The Citizen - 9-7-23

Senior needs Age Well, craft school team up on classes Page 8

End of COVID-19 relief funds looms for school district

$1.5 million in federal funds currently pays for 17 positions

The future of more than 15 positions in the Champlain Valley School District may be at risk as federal COVID-19 relief funds run out.

About $1.5 million in ESSER funds, or Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, is set to expire in September 2024, presenting a challenge as the district begins work on its fiscal year 2025 budget in coming weeks.

ESSER funds have supported approximately 17 additional

school counselors, social workers and interventionists throughout the district’s five schools, and have funded new assessment systems and other education software and expanded summer programs. How and if the district can absorb those positions into its general operating budget for the 2024-2025 school year is still unclear.

“We know that’s going to be a driver of difficult decisions, tough discussions, and it’s going to leave a mark,” Gary Marckres, the

See RELIEF FUNDS on page 16

Activists call for hounding ban as bear hunt talks resume

AUBREY WEAVER COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

With bear season starting Sept. 1, and rising reports of bear encounters in Vermont’s more urban areas like South Burlington, the state is faced with new discussions on how best to manage its bear population, if at all.

Somewhere around 5,000 black bears live in Vermont, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, and recent estimates suggest approximately 14 percent of the population is hunted and killed each year, with a 2020 high of about 20 percent.

David Sausville, the department’s wildlife management

program manager, said the population “has actually grown over the last 50 years,” with state estimates bottoming out at around 2,000 bears in the early 1970s.

Despite the population statistics, animal rights groups worry how humane some of the bear-hunting practices are.

“I mean, they are just treated pretty horribly in Vermont,”

Brenna Angelillo-Galdenzi, president and co-founder of the group Protect our Wildlife Vermont, said.

To Angelillo-Galdenzi, taking a fifth of the bear population each year is “not a sustainable hunt.”

Her organization is seeking changes in bear-hunting laws in Vermont, “specific to the hunting

of bears with hounds, (the) really long bear-hunting season and the fact that hunters can kill mother bears with cubs,” she said.

One Vermont trail camera caught a hunter shooting a bear sow with cubs last fall, prompting a petition back in April to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board, a rule-setting body. However, the board moved to table the petition until this fall, and hunting a sow with her cubs remains legal in Vermont.

Douglass Devos, president of the Vermont Bearhound Association, said nobody he knows would hunt a sow with cubs. “What you are looking for is a mature male,” Devos said, though he said he’s

sure hunters sometimes kill mothers with their young. “There’s bad eggs in every group that can make the other guys look bad.”

About the renewed discussion this fall, Angelillo-Galdenzi said, “We are not hopeful that they’re going to vote yes on the petition.”

She believes board members are too sympathetic to hunting. In a call to action emailed to members July 28, the group’s leadership wrote that “it is clearer than ever that the VT Fish and Wildlife Board must be dismantled.”

One particularly thorny point of debate between the activists, hunters and policymakers has been the practice of bearhounding

— setting dogs after bears during hunts.

“They’re chased through the woods in the cornfields until the hounds either, you know, corner them on the ground or lead it up a tree,” Angelillo-Galdenzi said, referring to bears. “That’s when the hunter tracks his dogs on his GPS device and shows up and literally shoots the bear out of the tree.”

But it’s a little different than shooting fish in a barrel, said Devos, the houndsman. If a hunter didn’t come up to the tree, they wouldn’t be able to tell the

PHOTO BY GREG SMITH

Charlotte’s pickleball group hit the courts on a sunny Saturday morning. See our story, page 12.

Pickleballers

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Town Common hosts Hinesburg Fall Festival

The Hinesburg Fall Fest returns Saturday, Sept. 23.

Festivities begin at 10 a.m. with No Strings Marionette Company puppet show at the United Church Parish Hall. The action continues from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Town Common on Route 116 behind the police station with music, food, vendors and activities. At 6 p.m. all are welcome to Stone Soup Supper at the United Church Parish Hall. Tickets are $10 for adults $10; free for kids under 12.

