The Citizen - 08-11-22

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Plowing ahead Voters overwhelmingly approved building new town garage

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August 11, 2022

Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg

In Charlotte

Evans upsets Yantachka COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Chea Waters Evans, longtime journalist and resident of Charlotte, has upset 12-year-incumbent Rep. Michael Yantachka for the town’s seat in the Vermont House of Representatives.

Evans campaigned largely on the issue of abortion and announced her surprise bid for the seat in May after Yantachka’s no, yes, and then no vote on Proposal 5, which would enshrine the right to abortion in the state Constitution.

“I’m so grateful to all the voters in Charlotte and Hinesburg —

thecitizenvt.com

Learning the ropes

regardless of whether or not they voted for me,” Evans said. “I hear this election had record turnout.

Local elections are the ones that have the greatest impact on our daily lives, and it’s energizing and inspiring that so many people made it a priority to vote in the middle of these busy summer days.”

“This is our time to get going and make things happen: as Vermonters, environmentalists, feminists, farmers, parents and employees, as Charlotters and Hinesburgers,” she added. “I’m all fired up and ready to work, and I’m so appreciative of the voters’ trust See EVANS on page 13

Pouech wins in Hinesburg Selectboard member beats Deeley by 70 votes COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Hinesburg selectboard member Phil Pouech has won the Democratic primary for the Chittenden-4 House district to replace longtime Hinesburg Rep. Bill Lippert, who decided not to seek reelection.

Pouech, a 36-year resident of Hinesburg, bested his opponent, Christina Deeley, by some 70

votes. Pouech garnered 563 votes, while Deeley had 493 votes.

Pouech did not respond to a request for comment in time for press deadline.

Pouech has been a longtime community volunteer for years.

He’s coordinated the town’s Green Up day for 20-plus years and has served on the selectboard since 2012.

HINESBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT

Members of the Hinesburg, Shelburne and Huntington fire departments spent a recent weekend participating in a 16-hour rope rescue course taught by Peak Rescue Institute and hosted in Hinesburg. Skills included patient packaging, carry outs, mechanical advantage systems and utilizing hauling and lowering systems.

See POUECH on page 12

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Page 2 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

Incumbent state senators keep seats Balint beats Gray, state’s attorney Sarah George handily beats back primary challenge AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

Vermont’s primary election was a whirlwind in Chittenden County Tuesday night, with some hard-fought races for state senate, lieutenant governor, state’s attorney and Congress coming to a close.

Chittenden County races In the Chittenden Southeast Senate race, with about 95 percent of ballots counted as of press time, incumbents look like they will stick around: Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons of Williston led the pack with a little over 29 percent of the vote according to the Associated Press, followed

by Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale of Shelburne, with about 27 percent of the vote and Sen. Thomas Chittenden of South Burlington with 26 percent.

Each garnered over 10,000 votes, while newcomers Lewis Mudge of Charlotte had about 3,800 and Steve May of Richmond walked away with about 2,700. All candidates were Democrats.

The battle for Chittenden County State’s Attorney turned out to be less of a referendum than some expected: incumbent Sarah George won 53 percent of the vote, while challenger Ted Kenney, whose candidacy was supported by public safety unions and some current and former states’ attorneys, had 33 percent of the vote. Almost 4,000 voters who cast Democratic ballots did not vote in this race.

Democrat Dan Gamelin ran unopposed for Chittenden County sheriff and won the seat with a little over 22,000 votes.

Brooke Paige and Progressive Robert Millar in the General.

David Zuckerman of Hinesburg, who previously served as

lieutenant governor, won the Democratic nomination against Kitty Toll. He will face Republican Joe Benning in November.

Democrat Charity Clark and Republican H. Brooke Paige will face off for attorney general in the general election.

Statewide races Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint clinched the Democratic nomination for the House of Representatives a little over an hour after polls closed Tuesday night, winning 60,948 votes, or nearly 60 percent, across the state.

Fellow Democrat Lt. Gov Molly Gray came in second with a little over 37,000 votes.

In the November general election, Balint will face off with Liam Madden, who won the Republican nomination with a little over 10,000 votes, and Progressive Barbara Nolfi who garnered less than 500.

Rep. Peter Welch easily won his bid for the Democratic nomination for Senate with over 86,000 votes and will face Republican Gerald Malloy, who beat out Christina Nolan by over 1,000 votes. On the Progressive ballot, Martha Abbott won with less than 500.

Incumbent Gov. Phil Scott won the Republican nomination and will face Democrat Brenda Siegel in the November General Election. Although Siegal garnered 56,000 votes, 30 percent of Democrats who cast ballots in the primary did not vote for her.

Sarah Copeland Hanzas, state rep from Bradford, beat Chris Winters for secretary of state by about 1,900 votes. Hanzas, a Democrat, faces Republican H.

Congress sends $212 million to Vermont for 38 projects Vermont is getting more than $212 million in Congressional spending for 38 projects included in Senate appropriations bills, according to the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The 12 annual appropriations bills fund the federal government and must now go through conference negotiations before being passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by the president.

“As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee I was proud to work with community leaders across our great state to identify projects and priorities that would make a real difference in the lives of Vermonters,” Leahy said.

“Whether it is supporting the revitalization of our historic downtowns, or providing the resources to grow made-inVermont ideas into national programs, these bills make

worthwhile investments across Vermont.”

Leahy secured $34 million for the Burlington International Airport to support its renovation and expansion. At the University of Vermont, he secured $30 million to support programmatic development at the Honors College, promoting intellectual integrity, accountability and leadership among students, $15 million for the Institute for Rural Partnerships, $13 million for food systems, $10 million for the Rural Centers Against Addiction, $2 million for unmanned aircraft systems research, and $5 million to establish a new Climate Impacts Center of Excellence.

Norwich University will get $16.4 million for a multi-disciplinary cyber fusion research and development center to create educational and workforce training opportunities in areas such as cybersecuri-

ty, information operations and dominance, computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and real-time decision making practices.

Lake Champlain will see $25 million for the Lake Champlain Geographic Program, and $11 million for the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission for both Champlain and Lake Memphremagog.

Other funding included: • $12 million to revitalize Cherry Street and improve pedestrian access to the Church Street Marketplace.

• $10 million for the Preservation Trust of Vermont Village Community Trust Initiative to provide assistance for 20 communities across Vermont.

• $500,000 for Shelburne Farms’ historic farm barn.

• $2.35 million for the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain.

• $6.5 million to the Center for the Environment at Saint Michael’s College.

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The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 3

Charlotte voters approve town garage bond vote Town will borrow $1.5 million to partially pay for it COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Charlotte voters approved the building of a new town garage on Tuesday — as well as the $1.5 million bond vote to partially pay for it.

The two ballot measures, to approve building a new town garage, and to authorize $1.5 million in debt, were both OK’d by more than 700 votes. The first article was passed with 1,168 for and 327 against, while the second article was approved with 1,173 for and 306 against.

The town has been in a hurry this year to build a new garage after the old, 100-year-old building on Church Hill Road was destroyed in a late-night fire in December, taking with it all the snowplows used to clear 80 miles of Charlotte roads.

