Knives off
Turtle time
Hinesburg fifth graders hone kitchen skills on field trip
Stay alert near ponds, wetlands while driving
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June 2, 2022
Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
thecitizenvt.com
Prop 5 ‘no’ vote spurs primary challenge
Frog-not
Local journalist mounts campaign for House seat COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
community,” Pouech said in a statement. “I know I can represent Hinesburg in Montpelier with openness, honesty and a focus on the needs of our town. I am motivated to listen and learn and will commit the time to do my best for Hinesburg; my desire to give back to my community is strong.” Deeley, a Chicago native who moved to Vermont in 2010, currently works as a librarian and social studies teacher at Champlain Valley Union High School. She said she is “ready to join a generation of young women working for better representation in this state and country.” “As a local educator and mother, I know
Chea Waters Evans, a longtime journalist in Charlotte, is not sure her politics differ that much from Rep. Michael Yantachka — the town’s representative in the Vermont House since 2010. Except, of course, for Proposition 5, the article that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution. That article, and Yantachka’s yes, and then no, and then yes again vote on the state constitutional amendment, is essentially the reason Evans is running for office. “I never seriously considered” a run for office, she said. “It was certainly never anything I was seriously pursuing or giving a lot of thought to. It’s just that right now ... it seemed more urgent.” Evans, who has been a Charlotte resident for 10 years, announced a surprise bid for the Chittenden-5 district last week based solely on Yantachka’s vote against Proposition 5. Her candidacy gives Yantachka, 75, some competition this election season and he now has to convince voters to send him back to the Statehouse after facing backlash for his no vote on Prop 5. Yantachka cast a no vote on the amendment in February after first voting for it as it worked its way through the Statehouse in 2019. But a subsequent story in the Charlotte News about his vote generated immediate backlash from constituents and made him “rethink” his position. “Upon reflection, I should have supported Prop 5,” he said in a social media post, adding that he realized his vote had “given
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COURTESY PHOTO
A volunteer removes European frogbit from the LaPlatte River in Shelburne. See more on page 7.
Five candidates jostle for three Senate seats House race in Hinesburg attracts two; Charlotte Democrats will face off AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY AND COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITERS
and who will represent the new Chittenden Southeast Senate District?
Vermont’s General Assembly will see historic turnover this year, with numerous retirements and many legislators complaining of being overworked in a crucial role that has neither staff, nor office space nor compensation that covers much more than a ride to the Statehouse. But with that turnover, and newly drawn voting districts across the state, a swath of freshman legislators are likely to shake up Montpelier. So, who will Hinesburg, Charlotte and Shelburne send to the House next session
Three candidates, Phil Pouech, a Hinesburg selectboard member, as well as Christina Deeley and Sarah Toscano, are vying to replace Bill Lippert, who announced his retirement last month. “I’ve lived in Hinesburg for 36 years; my three children grew up here and attended both Hinesburg Community School and Champlain Valley Union and participated in many of the activities our town provides to growing families. I very quickly developed a desire to give back to Hinesburg, so I committed myself to engaging in my
House of Representatives