance that never let go of the Many residents have been contacting social duty to work together in cleaning the Green Up Vermont office, concerned our environment. about the amount of trash on the roadsides Green Up Day 2021 statistics showed this spring, looking for Green Up Day trash pickup increased by 70 percent or supplies and information — and solutions. higher. Vermonters cleaned 75 percent of I can’t tell you the number of times I the approximately 13,000 miles of town have heard, “What kind of person thinks roads. With more people it is OK to roll down the involved this year and the window and toss their In 2021, Vermonters heightened concern for trash into the environtrashy roadsides, Green ment.” cleaned 75 percent Up Vermont is challengIndeed, it is disappointing and there is of the approximately ing more Vermonters, clubs and businesses to no good answer, other get out and help clean than continuing to work 13,000 miles of every mile. year-round on a variety Together we can do of initiatives inclusive town roads. this and prove to the of continuing promote nation that litter has no place here. Our the ever-so important Green Up Day and “Brave Little State” can make a very extend education for waste reduction. large statement that will in turn get more Giving up on Green Up Day because litter keeps happening would be disastrous. people to listen and act in ways that will further protect the environment with waste Beyond having an unhealthy impact on reduction, innovative recycling efforts and where we live, work and play, our tourwill further inspire future generations to ism economy would suffer immensely. be influencers for a clean environment by Additionally, municipalities just don’t making simple changes to their everyday have room in their budgets to include the routines. labor for litter clean up. Do the math. If The habit of keeping the environment the 22,000 volunteers in 2021 were paid clean will make a huge difference to the minimum wage for only two hours of their health of our planet. time — most work far longer than that — Green Up Day is Saturday, May 7. it would cost well over a half a million Consider grabbing a friend or your family dollars. and taking a walk with a Green Up Day So how do we combat the problem of trash bag. Find your town details at greelitter. nupvermont.org. This year has been amazing in the support and eagerness of volunteers getting Kate Alberghini is executive director of out and cleaning up already. There are Green Up Vermont. a few towns who have already run out

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The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 7

It’s easy to come to the aid of people who look like ‘us’ Guest Perspective Ross Connelly Who does not feel horror at the Russian slaughter in Ukraine? The reality is visible. The onslaught does not offer a way to turn one’s head and look elsewhere. The inhumanity of Putin’s war is unmistakable, if any war can be seen as anything but inhumane. Whose emotions are not heightened at the sight of a pregnant woman carried on a stretcher from a bombed hospital? There is agony at the photo of a fallen woman, her face streaked with blood, her two children lying near her, also dead from a Russianfired mortar. The image of an elderly woman helped to walk away from a burning apartment building, orange flames shooting from broken-out windows, brings feelings of despair. A maroon car, similar to one that might be seen often on a street in this country, is turned instantly into a black mass of twisted metal by an exploding shell from a Russian tank cannon, the civilian occupants obliterated. More pictures and more reporting of the reality are worse.

The fleeing Ukrainians and the Ukrainians who remain in the country to fight look just like white Americans and white Europeans — from the color of their skin to their blond and sandy hair and angular faces, to the puffy winter coats they wear, they look just like “us.” It is easy to come to the aid of people who look like us. Those who don’t are easily overlooked. The horror of the body of a tiny boy in a red parka washed ashore after fleeing Syria with other refugees in an unstable boat did not bring the current reaction in this country and in Europe. The still-happening repression in Syria by Assad’s brutal army — with Putin’s help — did not and does not bring anguish from the West. The borders here and in Western Europe are not wide open for support and comfort to the brown people fleeing the destruction of Syria. And what of the Uyghurs in China? What of those fleeing murder and fighting in counties on the African continent, in Latin America, in Southeast Asia? What of people in Yemen, Myanmar and places shadowed from the world’s spotlight? The borders in America and Western Europe have small entrances. The call for

aid and offers of support to the people of all-out war, of World War III, is not idle in those other countries are minuscule thinking. compared to the outpouring for Ukrainian The images of Putin’s war in Ukraine people. are stark. The death and destruction are Within two weeks of shocking. The implication the start of Putin’s war, The borders here and of a conflict spiraling the Vermont General beyond that country’s Assembly passed, and the borders is frightening. in Western Europe governor signed, $644,826 Our response to Putin’s are not wide open in aid — symbolically, $1 war is, to paraphrase T.S. for every Vermont resident Eliot, one in which we for support and — to be given to a childo the right deed but that dren’s aid group working includes an insidious, comfort to the brown wrong reason. We need in Ukraine. The Ukrainian people to pause and look at who people fleeing the need the support. So do we are. the other populations in We need to acknowldestruction of Syria. turmoil in many places on edge our response the globe, including the includes our Achilles heel United States. of racism in which reaction to the “other” We react to Putin’s war from a humane is different from our support for those who and a strategic reality. If Ukraine falls look like “us.” We should not ignore that. under his control, other former Eastern Bloc countries are most likely in his sights. Ross Connelly of Hardwick was co-pubThe stability of the West, if it can be called lisher and editor of The Hardwick Gazette that, will become unstable. The prospect from 1986 to 2017.