Junior Lewis, the town’s road commissioner, has been in the position for 23 years. He is contracted with the town for use of his building and equipment.

“It wasn’t a fun winter,” Lewis said.

Town officials, who have solicited multiple designs to get as close an estimate as they can, project the total cost of the garage to be roughly $3 million. With the $1.5 million in debt — be it a

bond or bank note — the remaining balance of the cost would be “paid from funds offset by the federal ARPA grant and from accumulated reserves totaling $500,000 within the town’s highway fund and highway capital fund,” according to town officials.

The town will now have to bid out for a company to build the facility and will then estimate a schedule for the buildout.

With the new debt, a property valued at $500,000 would pay an additional $72 in taxes in the first year, which would then decrease each year over the life of the 20-year loan to approximately $42.

The garage will be built on the former flea market site on Route 7 on the southeastern-most portion of Burns Woods, a 54-acre townowned property between Route 7 and Greenbush Road.

The building is being planned to be “fossil fuel free,” meaning it will be heated without propane or oil, and will also be “solar ready,” although the installation of solar panels will be a separate project from the building’s construction.

But what is still unclear is how long Lewis will remain the road commissioner. He is one of just three road commissioners that the town has had in more than 80 years, selectboard member Matt

Krasnow said.

“We’d like to keep our present situation as long as we can with Junior, or somebody like him,” selectboard chair Jim Faulkner said. “I think that’s possible for quite a few years.”

But if not, Faulkner said, the town would be “forced into a municipal road commission.”

“The selectboard is doing our best to try and avoid that if we can, and the reason simply is it’s extremely expensive,” he said. “Understand we have no equipment. If we go municipal the bond” would be “about $5 million.”

Lewis has been mum on if he plans to retire anytime soon.

“If we do need to go municipal, down the line, this is going to be an enormous cost for the town — this is staff, and this is equipment — and we will already at least have this infrastructure in place,” selectboard member Lewis Mudge said. “We hope we don’t have to — we’re getting a great return on having an elected road commissioner, in terms of what we get and what we spend, we’re getting a good deal. But if we do have to go municipal, then at least we’re going to have a very critical aspect of that already in place. It might be 20 years from now.”

Education, enrichment talks set for fall in-person, on Zoom Education & Enrichment for Everyone is a lifelong learning organization open to all. Weekly lectures are held on diverse topics every fall and spring, Fridays from 2-3 p.m. at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington, and on Zoom.

For more information, visit eeevermont.org, email info@eeevermont.org or call 802-363-6937.

Membership gives each member access to nine lectures. Non-members are welcome for a fee of $8, check or cash, payable at the door.

To enroll, mail a check for $55 per person by Friday, Aug. 26, with your mailing address, phone number and email address to EEE, c/o Glen Roa, 400 Wake Robin Drive #305, Shelburne VT 05482.

Memberships will also be accepted at the church.

Here is the schedule of upcoming lectures this fall: • Sept. 9: “The War in Ukraine and Russian Public Opinion,” Will Pyle, Middlebury College.

• Sept. 16: “Lights! Camera!

Action! A History of Montpelier’s Savoy Theater,” Rick Winston, founder and co-owner of the Savoy.

• Sept. 23: “The State of the Lake and Ecosystem Indicators Report for 2021,” Colleen Hickey, education and outreach coordinator, Lake Champlain Basin Program.

• Sept. 30: “China and America-Economically and Politically in the Crosshairs,” Eric Hanson, chartered financial analyst.

• Oct. 7: “Forecasting the 2022

Midterms: The End of the Democrats’ Majority?” Matthew Dickinson, Middlebury College.

• Oct. 14: “Challenges Facing Vermont’s Health Care System and How it is Impacting Access,” Bill Schubart, former chair of Fletcher Allen Health Care.

• Oct. 21: “Changing of the Guard: What the Shift in Political Leadership Means for Vermont,” Peter Hirschfeld, Statehouse reporter, VPR and PBS. • Oct. 28: “Iconic Woodcuts and Illustrations of Rockwell Kent,” Alice Boone, curator of education and public programs, Fleming Museum of Art. • Nov. 4: “The Roots of Latin Jazz,” Ray Vega, University of Vermont senior lecturer.

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Page 4 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

Hinesburg Police Blotter Aug. 3 at 1 p.m., hearing gunshots, a caller on Pond Brook Road wanted police to confirm that nearby gunslingers were using proper safety measures, but the noise had stopped by the time police arrived and could not be located.

Aug. 4 at 11 a.m., a resident of Bisonette Lane reported some of their equipment, including a water heater, had been stolen.

Aug. 4 at 11:30 a.m., some medication was stolen from a car parked at a residence of Route 116.

Aug. 4 at 11:55 p.m., a residential alarm was accidentally tripped on Lewis Creek Road.

Aug. 5 at 5 p.m., some political signs were stolen off someone’s lawn on Route 116, a caller reported.

Aug. 5 at 9 p.m., a road rage incident on Richmond Road that police believe either started with an instance of brake checking or a loud muffler, ended with one party pepper spraying the other, the two cars crashing and one of the parties fleeing the scene without stop-

ping. Police are still investigating.

Aug. 6 at 1 a.m., police suspect a youth driver knocked over some mailboxes on Jourdan Street and fled. Vermont State Police responded to the incident.

Aug. 6 at 12:35 p.m., an alarm at a business on Commerce Street accidentally went off.

Aug. 6 at 11:20 p.m., a kiddo at a residence on Hollow Road got ahold of a phone and accidentally dialed 911.

Aug. 8 at 12 p.m., someone stole a gallon of gas out of a residence’s garage on Route 116. Shortfly after, a report of another theft came in from a business that found one of its vehicles had a catalytic converter cut out overnight. That adds to the slew of other cats stolen over the last few weeks, which police are still investigating.

Aug. 8 at 4:50 p.m., police responded to a verbal family fight at a residence at Hillview Terrace. The parties agreed to separate for the evening and no charges were made.

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Town rethinks meeting policy after graphic Zoom incident ‘Inappropriate is a very mild word to use,’ committee chair says COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

A “reprehensible” incident of pornography accidentally shared during a committee Zoom meeting has Charlotte town officials debating their Zoom policy and by extension their open meeting laws.

During a energy committee meeting on Aug. 3, a meeting participant accidentally shared graphic content for all the call’s participants to see, energy committee chair Rebecca Foster said.

“Inappropriate is a very mild word to use,” she said of the content.

Foster quickly ended the meeting and invited everyone back into a new meeting. The individual sent a letter of apology Tuesday morning to the energy committee, she said.

Foster declined to reveal who the individual was but said it was not a committee member.

The incident came to light Monday during the town’s selectboard meeting. Selectboard chair Jim Faulkner said they called the state police as soon as they learned of the incident.

“This is reprehensible. It’s not acceptable,” selectboard member Lewis Mudge said. “I think we

need to let it be known to people who want to volunteer their time to participate in meetings that we take very seriously when these types of incidents happen, and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure that people are allowed to volunteer in a safe environment.”

Selectboard members were adamant that the town review its policy on Zoom meetings, a relatively new feature to local government that came about with the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom allows for greater participation but, some argue, a level of secrecy that is inappropriate for smaller-sized meetings.