Visit the fall festival to connect with local businesses and organizations, relax and listen or kick up your heels and dance as local musicians share their talents,

enjoy lawn games, art activities and fall-themed storytimes, and food from local eateries including Hinesburgh Public House, Las Hermosas, Good Times Cafe, Papa Nick’s and Bushel Market.

Please take advantage of Hinesburg’s walkable village center by parking at town hall, the United Church and the cheese plant, all on Route 116; National Bank of Middlebury, Hinesburg Animal Hospital and Nestec, all on Commerce Street; and WCVT on Mechanicsville Road.

There is limited parking behind the fire station (accessible via Farmall Drive) and handicapped parking is available at the police station.

Working in the watershed: Water quality stewardship season wraps

KATE KELLY AND PORTIA BUTRYM CONTRIBUTORS

For yet another summer, volunteers of all ages hopped in kayaks and canoes to remove European frogbit, a non-native invasive plant species that spreads rapidly in bays and wetlands if given the opportunity.

In 2007, Lewis Creek Association initiated the Water Quality Stewardship Program and has since worked annually to manage the invasive plants and water quality of the rivers and streams that drain directly into Lake Champlain. The volunteer-driven project is the result of cooperation between many individuals and groups, including the towns of Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg, Shelburne Bay Boat Club and a Charlotte property owner.

European frogbit, a common aquarium plant, spread to the United States via the St. Lawrence River after it was introduced to arboretum ponds in Ottawa in 1932. It is now considered an aquatic invasive species because it dominates native species in the competition for sunlight, nutrients and surface area.

Volunteer efforts have proven highly successful since frogbit was discovered in 50 percent of Town Farm Bay in 2007. Annual paddling and weeding trips, with a side of bird- and turtle-watching, have reduced the coverage of frogbit to just under 4 percent.

In contrast, when frogbit was discovered in the wetlands of the LaPlatte Natural Area, it had a much lower percentage cover, which gave Lewis Creek Association volunteers the opportunity for

Democratic voters of the Town of Hinesburg

Democratic voters of the Town of Hinesburg, County of Chittenden, are hereby notified in accordance with 17 V.S.A. Section 2303, to meet in caucus on Tuesday September 12, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the courtyard outside the Town Clerk’s office, 10632 Route 116. The agenda will be the election of Hinesburg Democratic Committee members, officers, delegates to the Chittenden County Democratic Committee, and any new business.

Bring a folding chair if you want.

Any registered voter in Hinesburg, who has not participated in the caucus process of another political party, is invited to attend.

Ernest “Bud” Allen, Town Democratic Chair Gill Coates, Town Democratic Committee Secretary/Treasurer

early detection, rapid response. Though the invasive plant will never be eradicated in either location, maintaining this low population allows native plants and animals to thrive.

This summer, volunteers spent 189 hours removing 600 pounds of frogbit from Town Farm Bay, nearly half the amount harvested in the summer of 2022. Volunteers spent nine hours harvesting 60 pounds of frogbit, twice the amount from last year, in the LaPlatte River wetlands. Overall, the presence of frogbit was significantly less than the previous summer.

Multiple precipitation events throughout the month of July impacted the water level of Lake Champlain, greatly increasing the amount harvested by volunteers. Frogbit became more visible to volunteers because the higher water levels submerged the native lily pads (Nymphaea odorata), which cover much of the water surface area. High water levels also allowed volunteers at the LaPlatte River wetlands to paddle into a previously inaccessible area to boaters; this area produced the majority of frogbit harvested at this location, likely because volunteers were unable to harvest from this area during previous summers. Though water levels increased visibility and access to frogbit during July 2023, the overall poundage was around 40 percent less than the amount

PHOTO BY PORTIA BUTRYM

A newly metamorphosed northern leopard frog, the state amphibian of Vermont, rests on a volunteer’s finger.

COURTESY PHOTO

The 2019 Pop up Park held at the Town Common.