Letters to the Editor Save lives: Educate yourselves about gender To the Editor: I am the parent of a 29-year-old transgender woman and each day I wake with concern for her safety. The murder of Fern Feather has brought my fears, anxieties and anger to the surface. (“Stabbing victim honored as loving, peaceful,” April 21, 2022) I now call on religious and political leaders who seek personal and political gain by espousing hatred aimed at those who fall outside falsely constructed paradigms of gender to stop the hatred. Your gain comes at the cost of lives, and I hold you complicit in the death of Feather and at least 50 other transgender and gender-nonconforming murder victims as reported by the Human Rights Campaign for 2021. Your views and perspectives couched in the preservation of the family helps to fuel the fires of hatred. As a country founded on the beliefs of freedom and individual rights, I am confounded by how easily you can turn your backs on the people you are expected to represent, support and defend. From my perspective the path toward the self-recognition of one’s identity can be fraught with the loss of family support, isolation and exclusion. As a parent, I learned that failing to recognize and embrace my daughter’s identity risked

her disappearance from our lives. To truly embrace my daughter, I placed myself in a position of love and unconditional acceptance. I ask that as Vermonters we take up the task of educating ourselves on the topics of gender identity and become aware of the risk imposed when we turn our backs. As an example, the Human Rights Campaign, according to a 2018 report, said, “More than half of transgender male teens who participated in the survey reported attempting suicide in their lifetime, while 29.9 percent of transgender female teens said they attempted suicide. Among non-binary youth, 41.8 percent of respondents stated that they had attempted suicide at some point in their lives.” Among the dead and survivors are our children, nieces and nephews, cousins, classmates, neighbors, parents and colleagues. While we live under the banner of Freedom and Unity, we must not be complacent while our neighbors experience hatred, misgendering, humiliation, violence and racism on a daily basis. I mourn the loss of Feather and pray for my daughter’s safety. I pray for the safety of others and implore us all to put aside hatred and recognize the value of support, acceptance and, if possible, love. John Zaber Craftsbury Common

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Page 8 • April 28, 2022 • The Citizen

COMMUNITY Calling all horticulturalists: Don’t miss church plant sale The United Church of Hinesburg annual plant sale is back. The 50-plus-year-old tradition went virtual in 2020, and this year the church is continuing its online store but bring back an in-person sale as well. Online orders of perennials — and biscotti — will be available for pick-up Saturday, May 7. The in-person sale will be held Saturday, May 14, at the church, 10570 Route 116, and will include annuals, some perennials and bake sale. Through the online store, find generously sized, hardy, freshly dug perennials. To avoid the possibility of spreading the invasive Asian jumping worm, all roots are washed thoroughly after they are dug. Most plants will be potted in light potting soil, except for hostas,

irises and daylilies, which will be dug just before the sale to allow them to get a better start. These plants will not be potted but will be wrapped in damp newsprint, ready for planting. Also available on-line will be biscotti, baked and packaged by members of the church missions committee, with proceeds going to Hearts for Hunger and the Vermont Foodbank’s Backpack Program. The store will be live through Saturday, April 30, at ucofh. org. Orders will be ready for pick up May 7 in the church parking lot, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The next Saturday, May 14, the sale will be held at the church, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact Anne Donegan, ardonegan@gmail.com, with questions.

On Wednesday, May 4, at 7 p.m. New York Times bestselling author Miranda Beverly-Whittemore shares “The Process of Writing Novels” at the Charlotte Senior Center.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Humane Society of Chittenden County hosts its 28th Walk for the Animals and 5K Doggie Fun Run at Burlington’s Battery Park, Sunday, June 5. This is the humane society’s largest fundraiser of the year, and all proceeds support programming and services, including finding homes for almost 1,400 cats, dogs and small animals each year. For more information or to sign up for the walk or fun run, go to hsccvt.org.