The selectboard, Foster said in a phone interview with The Citizen, needs to “tighten up their rules around Zoom, and the struggle I sense that the town is having right now is that they are trying to accommodate the open meeting laws.”

Foster during the selectboard meeting suggested that the town adopt the same criteria that Zoom has for sensitive content, and that individuals or accounts that violate those policies be permanently suspended.

“I’ll just be really blunt about it, because people now have to

worry that someone behind a black square is doing whatever while looking at our faces,” she said. “If somebody is not comfortable being seen on camera, then they don’t need to be at the meeting — just like if they’re uncomfortable being seen at an in-person meeting, they’re not going to go.”

But this, Bloch said, “gets to the open meeting law. Zoom is used by private groups, and they may be able to adhere to that. But public organizations may not be able to.”

Attorneys with the town have cautioned that any move to prevent someone from attending a public meeting, even over Zoom, may violate open meeting and even free speech laws, Faulkner said.

Wolfger Schneider, a member of the energy committee who was also on the Aug. 3 call, told the selectboard that meeting attendees should be required to share their email address to be let in, and must show their face while they are speaking. Attendees at meetings often only display first names, and rarely ever speak.

“This evening, when I came in here, I signed in, I gave my address, I gave my email address.

See POLICY on page 13

The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 5

OPINION Dynamo of democracy: Time to get out of our own way reentering the permit process.

Once the legal appeals have been exhausted, the illegal protests start. If it’s Tom Evslin a big enough project, you can count on some Hollywood celebrities showing up We can have it all. We can bankrupt in front of the cameras with locals who are Putin. We can have affordable energy for affected by the project and politicians callour citizens and the Europeans who will ing for further study. A new administration otherwise surrender to energy blackmail. can score political points by reversing We can even reach zero net emissions in permits given by its predecessor, like the a reasonable amount of time. We can be Keystone Pipeline. not only the arsenal but the dynamo of By the way, the real opponents of a democracy. project — the ones who put up money to We’re not on track to do any of these stop it — are often commercial competgood things. We’re standing squarely in itors. They like to stay away from the our own way. cameras. Fossil fuel companies and solar Our problem is an promoters don’t like wind inability to build anything turbines, green entreWe run a good significant in real time. preneurs don’t like gas It takes decades to build chance of both pipelines. None of them a highway or new train likes nuclear. track. Pipelines don’t get great economic Here’s a pathetic built at all in the U..S example of tolerating anymore. hardship and intolerable delay. The The 100-year-old U.S. Forest Service electrical grid is sparking western democracies uses controlled burns to wildfires and isn’t in the prevent massive wildright places to let us use succumbing to fires. These controlled renewable energy effecburns require permits. tively. We need nuclear energy blackmail The Montana-based power as a clean source of Property and Environelectricity if we want to if we don’t ment Research Center electrify most things, but published a report, and “it’ll take forever to build immediately get our it says: “Once the Forest new nuclear plants.”

Service initiates the Offshore oil and gas act together. environmental review wells and wind turbines process, it takes an average of 3.6 years make sense. Good luck in getting them to begin a mechanical treatment and 4.7 built. During the great recession of 2008, years to begin a prescribed burn. we allocated almost a trillion dollars for “For projects that require environmenrecovery and found that nothing in Amertal impact statements — the most rigorous ica is shovel ready. No significant new form of review — the time from initiation infrastructure got built. to implementation averages 5.3 years for Construction isn’t the problem. Most mechanical treatments and 7.2 years for things only take a year or two to design prescribed burns.” and two years to build. Bridges that fall If a project is appealed, the average are replaced within two years. Vermont time goes up to 9.4 years. Of course, what replaced its roads wiped out by Tropical really happens is the forests which needed Storm Irene in less than a year. Ukraine the treatment often go up in smoke in the replaces bombed rail lines almost overmeantime. night. China started building the fast train Here’s a three-step fix. All federal between Beijing and Shanghai as a public permits must be issued or denied within work to counter worldwide recession in 18 months of application. The require2008. ments must be rigid but predictable.

I rode that train in 2011.

Next, we must restate and reassert Even permitting is only part of the problem. Initial hearings often take up two federal primacy in all interstate projyears. That could be cut to one but permit- ects. This used to be the rule and it is what Constitution provides for. Politics ting isn’t the cause of most of the delay. eroded this so, for example, New York Post-permit delays have crippled the was allowed to block federally approved ability of our country to build. Once pipeline projects to bring much-needed a permit has been issued, the appeals Marcellus gas to New England because begin. The appellants ask for and obtain that’s what Gov. Andrew Cuomo wanted. restraining orders to stop construction. At Last, no injunctions or restraining almost no cost to themselves, anyone can impose the enormous cost of infrastructure orders can be issued for permitted projects unless the opponents post a bond equal to delay on the builders and on the country, the likely public and private cost of delay. which must do without needed infrastrucIf the appeal succeeds, the project stops, ture. After the first decade of delays, the or is changed, and the bond is returned opponents start to claim – correctly – that with interest. If the appeal fails, the bond the design is out of date. The builders reimburses the cost of delay. either stick with the outmoded design or No project will be perfect. Some will risk resetting the clock by redesigning and

Fractals of change

be seriously flawed. The cost of the flaws will be far, far less than the cost of delay.

Only Congress can pass these reforms.

They are not partisan issues any more than forest fires are.

We can’t build back better if we can’t build at all. It would be great if Congress would start to act now. Given the Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia v EPA, congresspeople can no longer hope that nameless bureaucrats will take on policy issues that are politically risky to address.

These elected congresspeople must make tough decisions themselves. That is what we pay them to do.

We run a good chance of both great economic hardship and western democracies succumbing to energy blackmail if we don’t immediately get our act together.

If we do pass reforms that let us build

again, we won’t need federal funds for most infrastructure projects. Private money will rush in to fund good projects once the threat of unpredictable delay is gone. We will build back much, much better. We will have affordable energy, good roads, new railroads and pipelines, and the electric grid we need as well as less catastrophic forest fires and a cleaner environment.

We will be the dynamo democracy needs.

Tom Evslin of Stowe is a serial entrepreneur, author, and a former top official in Vermont’s state government. He is also retired CEO of NG Advantage LLC, a company he and wife cofounded that trucks natural gas to industrial and commercial customers.

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Page 6 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

Supremes hand down victory for rule of law Guest Perspective John McClaughry In its final week in session, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down four opinions that brought the wrath of the left down upon the six justices in the majority.

One expanded parental choice in education to sectarian schools, one ended New York’s arbitrary regulation on carrying firearms for self-defense and one held that there is no constitutional right to abortion.

The fourth one drew hostile fire from the anti-climate change movement: West Virginia v. EPA. Among the Vermont complainers was Roxanne Vaught, executive director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. Wrote she, the court “limited the EPA’s ability to reduce climate pollution from power plants, severely damaging our ability to tackle our escalating climate crisis.”

The co-chairs of the Vermont Legislature’s climate caucus, Democratic Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Progressive Sen. Chris Pearson, let fly with “last week the Supreme Court sided with big polluters, limiting the EPA from setting the kind of highly effective emissions standards we need.”