Celebrating suffrage

Join Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., to celebrate the placement of a painting by South Burlington artist Cynthia Cagle. The painting, “The Light of Truth Upon Them,” is an original suffrage-focused painting commissioned by the Vermont Suffrage Centennial Alliance as part of its commemoration of the 19th Amendment’s centennial. Cagle combines the struggles of Indigenous, Black, Latina and Asian people and the history of the fight for the vote and her painting showcases the perseverance of those who stood up — who stand up — in the face of injustice in Vermont and across the country. As an artist with indigenous ancestry, Cagle’s art confronts notions of progress. When one group moves forward towards independence and autonomy, often another is left behind, such as Native Americans. The painting depicts Zitkala-Ša, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Stacey Abrams, Ida B. Wells, Lucy J.C. Daniels and Louvenia Dorsey Bright. It will hang in the office of the Vermont Secretary of State. RSVP at bit.ly/3EsZnbK.

LEWIS CREEK

continued from page 2

harvested last summer.

The water quality stewardship program also includes the annual monitoring of water quality in the LaPlatte River, Patrick Brook, McCabe’s Brook, Thorp Brook, Kimball Brook and Lewis Creek, by volunteers for South Chittenden River Watch. The program is

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

Send them to us: news@ thecitizenvt.com

important for maintaining productive, functioning and scenic waters, and also allows residents of Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg to become advocates for water quality. Volunteers in each town help share this information with neighbors and friends, helping improve water quality in

the future. For more information, reach out to Kate Kelly at lewiscreekorg@gmail.com or 802-4885203.

Kate Kelly is Lewis Creek Association program manager and Portia Butrym is an association contractor.

A half-century of keeping you happy over lunch, dinner, and cocktails. Come join us.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. They have 2 to 3 years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

CRIME & COURTS

Boxed in Hinesburg Police Blotter

Total Incidents: 53

Traffic Stops: 16

Aug. 29 at 10:06 p.m., an officer recovered a stolen vehicle from South Burlington on Richmond Road.

Aug. 30 at 5:28 p.m., officers responded to St. George to assist first responders and Vermont State Police with a suicide.

Aug. 31 at 8:00 a.m., officers helped remove a traffic hazard from Route 116.

Aug. 31 at 8:57 a.m., officers responded to Hillview Terrace for a report of suspicious activity.

Aug. 31 at 8:00 p.m., found property was later turned into the

police department.

Sept. 1 at 6:20 p.m., officers responded to a medical emergency on Gilman Road. A death investigation is ongoing.

Sept. 2 at 9:15 a.m., suspicious activity was reported on Texas Hill Road.

Sept. 2 at 2:50 p.m., an alarm activated at Champlain Valley Union.

Sept. 3 at 11:15 a.m., a bicyclist crashed on Route 116. An officer assisted Hinesburg Fire Department on the call.

Sept. 4 at 9:32 a.m., livestock were loose on Texas Hill Road.

Sept. 4 at 12:30 p.m., a dog was brought to the station and later reunited with its owner.

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Billing inquiries Leslie Lafountain leslie@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101

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Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 985-3091

Crews from Hinesburg on the scene of an overturned box truck at the intersection of routes 116 and 2A on Aug. 31. The accident reduced traffic to one lane. The Hinesburg Fire Department responded to 53 incidents in August: one fire; 37 EMS calls; four motor vehicle accidents; one hazardous condition; one service call; four good intent calls; and five false alarms. Total incidents through August: 373.

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COURTESY PHOTO

Popular opinions? Or at least popular with me

From the House Rep. Chea Waters Evans

I’m not going to get involved in the town manager versus town administrator debate. I mean, I’m already involved to the extent that, should it get to this point, I will cheerfully and enthusiastically work on drafting a town charter bill and getting it through the legislative process. I respect that this issue is one that’s going to be left to the voters. I like leaving the decisions

in the hands of towns whenever possible — like, Dillon’s Rule gives the state the authority to ultimately decide on towns’ behalf. (Remember that? It’s my favorite rule other than, If you dirty the dish, you clean the dish, which applies both at home and in the Statehouse.)