Community Notes Bestselling Shelburne author shares writing tips

Run for the animals

New York Times bestseller and Shelburne resident Miranda Beverly-Whittemore has published five novels, including “Bittersweet” and her most recent novel, “Fierce Little Thing.” In this talk about her process, she explores how she writes a novel, from conception to comple-

tion, providing a glimpse of both her own craft and the publishing process, from working with an agent and editor to promotion — and deciding what to work on next. Co-sponsored with the Charlotte Library.

Friends of Carpenter-Carse offer garden gatherings Friends of the Carpenter-Carse Library might not be hosting their usual garden tour this summer but not to worry, the group will be

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offering other gardening programming to keep Hinesburg’s community of green thumbs going. Gardeners of any level are welcome to join informal Saturday morning garden gatherings hosted at a local community member’s home and garden, where attendees can chat and ask questions to learn from one another. On Saturday, May 21, 9-10:30 a.m., the gathering will take place at the home and garden of Anne Donegan. While open to the public, there

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is limited space so registering in advance is required by calling the library’s main desk at 802-4822878 or registering on the library website, carpentercarse.org. Those attending are encouraged to carpool and can use the library as a meet-up spot. A second gathering is planned for June 18.

Mansfield Mountain Band peforms at senior center The Mansfield Mountain Band from Richmond performs a free concert at the Charlotte Senior Center Sunday, May 1, 1 p.m. The four-piece acoustic group is armed with banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass and vocals, bringing a blend of traditional Bluegrass and Americana classics, along with original songs. Featuring: Thomas Bryce on banjo, Jordan Duffy on mandolin, Charlie Wilson on guitar and Jeremy Hobart on bass.

Church offers concert with ‘Mothers in Mind’ Charlotte Congregational Church welcomes pianist Annemieke McLane back to its sanctuary for a concert, on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2-3 p.m., 403 Church Hill Road. McLane’s program is titled, “Music with Mothers in Mind: Love, Loss, Laughter and Life,” See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 16

The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 9

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

Hands and needles Mondays in May, 10 a.m.-noon Bring whatever project you are working on — quilting, knitting, embroidery, etc. No registration required.

Folk Jam with SongFarmers of Hinesburg Thursday, May 5, 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. Free and open to the public in the library’s community room. Masks required.

Morning book group: ‘Death of a New American’ Wednesday, May 11, 10:30-11:30 a.m. This informal group meets the second Wednesday morning of each month to chat about a mystery book together.

Nurturing a child’s sense of wonder series Wednesday, May 18, 6:30-8 p.m. Second of two parent discussions organized by Four Winds Nature Institute to explore topics and best practices in supporting nature-based play and adventure while nurturing a sense of wonder, place and well-being. Based on “Adventure, Play, Peace” by Nancy MacPhee Bower — copies of the book will be available in late March.

Zoom trivia Thursday, May 19, 7-8:15 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.

Food shelf collection and book giveaway Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. “Map of Memory Lane” by local author Francesca Arnoldy is a story inspired by her own early conversation with her grandparent and gently introduces the topic of loss while celebrating the simple moments we share. Arnoldy received an order of these picture books with mostly unnoticeable, slight imperfections and wants to share these books

with the community. During the library’s hours on Saturday, May 21, come grab one of these signed “seconds” with a specialty postcard in exchange for a donation to the Hinesburg Food Shelf. The food shelf is hoping to collect a variety of shelf-stable kids’ snacks, such as: applesauce, canned fruit, cereal, crackers, dried fruit, granola bars, mac and cheese, nut or seed butter and oatmeal.

Evening book discussion: ‘The Leavers’ Tuesday, May 31, 7-8 p.m. This informal group meets virtually on the last Tuesday of each month. The pick for May is “The Leavers” by Lisa Ko.

News from Charlotte Library 115 Ferry Road, Charlotte. 802-425-3864. Register at charlottepubliclibrary.org or info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org. All programs will take place via Zoom unless noted until further notice. Links can be found on the library website.

Short story selections Thursday, April 28, and May 12 and 26, 1-2 p.m. Join library director Margaret Woodruff to share and discuss short stories old and new.

Preschool storytime Tuesdays, May 3, 10, 17 and 24, 10-10:30 a.m.

Knitting drop-in Wednesdays, May 4, 11, 18 and 25, 5:30-7 p.m. Swing by for knitting night at the library. Jessica Card, a local knitting teacher at Shelburne Craft School, helps people both get started and with existing projects.

Book chat Fridays, May 6, 13, 20 and 27, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Join Margaret Friday on Zoom to discuss new books, old books and books missed.