Yes, the case dealt with Environmental Protection Agency regulation of power plants, but that only happened to be the controversy that brought into focus a much broader issue: what authority do the regulatory agencies have to order people to do what the regulators want, or be punished? The answer is the authority of the Constitution, and laws duly enacted by Congress

pursuant to the Constitution.

Few disagree with that. The great difference of opinion comes when Congress passes a sweeping but vague law, and the regulators eagerly fill in the details. At what point should the regulators be made to say, “Whoa! The authority Congress gave us doesn’t go that far.”

Faced with numerous cases of regulatory overreach, the Supreme Court in 1984 established the Chevron doctrine. It required the court to defer to the presumably expert regulators who could produce a “reasonable” interpretation of ambiguous laws. This lightened the court’s caseload, but destroyed political accountability for actions by regulators at a lot of federal agencies.

The West Virginia case originated with President Barack Obama’s failure to get Congress to enact his Clean Power Plan.

With the pressing need to be hailed as the global champion of the war against “climate change,” and a battle cry of “We Can’t Wait!”, Obama decreed rules that in effect directed all power plants to switch from coal and natural gas fuel to generation provided by renewables. After a tortuous trip through the courts involving three presidents, the issue of whether EPA had sufficient Congressional authority to decree such a generational transformation came before a court unsympathetic to a runaway regulatory bureaucracy.

The government admitted that the required transformation would “impose billions in compliance costs, raise retail electricity prices, require the retirement of dozens of coal plants and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs.” The Court, rightly, deemed the Clean Power

One of a Kind!

Plan to be a “major question,” and as such, it had to be founded on “clear Congressional authorization for the authority the EPA claims.”

In plain English, if Congress decides that such a program should be carried out, Congress has to make its authorization explicit and clear. Members of Congress and the president who signs the bill have to go on the record, and face the consequences from the citizenry.

That accountability is not a popular concept on Capitol Hill, or for that matter in Montpelier, where the Vermont Climate Council promotes sweeping regulation by agency bureaucrats, that no legislator will ever have to vote on.

Example: the clean heat standard, cleverly designed to pay

for millions of dollars of favored energy improvements (weatherization, heat pumps, etc.) with money taken from heating fuel consumers, built into the higher price of that product.

Justice Elena Kagan delivered a dissent based on the horrors of climate change: “Modern science is unequivocal,” rising oceans swamping coastlines, 4.6 million extra heat deaths per year, etc. She argued for immediate regulatory action no matter what the cost, and that down in the bowels of Sec. 111 of the Clean Air Act some rationale can be found to support the Clean Power Plan, with no further action by Congress. Not persuasive.

President Joe Biden, urged on

by Sen. Bernie Sanders, is reported to be fashioning a declaration

of a “national climate emergency” that he hopes will authorize him to do whatever he thinks is needed to be done to fend off a climate Armageddon. The Supreme Court will probably not be persuaded that such a desperate use of unaccountable executive power is constitutional.

David Rifkin, counsel for the 27 states and plaintiff industries in the case, said following the court’s opinion, “The power of the administrative state is certain to recede, bolstering democratic accountability, economic growth and liberty.”

That should be a happy outcome for anyone defending democracy and the rule of law.

John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute.

Letters to the Editor People, black bears must learn to coexist To the Editor: Seeing a mama black bear lead her three little cubs across a fallen log in the clearing ahead is a moment in which you feel such a connection with wildlife.

The bear family accepts your presence there as a visitor, but sadly, humans are not as tolerant of bears.

Black bears are crucial to Vermont for a variety of reasons.

Not only are they majestic, intelligent creatures who provide immeasurable joy to photographers and wildlife enthusiasts, but they also play an important role in the dynamic web of Vermont’s

ecosystem. But black bears are in trouble.

They face various threats from climate change, cars and daily human activities. Some threats are difficult to mitigate, such as a changing climate, while others should be simpler, namely humans changing their behavior.

In recent years, the number of human and bear interactions has increased.

Part of this is due to Vermont Fish and Wildlife formalizing online bear reporting on its website. Bear incidents are also on the rise due to mandatory composting, people feeding birds year-round, more people keeping chickens, and people not practicing proper animal husbandry, just

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to name a few.

What’s happened is that bears have learned over the years that they can find high-calorie/highfat food in human-populated areas without much effort. Cubs spend almost two years with their mothers and during this time they are soaking up all their mother’s knowledge, but also some of her bad habits. While blaming the uptick in bear incidents on a higher bear population is an easy conclusion to make, it’s not accurate.

I was happy to read that the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department bear biologist refuted claims that the bear population is increasing and instead attributed bear incidents to a change in bear behavior and range.

While I agree with the department on a lot of things, we part ways when it comes to their support of bear hounding.

Hounding involves packs of dogs that are unleashed into the woods and run uncontrolled for miles in pursuit of their prey. The hound hunters track the dogs with GPS devices.

Hounding starts on June 1 when bear cubs are still learning how to climb trees and when mother bears should be able to nurse their young without being harassed. This activity lasts all summer long. Then, starting on Sept. 1 bear hounders can use their hounds to shoot bears dead from trees. What I cannot reconcile is that if we want bears to feel comfortable in the woods and not our backyards, then why does the department allow this? This is an example of letting politics rule See LETTERS on page 7

The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 7

In consideration of the hopeful hand’s resuscitating power delightful other hand is specific to themselves, but no matter. It is clear as day. Indeed, there is joy Carole Vasta Folley in this messy world just as there is tragedy. Two hands. Both valid Not sure about you, but I’ve and significant. been made quite forlorn by the On the days where the heavy glut of disturbing current events. hand of oppression and Whether it is a 10-year cruelty are impossible old girl in Indiana or to ignore, I can look a child in the Ukraine, to my other hand to how can one unplug remind me of what from all this dire news is holy. Remarkably, when people are sufferit’s often found in the ing? Face it, it’s been simplest of forms. tough to look the world Kindness. A breath. straight in the eye.

Drops of rain that fall Recently, I overto earth. heard a pundit say Carole Vasta Folley Maybe grace is worse is coming. My the definition of this innards all but shouted, other hand. That one “Worse? It gets worse?” can spy the solo ripe berry in the My head dropped into my hands. overgrown hedge or see beyond It was then I took notice. Two someone’s petty behavior to the hands. I have two of them. beating heart inside. Grace, as Suddenly, I realized I had merely in how the dictionary describes been looking at one. it, “unmerited divine assistance The hand I’d been staring at given to humans for their regenshowed me daily that the world eration.” is frightening and terrible things This spiritual renewal providhappen. ’Tis true. Listen to the ed by our other hand seems to news; the evidence is damning. be an alchemy of awareness, But what about the other appreciation and connection. And hand? The one with love and as real as what’s on the news. friendship and neighbors and Sometimes, all it takes is a dogs and passions and hobbies mere glance at our other hand and music and words and sunsets to ignite this grace. Let’s face it, and dewy dawns? Doesn’t this the hand itself is quite a marvel. list go on and on?

As Alan Alda said when portrayOf course, each person’s

In Musing

ing Hawkeye on the TV show M.A.S.H., “Have you any idea of the incredible complexity of this piece of human apparatus?”