But if the voters in a town decide they want something, for the most part we really do make every attempt in the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs to move it as far as we can. The couple town charter bills that

Strong unions advance dignity, rights of workers, families

From the Senate

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

More than 34,000 Vermonters belong to a union. That’s 12 percent of our workforce.

Unions are shown to increase gender and racial parity, strengthen democracy in the workplace and enhance the compensation and well-being of workers. That is why supporting collective bargaining and union organizing is one of our best tools for building a strong workforce.

This past session, the Senate advanced the Vermont Protect the Right to Organize Act, which would give more Vermonters the opportunity to join or form a union without fear of retaliation or overexposure. We also advanced sweeping access to affordable child care and took steps forward to implement paid family and medical leave.

labor partners like the Vermont ALF-CIO, I am committed to ensuring the Protect the Right to Organize Act passes the House and is signed into law by the governor.

I am committed to advancing paid family and medical leave. I am committed to a strong safety net for all workers.

Everyone, regardless of which industry or sector they work in, deserves basic respect and dignity in the workplace, which includes freedom of conscience and respect of their right and choice to form a union with their colleagues.

This Labor Day, I thank unions and workers by recommitting to their strength, vitality, growth and well-being. For my family, for all our families.

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Labor Day is about recommitting to giving workers the dignity and respect they deserve. Because when we do, we create a tide that lifts all boats. So today, alongside

Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a Democrat from Shelburne, serves the towns of South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Milton, Burlington, St. George, Westford, Underhill, Jericho, Richmond, Winooski, Williston, Essex and Bolton in the Legislature. She is chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs.

weren’t unanimous came out of committee with votes along party lines. Those were a Burlington charter wanting non-citizens to vote and a Brattleboro charter allowing youth voters in local elections. Speaking for myself, of course, I think that if the voters of a town want it and it’s not against the law, then they should get it.

In the case of the Charlotte town administrator, I’m confident that people will do their research and vote what they think is best.

Sometimes, things are a little more controversial.

Which brings me to the shooting range. Here’s where my unpopular opinion comes in. I know the Charlotte Selectboard has discussed creating a noise ordinance specific to that section of town. I believe this is known as spot zoning and I do believe that in the past, the town has very carefully tried to avoid spot zoning.

These things can go both ways, of course. If we create a noise ordinance that only applies to one part of town, then can we create, say, just for example, a food truck ordinance that only applies to one part of town to prohibit only certain establishments from having food trucks? I don’t love that slippery, selective slope.

The Planning Commission works hard to ensure that the town’s future development is consistent and fair. The Development Review Board works hard to make sure that the laws and land use regulations as they apply them are consistent and fair.

The shooting range has been through decades of time and expense defending their right to have that shooting range and keep it running. In 2018, the Vermont Supreme Court upheld its right to exist without applying Act 250 jurisdiction. People have been shooting at the range there for more than 70 years.

I sympathize with the people who are frustrated with the noise, and I agree with selectboard member Louise McCarren’s comment that all the neighbors need to get together and work it out as best they can. I also do believe that if you’re going to buy property near a shooting range, you know what to expect: shooting. (I used to live across the street from the shooting range in Lake Placid, so I know what I’m talking about here.)

I live next door to cows, and though they don’t always rank in the top 10 of

See FROM THE HOUSE on page 16

Trapping ban won’t solve growing problem of nuisance animals

Guest Perspective

Bruce Baroffio

We have all experienced or heard about nuisance animals, such as skunks under porches, raccoons in the attic, foxes killing chickens, fisher preying on cats and coyotes attacking dogs and livestock.

But have you ever wondered why? Why do these animals cause us trouble instead of living out in the woods where they belong?

One reason is lack of habitat. All animals need habitat that suits their needs. A beaver’s habitat can be as small as the pond he has built while a coyote’s habitat is measured in square miles. All animals need enough territory to find food, shelter and a safe place to raise their young.

Given a suitable habitat, one thing all animals have in common is they raise young. During the spring and summer when living is easy and resources are plentiful, life is good. When fall comes, however, all the young are unceremoniously kicked out and driven off to find their own way.

and sleeping in your bed. How would you feel? That is how an animal feels when they encounter one of their own kind in their territory. This is why these dispersing animals wind up in marginal habitat close to people. They have no choice; there is no place else.