Mystery book group: ‘Arsenic and Adobo’ Monday, May 16, 10-11 a.m. When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. But when a notoriously nasty food critic, who happens to be her ex-boyfriend, drops dead moments after a confrontation, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case. Zoom link at the library’s website.

ReUse workshop Thursday, May 19, 2-4 p.m. Can you make a dog toy from a T-shirt or a coaster from tile set? All materials available during the dropin workshop session.

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Page 10 • April 28, 2022 • The Citizen

OBITUARIES ribbons. A celebration of life for Leon Lestage will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022, between 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Catamount Country Club, 1400 Mountain View Road, Williston. This is the party Leon would have planned. Come and share your stories and let’s celebrate his life the way he would have wanted.

Leon Lestage

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Leon J. Lestage, 83, of Williston, died peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, while surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Burlington on Aug. 28, 1938, to Clement J. Lestage and Mable (King) Lestage. Leon grew up and attended schools in Burlington and Essex. Leon will sadly be missed by his loving wife, Dixie (Jimmo) Lestage; his daughter, Michelle Jimmo of Hinesburg; his son, Jay (Krystal) of Huntington; very special and only grandson, Tyler of Charlotte; godson, Pieter Jimmo of Seymour, Conn.; brother, Clement (Midori) of Seattle, Wash.; sisters, Barb (Richard) Lamos of St. Albans, Mary Anne (Theodore) Cook of Colchester, and Nancy of New York; many cousins, nieces and nephews; and very special friends, Doug and Irene Brown. He was predeceased by his sister, Jane McWilliams, and brother William Lestage. Leon had a lot of interests and worked at many different types of jobs throughout his lifetime, his last and most recent being a crossing guard at the Essex/Westford School District. Leon really enjoyed this role and helping to keep the children safe. During the 1980s and 1990s, Leon traveled all over Vermont selling baseball hats and T-shirts at local fairs and small-town country stores and was affectionately known as “Mr. Shoes.” Leon became a certified and bonded locksmith and worked as a locksmith for the last 20 years. Leon was adept in picking house locks and autos in surprisingly no time at all and helped people obtain their belongings. Leon and Dixie operated the Fit For A King Catering business for over 20 years. Leon was the sous chef but was also affectionately known as the “Social Butterfly” and head “PR representative.” Many might remember Leon as their bus driver as he drove for Chittenden South Supervisory Union School District for all grade levels. Leon was known to dress up in costume each Halloween as he drove the bus. Prior to driving the school bus, Leon also worked in the Champlain Valley Union athletic department maintaining the fields and athletic equipment. He ran boys’ intramural basketball and weekend adult basketball. He served on several fire department and rescue squads, including being one of the first members on the Iroquois First Response and Hinesburg Fire Department. He was sent to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City

Leon Lestage

and rode the ambulance for eight weeks to become the first certified EMT in Vermont. Many may remember that Leon spent many years studying and gathering information and artifacts of the Vermont State Police to support his goal of writing a book about its history. He was in the process of completing this project and the work will continue to move forward in honor of him. This project was near and dear to his heart. When Leon moved to the Williston area, he enjoyed being able to casually walk to local businesses. Leon loved animals and he was often seen pushing his cat Doc in his kitty stroller around the community. He was a busy man, and he loved his family and was especially proud of his children and grandchild’s accomplishments and memorable moments spent with them. He had a quick wit, sense of humor and infectious personality and a super charismatic nature. Leon enjoyed life to the fullest by participating in many types of activities. He and Dixie attended many farmers markets, particularly the Shelburne Farmers Market. They enjoyed hunting for bargains and treasures at garage sales. They were both members of Shelburne Farms and visited there regularly. Leon enjoyed riding e-bikes and kayaking along the Lamoille Valley with the goal of crossing the finish line at the Lost Nation Brewery in Morrisville. Leon and Dixie visited wineries and taste tested around New England with family and friends, particularly with brother-in-law Elwin Jimmo and wife Sieka. Leon was an avid sportsman for many years and enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends and family. Leon was involved with the Hinesburg Boy Scouts for many years and traveled with them to Pennsylvania on an outdoor camping trip. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed reaping the harvest. He entered many vegetables at the fair and took many high-placed