At other times, we can’t seem to find our hopeful hand, though it dangles at our side.

Understandably, we’re distracted by obligations and stressors that multiply overnight. It is here, in the muck, where I’ve begun practicing something to remind me of this hand’s resuscitating powers.

I hold my two hands palms up and close my eyes for a beat.

That’s it. This small gesture sparks my consciousness and reminds me of the sublime truth that, of course, there isn’t just bad in this world. There’s oh so much more.

Granted, sounds silly or simplistic. But, is it? Turns out acknowledging this buoyant other hand has the power to improve relationships, sharpen minds and even extend our lives. Seems a worthwhile trade to me.

It was a dairyman from Anatevka who first introduced me to the two-hand concept. In the midst of growing antisemitism in czarist Russia, Tevye found his two hands not only revelatory, but edifying.

When his daughter Tzeitel begs to break tradition and wed an impoverished tailor, Tevye wrangles both sides. “On the

LETTERS

continued from page 6 wildlife regulations. When that happens, wildlife loses.

If Vermonters work to become more conscious of the way their lifestyles impact bears, we can decrease the number of humanbear conflicts. This includes simple actions such as not leaving trash outside or bird feeders out year long. Additionally, properly fencing in chicken coops and crops.

Black bears are a vital part of our ecosystem that deserve to be respected and protected. Vermonters must become more aware of how their actions increase interactions with these bears and try to change.

Justine Goldblatt Burlington

Anti-hunting groups create faulty divisions To the Editor: I want to discuss the root cause of the recent attacks on hunters in Vermont. This type of violence against community members who hunt is a direct result of the way anti-hunting groups in the state

have chosen to vilify their neighbors who hunt. This is the natural result of seven years of propaganda and misinformation, and it is entirely predictable.

With terms like sadist, psychopath and abuser used to describe community members, it is no wonder that such an event has now occurred twice. The surprise, perhaps, is that it took so long.

This macing of a hunter and last year’s attack on another member of the hunting community should send a message to everyone associated with these groups even peripherally that it is time to step back and re-evaluate their support.

The folks who were attacked were victims, but the perpetrators of the recent attacks were also victims. Victims of an ongoing misinformation campaign that lead them to make conscious decisions to harm fellow citizens.

Neighbors who were engaged in lawful activities and were harming nobody.

This event further highlights the need for enhanced penalties to be levied against individuals who choose to harass community members who engage in these

outdoor pursuits. We need better deterrents to this type of unwarranted violence.

The facts support the value of hunting as it is carried out across the landscape of our state. Hunters are the single greatest contributor to the security of our wildlife through their financial and on-theground support of quality habitat and stewardship. And, the value of the locally sourced, naturally occurring, organic food that is represented by hunted game cannot be overstated. That is undeniable to anyone who can set aside their personal bias and take a look at the whole picture.

This is why those opposed to hunting feel such a desperate need to control the narrative; they use emotional appeals to cloud people’s judgement and drive folks down a path, and they know that if they lose that control they lose the audience. Meanwhile people on both “sides” are left dealing with the anxiety created by this manufactured conflict.

Mike Covey Executive director Vermont Traditions Coalition

other hand, he is an honest, hard worker. But on the other hand, he has absolutely nothing. On the other hand, things could never get worse for him, only better.”

Tevye’s “other hand” mantra is more than an ode to the yin-yang of our lives. It reminds us how, like the fiddler on the roof, we need balance. We need both hands. Tevye used his to hold opposing truths simultane-

ously. He did this in order to help him navigate a bumpy, scary and changing world.

I can learn to do the same.

Carole Vasta Folley’s In Musing column has won awards from the Vermont Press Association, The New England Newspaper and Press Association, and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

Page 8 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

COMMUNITY Community Notes

Music at the Beach series finale Aug. 17

Knights of Columbus wins Star Council Award Bishop DeGoesbriand Knights of Columbus Council #279 has received the distinction of Star Council, the international organization’s top award for local councils.

The Star Council Award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of membership, promotion of fraternal insurance benefits, sponsorship of faith formation programs and service-oriented activities.

Some of the many activities that Council #279 has organized and participated in over the past year are: Food for Families (North End Food Pantry), Boxes of Love, Sunday morning pancake breakfast, Tootsie Roll campaign, Traveling Chalice (Prayer for Vocations), and Consecration to the Holy Family.

Zoe’s Race Join the fun on Sunday, Aug. 28 at Oakledge Park in Burlington and support Howard Center to make homes accessible. Zoe’s Race is a family-friendly event with food, music, a free 1K fun run, a 5K walk/run and 10K run along Lake Champlain. Register or volunteer at howardcenter.org/ zoes-race-2022.

Walk miles for migraine awareness, treatment Miles for Migraine hosts its 5th annual 2-miler, 5K Run and Relax Burlington Event on Saturday, Sept. 24, 8:30-10:30 a.m., at Veterans Memorial Park, 1000 Swift St., in South Burlington.

The event is a fundraiser for migraine and headache awareness, treatment and research. All funds benefit local migraine and headache research and fellowship training programs at University of Vermont Medical Center Headache Clinic.

It’s free for kids 6 and under, $25 until Aug. 25, when the fee increases to $35. Dress up in your best purple flair for a chance at a prize.

More information at btv.milesformigraine.org, katie@milesformigraine.org or 802-734-7598.

Birds of Vermont holds community day at museum Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Road in Huntington holds a museum

COURTESY PHOTO

The finale in the Music at the Beach series is Wednesday, Aug. 17, with the a cappella Green Mountain Chorus, 6 p.m. The Green Mountain Chorus is the Burlington chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and this summer celebrates its 75th year of singing throughout New England at civic events, Burlington First Night, Barbershop singing competitions, sporting events and its own annual show. The chorus also organizes the popular Singing Valentines program each year in northern Vermont. Close, four-part harmony, combined with hints of vaudeville, and with quartets from the chorus, the Green Mountain Chorus mixes it up with comedy, audience participation and, of course, that Barbershop sound.

Enjoy music, views of Lake Champlain and a picnic, starting at 5 p.m. with music at 6 p.m. Free with a beach pass, but donations encouraged. Weather permitting. Check for updates on the Charlotte Recreation Facebook page and details available at billandeva@gmavt.net or 802-343-4350.

community day, Sunday, Aug. 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and it’s free for members. There will be special events all day.

More at birdsofvermont.org.

On Saturday, Aug. 27, join the month bird monitoring walk, 7:30-9 a.m. to record birds on the museum property, learn something new, share what you know, or both.

Free, donations welcome.

Preregister at the website.

Become a 4-H health ambassador, hero Teens with an interest in mental health and well-being may apply to become a teen health and wellness ambassador through the University of Vermont Extension 4–H Health Education Resources for Outreach, Engagement and Service program (HEROES).

The program provides free training for 20 Vermont teens,

ages 14-18, to help them promote healthy living in their communities. Among the topics to be covered are the importance of food and nourishment, physical movement, stress management, sleep and rest, relationships, school-life balance and self-compassion.

Applications will be accepted at go.uvm.edu/health-heroes until Sept. 9. Participants must be available to attend in-person training sessions on Sept. 24 and Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., at Living Well at the Dudley H. Davis Center on the UVM campus in Burlington.