A vocal minority wants to end trapping all together. If they succeed, nuisance trapping will increase — with corresponding wanton waste.

Here is where the problem begins. Everywhere these dispersing animals go they are attacked and driven away by the animals that already live there. Unlike a Disney movie or the dog park, the animals in the woods do not all frolic and play together as friends. The exact opposite is true. Every animal in the wild protects its territory fiercely. If they lose it, they die.

Imagine coming home from work and finding a stranger living in your house, eating your food

That is why people have reoccurring problems year after year, which is why the beavers seem to keep plugging the culvert and flooding the road every year. Removing the problem animal only works until the next wandering one comes along. Because of this, nuisance animal problems are widespread. But it is a relatively recent phenomenon.

I grew up in the 1970s and during that time nuisance trapping was the exception, not the rule. Why? Because at that time there was a worldwide demand for fur. The United States and Canada have more furbearing animal species than the rest of the world combined.

It is estimated that up to one third of the population was harvested each winter. We exported fur all over the world, to

China, Russia, Greece, Italy and beyond. That’s right, we exported something to China.

Because fur had economic value the harvest was carefully regulated so that the resource was not negatively impacted. This harvest created space for the dispersing animals to inhabit. It was during the 2000s that politics, economics and fashion trends caused the value of fur to drop.

That resulted in the reduction of the harvest and a decrease in the available space for young animals to disperse, bringing us to where we are today with a growing number of nuisance animals.

There is a vocal minority that wants to end trapping all together. If they succeed, the controlled take will be gone, and nuisance

HOUNDING

continued from page 1

trapping will increase — with corresponding wanton waste.

One only has to look as far south as Massachusetts to see it. If trapping is eliminated these animals will wind up in your backyard. They have no place else to go.

As a footnote to all the people who use live traps to capture and relocate animals instead of killing them are only fooling themselves when they think that they are being humane and compassionate. The relocated animals are just being dropped back into the vicious cycle of being driven off and attacked as they try to find a place that does not exist.

Bruce Baroffio is president of the Vermont Trappers Association.

to hang out with. They’re gone now. My stepsons come hunting with us all the time. It is comparable to any other tradition any family would have.”

Rep. Larry Satcowitz, D-Randolph, introduced H.323 last session, which, if passed, would have prohibited the hunting of bears and coyotes with dogs across the board. But the bill didn’t leave committee.

A long tradition

Vermont’s long history of hunting, something once core to the state’s identity, means proposed rule changes can draw strong reactions.

Angelillo-Galdenzi acknowledged the historic tradition of hunting in Vermont and described the difficulty groups like hers face in trying to restrict what hunters can do. “If any organization comes out threatening hunting in general, it’s a very polarizing discussion,” she said.

She stressed that her organization’s aim isn’t to ban hunting in general. The group supports “science-based hunting regulations,” she said, and opposes practices like hounding and leg-trapping that they view as inhumane. Devos views regulation and limitation as one and the same. “Anytime somebody wants to adjust something, they typically take something away from you,” Devos said. “Your hobby, even if I don’t agree with it, it’s not my right to try and change it.”

“I don’t see how you can think of (bear-hounding) as something that should be stopped. It’s something we’ve been able to do forever,” said Devos, who added that houndsmen like himself “take only a very small percentage” of the bears hunted each year in the state.

For the future of bear-hounding, Devos thinks “anything can happen.”

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Feedingkids:Food serviceperseveres FOODSERVICE page11 Seniorcitizensandseniorsin highschoolconnecting–bymail SeeBEERWORTH Call 802-985-3091 or email wendy@shelburnenews.com to let us help you reach Charlotte and Hinesburg customers

in the next issue of The Citizen.

A sense of tradition guides many hunters. Sausville, the state wildlife management head, said he treks out to hunt bears every year, something his family has done for decades.