D. Ann Carlsmith

D. Ann Carlsmith Dorothy “Ann” Carlsmith, 92, died peacefully Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the EastView at Middlebury retirement community. Ann was born on Feb. 28, 1930, in Mount Vernon in the Skagit valley of Washington, the daughter of Roland Cunningham Libby and Georgeanne Stout Libby. She attended Stanford University, majoring in art history. There, she met her husband, Lawrence “Allan” Carlsmith. They were married in 1951, moving east so Allan could pursue graduate school at Boston. Ann and Allan settled in historic Amherst, N.H. While raising four children, Ann taught herself fiber arts and flower gardening, and she was interested in all things artistic. She attended the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine and became active in the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Arts and Crafts in New Hampshire as an accomplished weaver. When her children were grown, Ann moved to hilltop Wilton Center, N.H., in the picturesque Monadnock area of southwest New Hampshire. She launched Stepping Stones Bed & Breakfast and became a serious gardener on her three acres. She attended classes at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard, earning a certificate of landscape design. Over 40 years, Ann’s B&B attracted a loyal clientele from Boston and as well, travSee OBITUARIES on page 12

The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 11

SPORTS

PHOTOS BY AL FREY

Above: Redhawk Nolan Shea rips a shot on goal during CVU’s game against the BFA St. Albans Bobwhites on April 18 in Hinesburg. Below: CVU’s Gus Serinese wins the boys 110 hurdles at the Essex Vacational Track and Field meet on Thursday in Essex.

CVU tracksters excel LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Track and field The Champlain Valley track and field team headed to the Essex Vacational Meet Thursday, with the boys’ team coming in second and the girls finishing in third. Gregory Seraus was first in the 100-meter and 200-meter races to pace the runners, while Jameson McEnaney was first in the 400-meters. Matthew Servin finished first in the 1,500-meter race and second in the 800-meters. Kai Hillier was another top finisher, coming in second in the 1,500 meters, while Gus Serinese finished in the top spot in the 110-meter hurdles. Drew Buley was the top field finisher, coming in first in the high jump and pole vault. Logan Vaughan was second in the high

jump. For the girls, CVU was led by Alice Kredell, who won the top spot in the 1,500-meter and 3,000meter races. Jasmine Nails came in first in the 400 meters. Harper Danforth was the top finisher in javelin and Nora Clear came in second in the high jump.

Boys’ lacrosse Champlain Valley 10, Mount Mansfield 4: Champlain Valley’s defense kept Mount Mansfield under control as the Redhawks beat MMU 10-4 on Thursday, April 21. Matias Williams had a hat trick for CVU, which moves to 4-0 with the win. Nolan Shea and Peter Gilliam each tallied twice, while Jake Bowen stopped nine shots in goal. Colin Zouck, Jack Lamphere and Joey Merola each added a goal for the Redhawks.

Page 12 • April 28, 2022 • The Citizen

Bloodroot: an early season bloomer, people pleaser The Outside Story Meghan McCarthy McPhaul Every spring, after the last of winter’s snow has completely melted and as I start the wonderful, dirty work of turning the soil of my vegetable beds, I find myself gazing often to the just-greeningup ground beneath the old apple tree behind the garden. It’s a rather unruly tree, sprouted at some point from the fallen-over trunk of its ancestor apple tree. Beneath its sprawling branches, every year, blooms a patch of bloodroot. I’d not known these flowers

before we moved to this place, some 18 years ago. When I consulted a field guide to identify the snowywhite blooms centered by bright yellow stamens, I was surprised to discover their name: bloodroot. Nothing about them suggested the relevance of that name. Large, scallop-edged green leaves curved prettily around the flowers on their long stems. The name — both common and scientific (Sanguinaria canadensis) — derives from the orange-red sap in the plant’s stem and root. That sap is chock-full of alkaloids, which has led to the medicinal use of bloodroot for hundreds of years, and to some of the plant’s other

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nicknames: tetterwort (for its use in treating warts, eczema, and other skin maladies), sweet slumber (for its purported sleep-inducing properties), and snakebite (for its ability to cause severe sickness if consumed in large amounts). Bloodroot has been used to treat ailments from cramps and vomiting to coughs and sore throats, and as an additive in toothpaste and mouthwash to inhibit the buildup of plaque. Another name, red puccoon, derives from bloodroot’s use by many North American indigenous groups to make a dye for baskets, clothing and face paint. Bloodroot is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers — along with trout lily, spring beauty and toothwort — blossoming before the tree canopy leafs out overhead, blocking the flowers’ access to sunlight. While a bloodroot flower lasts only a few days, the leaves grow to a height of about one foot and linger well into summer. Each bloodroot plant comprises a single flower, around which wraps a single leaf, each on its own stem. When the plant first emerges in spring, the leaf envelops the flower tightly. As the flower blooms, the leaf unfurls as well. The bright white flowers sport eight to twelve petals and are always symmetrical. Bloodroot flowers contain both male and female organs, which allows them to self-pollinate, although the plant seems to prioritize cross-pollination in the positioning of its stamens. When bloodroot first flowers, the stamens are not in contact with the stigma. After a few days, the stamens bend to touch the stigma and effect self-pollination. Between that time, bloodroot employs its sunny colors to attract bees and other insect pollinators, despite the fact that the flowers do not contain nectar. Pollinated bloodroot flowers produce elongated seed pods, which mature by early summer and burst to dispel the roughly 20 to 25 seeds within. Bloodroot sometimes receives propagation help from ants, which are attracted