Participants will learn and practice mindfulness techniques, different forms of movement and motivational interviewing as well as learn to make nutritious snacks with the end goal being the creation of a customized program to deliver to groups in their community.

For more information, contact Margaret Coan at mcoan@uvm. edu.

Need a boost? Free vax clinics in June There is a free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic with Garnet Healthcare at the Charlotte Senior Center Tuesday, Aug. 23, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

No appointment is necessary.

Vaccines and boosters are available for pediatric Pfizer (ages 5-11), and adult Pfizer (12 and up) and Moderna (18 and up).

The newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 years will also be available.

Senior center hosts Monday Munch The next Monday Munch at the Charlotte Senior Center is Aug. 15, 212 Ferry Road, 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. The meal features individual pizzas, tossed salad and an ice cream sundae.

A $5 donation is appreciated.

The munch on Aug. 22 will serve hot dogs, baked beans, watermelon salad and chocolate cake.

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

Senior Center offers meals for pickup The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Aug. 11, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features chicken-n-biscuit, chicken in gravy, red mashed potatoes, diced carrots with dill, biscuit, pound cake with strawberries and cream and milk.

You must have pre-registered

by Monday, Aug. 8, with Lori York, 802-425-6371 or lyork@ charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

The meal on Thursday, Aug. 18 — register by Aug. 15 — is See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9

The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 9

Obituary Genevieve Lotz

PHOTO BY CHRISTLE RAWLINS-JACKSON

Quiltwork by artist Christle Rawlins-Jackson. For more information, see below.

COMMUNITY NOTES continued from page 8

cavatappi with cheddar cheese and Canadian bacon, beets, broccoli florets, dinner roll with butter, Craisin and date cookies and milk.

The meal on Thursday, Aug. 25 — register by Aug. 22 — is turkey burger with carrots, onion and celery sauce, rice pilaf, Brussels sprouts, dinner roll with butter, fresh fruit and milk.

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

Workshop features poetry, storytelling, quiltmaking, Join artist Christle Rawlins-Jackson on Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m., at the Authentica Gallery on the Clemmons Farm, 2190 Greenbush Road, Charlotte, as she shares the story of her ancestors who were the Black Loyalists of Nova Scotia, and her experiences in the slave forts in Ghana, through quilts and poetry.

After her presentation, Christle will lead participants in creating quilt collage postcards and short poems to share their own ancestral stories.

This storytelling workshop is designed for family audiences ages 5 and up.

Learn more at clemmonsfamilyfarm.org/summer2022.html.

Live discussion sessions with instructors will be offered via Zoom on six consecutive Thursdays from 6-7 p.m., beginning Sept. 8. These will be archived for later viewing.

To register or learn more visit go.uvm.edu/mastercomposter.

Krupp releases third book in ‘Woodchuck” trilogy Garden writer Ron Krupp of South Burlington has released the third in his Woodchuck Gardener’s trilogy, “The Woodchuck Travels through the Garden Seasons: Ornamental and Landscape Plants, Pollinators and Native Species and the Insect Apocalypse.”

“In my new Vermont garden book, I reveal the practical nature of plants and their aesthetic qualities, all complemented with poetry and prose, sketches, photos and paintings,” Krupp said.

“The best way to create a sustainably designed habitat for songbirds, bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and insects is to provide

a native pollinator landscape in your garden,” Krupp said. “Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By the act of creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape.”

For more information, contact Krupp at woodchuck37@hotmail. com or 802-658-9974.

Online course teaches composting basics Registration is now open for the University of Vermont Extension’s master composter course, designed to teach the basics of backyard composting.

The online course opens Sept.

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Genevieve Porter Lotz, known to all as Gert, died peacefully from natural causes on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

Born in Boston on June 14, 1927, to Hazel Mattson Porter and Dwight Porter Sr., Gert lived most of her childhood with her mother and younger brother, Dwight Jr., in Lowville, N.Y. She encountered challenges in her young life, including caring for her brother while her mom was at work during his battle with polio. This introduction to caregiving undoubtedly contributed to her decision later in life to pursue a career in nursing.

Gert graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in nursing. While living in Rochester, she met the love of her life, Charlie, a World War II veteran who was an engineering student. They married on Sept. 20, 1952, and moved to Burlington, where they started a new life and family.

With son Steven and daughters, Wendy and Patti, they eventually moved to Charlotte to enjoy life in the country.

Gert served her community in many ways. She was a staff nurse at then Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, also serving as a nursing instructor. She was a member of the Burlington Visiting Nurses Association and served on the University of Vermont Family Associates Executive Commit-

Genevieve Lotz

tee.

She was also a member of the South Burlington and Champlain Valley League of Women Voters and was heavily involved with The Red Hat Society in the local community. For many years, she volunteered at the Replays retail outlet in South Burlington. Her many interests included tennis, golf, photography, bridge, gardening and cooking. She loved flowers, always having a beautiful bouquet on the dining room and kitchen tables.

Gert’s devoted husband of 69 years, Charlie, died last October.

She is survived by their three children and two grandchildren, Van and Wyatt Burnheim, who live in Australia with their mother, Patti.

A joint celebration of Gert and Charlie’s lives will be held at the Charlotte Congregational Church, where they were active long-time members, on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m.

Page 10 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

SPORTS Little League All-Stars For another summer, the Shelburne Little League, representing the towns of Shelburne, Hinesburg and Charlotte, fielded three fantastic All-Star teams to compete in the annual Vermont District 1 Little League tournament.

These players practiced and played baseball together almost every day for two months, culminating in the District 1 tournament, which consisted of pool play followed by a double elimination round. While none of the three teams made it through the double elimination round in their respective divisions, all three played with heart and determination and were definitely a joy to watch.

12U All Stars Jack Ahrens Owen Daley Broderick Deeley Evan Dore Leland Driscoll Drew Friesen Levi Hughes Reid McAvey Cooper Niebur Liam Niebur Tyler Niebur Kai Olin Jake Osekoski Brennan Rettew Manager: Mike Niebur Coaches: Don Ahrens, Ken McAvey

11U All Stars Luke Blucher Jacob Casarico Franklin Donegan Zeke Dupee-Negron Carl Giangregorio Grant Giangregorio Izyk McGuire Jaime Nassar Chase Rodliff Isaac Russell Thomas Schramm Pete Stephen Finn Wilson Beckett Win Manager: Al Giangregorio Coaches: Jamie Nassar, Josh Stephen

10U All Stars Felix Boyce Griffin Daley

COURTESY PHOTOS

Above: Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg 11-12 Little League team, standing, from left: Brennan Rettew, coach Jeff Rettew, Drew Friesen, Cooper Niebur, Leland Driscoll, coach Don Ahrens, Owen Daley, coach Ken McAvey, Reid McAvey, head coach Mike Niebur and Jack Ahrens. Kneeling, from left, Jacob Osekoski, Kai Olin, Tyler Niebur, Evan Dore, Liam Niebur, Broderick Deeley and Levi Hughes Right: #39 Luke Blucher is on third while #1 Finn Wilson is at the plate during the semifinal game that put the Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg team into the championship.

Below: Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg 10U Little League team.

Grayson Diguglielmo Henry Flanagan Willem Flanagan Cole Knudsen Theo Lyons Judge Holden Rodliff Max Strauss Cooper Tanis Finn Wolff Henry Wolff Manager: Andy Strauss Coaches: Mike Flanagan, Jon Wolff

The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 11

Homes built

BY Vermonters FOR Vermonters Reserve a S pot on Our Calend ar Now! 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.

CVU girls’ basketball hosts golf tournament fundraiser The Champlain Valley Union High School girls’ basketball team is hosting its second annual golf scramble to raise money to support the program.

The tournament will be held on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Cedar Knoll Country Club, Route 116, Hinesburg. The event will begin at 9 a.m. with registration and a light breakfast with players teeing off at 10 a.m.

Snacks, lunch, prizes and appetizers, along with a cash bar, are included in the $90 per player or $360 per foursome price for those who register before Sept. 1. Prices rise to $100 per person and $400 per foursome after that date.

Champlain Valley Union High School has one of the preeminent girls’ basketball programs in the state, winning six state championships in the past 10 years with

a record of 226-15 over the past decade.

The program serves 30 plus girls each year, teaching them the importance of teamwork, discipline, maximum effort and sportsmanship producing confident, determined young women ready for the challenges of college and career.

Sponsorships are available at several levels so we can find one that is right for everyone.

The fundraising provides money for players to attend team camp and tournaments in the summer and offers scholarships to children attending the camp each summer. It also allows the program to provide practice gear and warm-ups to all members of the program, to celebrate the seniors and to reward excellence at the end of the season.

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Page 12 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

SALES SUPPORT Full-time position for a customer-service expert, general office support, all-around jack-or-jill-of-all-trades for busy newspaper office. Responsibilities include ad management and traffic flow, working the phones, directing customers, some basic website data entry, and other office-related duties.

Computer skills and knowledge of MS Office applications required. Familiarity with html a bonus. Flexibility and welcoming disposition a must.

Send a resume and cover letter to: Stowe Reporter, POB 489, Stowe VT 05672; or leslie@stowereporter.com.

No phone calls please.

STOWE REPORTER

POUECH

continued from page 1 In a Q&A with The Citizen, Pouech said climate change is the town and state’s “No. 1 long-term threat.”

“It threatens our children, grandchildren and future generations,” he said. “Failure to fairly address this issue can undermine everything else we value.”

He also said he hopes to institute more progressive tax structure in the state: “Our reliance on property tax, specifically those taxes on single-family homes and low-income rentals is unfair because property is not always a measure of income.”

“Expansion of the existing homestead property tax relief program is one way to move this forward,” he added.

With Hinesburg set to see a boon in development and popula-

Phil Pouech

Christina Deeley

tion growth in the next 10 years, he said the state needs to “support towns like Hinesburg as they work to address issues around growth and sustainability.”

“The state should provide

more financial support as we develop and maintain water and wastewater systems that are more energy efficient and better for the environment,” he added.

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OPERATIONS TECHNICIAN The Flynn is hiring a capable, hardworking, kind teammate to help keep our beautiful building looking and running its best. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, frequently climb ladders, and work independently and efficiently.

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The Citizen • August 11, 2022 • Page 13

EVANS

Busy fast paced hair salon looking for a

continued from page 1

Part Time Receptionist

in me.”

• Must be able to multi-task Evans, whose family moved to • Have good phone and people skills Charlotte 36 years ago, won by just 61 votes. She garnered 701, besting • Have basic computer knowledge.

Yantachka’s 640 votes, according 20-25 hours a week. Pay based on experience. to the Vermont Secretary of State’s Please drop off resume in person at election results.

Reflections Salon and Spa “Mike Yantachka gave years of his time, energy and expertise 2989 Shelburne Road • Shelburne to our town and I’m going to do my best to live up to his example,” Evans said.

SHELBURNE DAY face painting.

Evans has written about CharPARALEGAL VACANCY lotte as a journalist for years continued from page 4 — Two-lawyer civil litigation law firm Towards the end, the Charlotte-Shelfirst for The Citizen, The Charlotte focusing on plaintiff ’s personal injury and Rep. Mike Yantachka burne-Hinesburg Rotary invites folks to News and, more recently, for The Chea Waters Evans employment Law and located in Chittenden Charlotte BridgeHistorical and Seven Days.

Shelburne Society will have a head to the Little League field next to County, Vermont, seeks paralegal.

“I never seriously considered” a sion, stripping away women’s February. But that vote generated display and president Dorothea Penar will the Fire Station for the annual Rotary Duties include: run for office, she said previously. constitutional protections for abor- immediate backlash from constit- Conduct client and witness interviews and maintain positive client contact.

“It wasacertainly nevertour anything tion, and in turnvenpassed theGolf buck to and and madeahim “rethink” lead cemetery at I1 p.m.

Food Balluents Drop chance to his win prizes - Summarize documents and deposition transcripts and prepare reports for attorneys. was seriously pursuing or giving a the states. More than a dozen states position.

- Research, investigate facts and develop legal arguments for attorneys. dors round the everything on where the numbered balls lot of thought to. out It’s just thatevent right with have since moved to passdepending restric“Upon reflection, I should - Review, draft and manage legal documents. Prepare and file pleadings with the courts.

- Support a mediation practice. now ... itcoffee seemed more laws. have supported 5,”sales he said from and urgent.” lemonade tive to abortion burgers and land. Proceeds from Prop ticket help fund - Provide reception, phone answering and administrative management.

Evans win marks a backlash to Yantachka’s loss reflects a back- in a social media post, adding that creemees.

Kids enjoy many projects through the year.

Qualifications: the post-Roe v.

Wadewill world and meeting lash againstanimals his flip-flip onRotary’s the Prop he realized his vote had “given Candidates must demonstrate a strong work ethic, attention to detail, ability to learn could a precursor toFarms, the state’scraft 5 amendment. frombeShelburne projects,After andinitially voting the impression that I do not trust and use law practice management, litigation support, electronic filing, and other legal technologies. Candidate should be self-starter and team oriented. upcoming referendum on Prop 5. for the amendment as it worked woman to make good decisions The Supreme Court in June its way through the Statehouse regarding their reproductive choicTerms of Employment Full-Time. struck down the landmark deci- in 2019, he then cast a no vote in es.”

POLICY

continued from page 4 I’m showing my face,” he said at ment workers to watch and partic- lish rules and guidelines regarding the selectboard meeting. “I think ipate in meetings. email address, faces when speakpeople should be required to get “The weakness that this inci- ing and other practices. their email address to be let in. dent revealed is that chairs have “We want to be able to see Their faces should be visible when very few tools to protect their everybody who is there and have they are speaking. Those are the committees,” she said. “That them be genuine participants, two most important things, which needs to change.” for rates: call 985-3091 because there’s a real inherent is not a requirement right now.”

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CROSSWORD

ARIES

LEO

March 21 - April 20 Aries, your energy levels are elevated this week and that’s just the start of the positive energy floating around you.

Harness your energy and use it to complete a project.

TAURUS

July 23 - Aug. 23 A powerful energy will be brought to your professional life, Leo. Use these vibes to take inventory of your space at work and get organized. It may help you be more successful.