ILLUSTRATION BY ADELAIDE MURPHY TYROL

to the elaiosome, a fatty structure attached to the plant’s seeds. Ants carry the seeds to their nests and consume the elaiosome, disposing the seeds in areas ideal for germinating and safe from other seed predators. This seed farming by ants is called “myrmecochory” and benefits various other wildflowers as well. Bloodroot grows throughout much of the eastern United States, north to Nova Scotia, south to Florida, as far west as eastern Texas and South Dakota. I imagine it is a welcome harbinger of spring throughout its range. Indeed, bloodroot welcomes this season much as I do — opening its blooms to the sun on bright, warm days, and remaining closed to the chill of

drearier days. This spring, it seems, has had more gray days than sunny ones. But I am watching the space beneath that apple tree, waiting for the first white bloom to peek above its encasing leaf on a day when we will both — the bloodroot and I — turn our faces in welcome to the sun.

to the EastView senior community. Ann is survived by daughter, Laura Carlsmith and family, Robert Bast, Lee Bast and Emma Bast; son, Bruce Carlsmith of Portola Valley, Calif., and family, Lisa Putnam, Jennifer Carlsmith and Ryan Carlsmith; son, Duncan Carlsmith of Madison, Wis., and children, Caroline Carlsmith and Joe Carlsmith.

Ann was predeceased by L. Allan Carlsmith; daughter, Jennifer Carlsmith; sister, Mary Hales; and also a series of beloved dogs and cats. A gathering in celebration of Ann’s life will be at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are under the direction of Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Services of Middlebury.

Meghan McCarthy McPhaul is assistant editor for Northern Woodlands. The illustration for this column is 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.

OBITUARIES

continued from page 10 elers from Europe and the U.S. Eventually Ann sold her beloved B&B and moved to Hinesburg, near her daughter Laura’s home and family. Ann settled into another little Victorian home with gardens, which she promptly filled with trees and sweeps of flowers. She made new friends and enjoyed cultural events in the Burlington area for a decade, until she moved

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The Citizen • April 28, 2022 • Page 13

CLASSIFIEDS saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal. So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont haveIf it’s tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons. important According to wildlife officials, rabid animals to you often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether your has rabies simply by looking at an oranimal it. People should not touch or pick up wild community animals or strays – even baby animals. look for

SHELBURNE DAY

Shelburne Historical Society will display and president Dorothea Penar will the Fire Station for the annual Rotary support, oversee electronic lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. FoodSystem ven-Administrator: Golf Ball Provide Drop I.T. and a chance tothe win prizes health records system and ensure all systems are up to date and dors round out the event with everything depending on and/or wherecertifications the numbered balls working smoothly. Experience in a variety of from coffee and lemonade to burgers and land. information technology systems from required. Proceeds ticket sales help fund creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals Rotary’s many projects through the year. Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and reach their goals. Full and part time positions available individuals starting at $18/hr.

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a compassionate & fun environment by providing case management and help individuals create and realize goals. Compensation package is $45k annually plus mileage and on call stipend.

it in The Citizen.

Shared Living Provider: Open your home to someone with an intellectual disability or autism and open a whole world to them, and to you. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household.

E DIRECTORY

face painting. Why not have a job you love ? Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone and belongs. Towards the end, participates the Charlotte-ShelPositions include a $500 sign on bonus, a strong benefits package burne-Hinesburg Rotary invites folks to and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in have a head to the Little League field next to Vermont”

continued from page 4

Health

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service

Nancy

Employment Specialist: Be a part Vermont’s leading supported Landscape / Lawncare employment program and help individuals discover their career path. The successful candidate will demonstrate reliability, strong communication skills, and the ability to solve problems effectively Marconi and professionally. Starting wage $19.50/hr.

Certified Massage Therapist