VIRGO

April 21 - May 21 A quiet week is ahead, which is the perfect opportunity to sort through your feelings and thoughts, Taurus. Not every day has to be a “get up and go” adventure.

GEMINI

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22 Virgo, cosmic energy could light a fire within you this week, helping you tap into your creative side. You will find a way to merge the analytical with the creative.

LIBRA

May 22 - June 21 Gemini, you will have plenty of time to meet new friends and acquaintances this week, whether in-person or online.

Networking is an important skill.

CANCER June 22 - July 22 Try to take initiative at work as it will possibly gain you favor with your bosses, Cancer. Even while getting ahead, be sure you continue to be a team player.

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 Your love life could use a little support this week, Libra.

Figure out how to spend more time with your significant other. Something different from your usual activities can create a spark.

SCORPIO Oct. 24 - Nov. 22 Scorpio, use your time this week to engage in important conversations and discussions, especially if they pertain to your career. There’s never been a better time to get ahead.

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 Lean into your playful side, Sagittarius. Resist any urge to be too serious. Give yourself a break to pursue some new recreational outlets and hobbies.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Capricorn, you will be more outspoken and authoritative than usual this week. Using your voice will compel others to take you more seriously, including those at home.

AQUARIUS Jan. 21 - Feb. 18 Avoid any temptation to act impulsively this week, Aquarius. Doing so could be a misstep. Self-discipline can help you get where you want to be.

PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 Pisces, individuals you currently characterize as acquaintances may become very close friends in the days ahead. Embrace this change.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Breezed through 5. Time units (abbr.)

8. Pigeon’s murmur 11. Moves aside in fright 13. Partner to “ahh” 14. Taxis 15. Monetary units of Turkey 16. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

17. Prolific Italian opera composer 18. Restaurants 20. One’s grandmother 21. Ancient Greek City 22. Italian mountain ranges 25. Data 30. Acted in an obedient way 31. Autonomic nervous system 32. Not on the up-and-up 33. Mock lightly 38. Mimic 41. Built 43. A neighborhood 45. Inflammation of the kidneys 48. Semitic fertility god 49. Temporary name of Seaborgium 50. Wise people

55. Tear down 56. __-fi (slang) 57. Diamond weight 59. Frosted 60. Predecessor to EU 61. Makes changes to 62. Some are secret 63. Tooth caregiver 64. Old English poet CLUES DOWN 1. Sign language 2. In style 3. Norwegian river 4. People with impaired hearing 5. Large stinging paper wasp 6. Bucharest is its capital 7. River in Ireland 8. Type of TV 9. Double-reed instruments 10. Spanish motorcycle manufacturer 12. Midway between south and southeast 14. French commune 19. Alike 23. A bachelor’s apartment 24. Foot part between the ball and ankle 25. Belonging to a thing

ANSWERS

26. Japanese classical theater 27. Supervises flying 28. Not even 29. Capital of Saudi Arabia 34. Electronic countermeasure 35. Consumed 36. American politician (abbr.)

37. Sun up in New York 39. Casually looked through 40. Revealed the presence of 41. Peyton’s little brother 42. Diana __, singer 44. Study of moral values and rules 45. Civil Rights group 46. Makes less severe 47. Made an emotional appeal 48. Vivacity of style 51. One who is highly skilled 52. Gets around in pursuit of pleasure 53. Famed guitarist Clapton 54. Most common Japanese surname 58. Recipe abbreviation

Page 16 • August 11, 2022 • The Citizen

Understanding miracle of forest regeneration jarring as they may be to us, forests need disturbances; they are a critical part of how forests change over time, how they become Ethan Tapper diverse and complex and how they provide The aftermath of a disturbance, wheth- habitat for wildlife.

The miracle of regeneration is the evoluer natural or human-caused, can be a very stressful time for forest stewards and forest tionary response of the forest community to lovers, leaving a forest seeming ugly, a dynamic world. Light — the currency of the forest — is usually controlled by trees, empty, hopeless.

However, if we allow ourselves to look their broad canopies casting the understory in shade. Through the beyond the “mess” and death of trees, a disturto consider a more holisWhile it is incredible to bance allows some of tic understanding of what this precious light to forests are and how they witness the resilience reach the forest floor, work, we can see that offering an opportunity these moments are opporof a forest, how it for new trees to establish tunities — chances for and to grow toward the the forest to showcase the responds to adversity riches of the canopy. miracle of regeneration Like wildlife, each and the many benefits that with regeneration and tree and plant species come with it. a complex Forests are resilient. renewal, this resilience occupy ecological niche. One When light and space of the ways that trees’ is made available in the isn’t limitless. niches are defined is by forest, it is inevitably filled with regeneration: the growth of new the light levels under which they are most trees and plants. Disturbances are more competitive.

Shade-intolerant species like white than something that forests endure. Ever since there have been forests, there have birch and aspen (poplar) require very large been fires, windstorms, ice storms, insect openings, such as those caused by a largescale or catastrophic disturbances, whereand disease outbreaks.

Forests, and the thousands of species as shade-tolerant species like beech, sugar that comprise them, have adapted to these maple and hemlock can grow in near or disturbances for thousands of years. As complete shade.

Into the Woods

Mid-tolerant species like white ash, red oak and yellow birch compete best in mid-sized openings, too small for shade-intolerants and too big for slow-growing shade-tolerants to be competitive in.

Trees are also adapted to a variety of other conditions — different tree species are competitive on different soil types and depths, on different slopes and aspects.

Yellow birch and hemlock seedlings often grow on rotting “nurse logs,” or on the upturned roots of fallen trees. White pine seedlings colonize scarified (disturbed) soils, whereas sugar maple does best with a deep layer of decomposing leaves.

Red oak and white ash establish advance regeneration — seedlings which may wait in the understory for a decade or more, ready to shoot upwards in the event of a disturbance. Cherries, raspberries and blackberries produce seeds that can remain viable but ungerminated in forest soils for decades, only sprouting following a disturbance.

While it is intuitive to think of regeneration as a means to an end — the process by which dead trees are replaced by living trees — the process itself has tremendous value to the forest community. As a forest regenerates, it passes through many different stages, each of which provides unique habitat, and which is used by wildlife from the insectivorous birds that hunt in canopy gaps to the pollinators that visit the diver-

sity of herbaceous plants in flower. Each step in this continuum of change is normal, natural and important to a wide range of living things.

Understanding the miracle of regeneration, and the benefits it brings, can change the way that we think about disturbances in the forest — whether it’s a windstorm or a forest management project. Forests are built on change: Every old growth forest was once a young forest and will be one again, and every tree in the woods is the legacy of the death of a tree, the memory of a disturbance.

While it is incredible to witness the resilience of a forest, how it responds to adversity with regeneration and renewal, this resilience isn’t limitless. The miracle of regeneration is threatened by invasive plants, pests and pathogens, by deer overpopulation, by climate change, by forest fragmentation and by deforestation. In this moment it is critical that we act not just to protect forests but also to protect their ability to regenerate, to adapt, to change and to remake themselves for the world of the future.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. See what he’s been up to, check out his YouTube channel, sign up for news and read articles at linktr.ee/chittendencountyforester.

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