“I have family members who do it, and we’ve been hunting in the same region for over 100 years,” he said. “It’s a good activity to have people get out on the land and be connected in a different way.”

Said Devos: “I’ve been doing it myself for 25 years, and I was taught from some old guys I used

“I’ve been doing it my entire life. It’s a huge part of my life. It’s not a hobby for me. It’s part of my life along with many, many other houndsmen in the state,” said Devos.

If the state bans hounding, he believes regulations will creep into “whatever else is next on their list.”

Aubrey Weaver is a reporter with the Community News Service, a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.

bear’s sex and weight and whether to shoot. Across a field, “you might think that’s a big bear and you shoot it and it’s an 80-pound female,” he said. “So ethically, it’s probably the most humane way.”

During the last legislative session, Vermont issued a temporary moratorium on hunters’ ability to use hounds to hunt coyotes. Deploying dogs for bear hunting, though, remains legal in Vermont.

COMMUNITY

Community Notes

Enjoy Age Well meals  at Charlotte Senior Center

The Age Well meal pickup for Thursday, Sept. 7, is from 10-11 a.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, and features chicken marsala with mushroom sauce, diced potatoes, peas and onions, potato roll with butter, pumpkin Craisin cookie and milk.

You must have pre-registered by the prior Monday at 802-425-6345 or meals@charlotteseniorcentervt. org.

The meal on Thursday, Sept. 14, features Swedish steak with mushroom sauce, seasoned penne pasta, chopped broccoli, wheat bread/ butter, vanilla Fluff with /blueberries and strawberries and milk.

The meal on Thursday, Sept. 21, features turkey tetrazzini, Scandinavian vegetables, wheat dinner roll with butter, fruit cookie and milk.

The meal on Thursday, Sept. 28, features roast rork with gravy, boiled potatoes with parsley, butternut squash, wheat bread and butter, cookie bar with dates and Craisins and milk.

The suggested donation is $5. Check the website for last-minute cancellations at charlotteseniorcentervt.org.

First Congregational offers community concerts

Community Concerts at First will present Bethany Blake on harpsichord and organ on Sunday, Sept. 24, 7-9 p.m., First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 39 Main St.

The program will feature music by French and German composers, including Bach, Couperin and Rameau. Concert proceeds will support the Committee on Temporary Shelter and First Congregational Church of Essex Junction. Tickets are available online at bit. ly/3qYKXNC or call 802-8785745.

More at fccej.org.

Shelburne Age Well hosts

Grab and Go meal

Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and is available for anyone 60 or older. Suggested donation is $5.

The menu is Swedish steak with mushroom sauce, seasoned penne pasta, broccoli, wheat bread, vanilla fluff with blueberries and strawberries and milk.

To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Walk to help find cure for ALS

On Saturday, Sept. 23, people living with ALS, family members, friends, caregivers and others affected by the disease will join the fight to find a cure at the Vermont Walk to Defeat ALS. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. at Oakledge Park, 11 Flynn Ave., Burlington, and the walk kicks off at 11 a.m. followed by music, ice cream, raffles and awards.

ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive motor neuron disease, which gradually robs people of their ability to walk, talk, swallow and eventually breathe. ALS has no known cause or cure, but communities throughout Vermont are rallying together to make change.

To register, donate or learn more visit bit.ly/vermontwalktodefeatals or contact event manager Tara Gottlieb at tara.gottlieb@als. org or 413-320-2075.

September programming at Charlotte Senior Center

September’s special events at the Charlotte Senior Center include a kayaking trip for women, men’s breakfast, play reading and more. Register in person at the center, by phone at 802-425-6345, and online at charlotteseniorcentervt. org.

• Women’s kayak trip: Friday, Sept. 8

Kayak trips for active women who share a love for exploring local lakes, ponds and rivers. Questions? Contact Susan Hyde at susanfosterhyde@gmail.com. Free, registration required.

• Birding expeditions with Hank Kaestner: Wednesday, Sept. 13. 9 a.m.

Join bird watcher Hank Kaestner and learn to identify the various bird species and habitats right here in Vermont. Limited to 20 participants. Free, registration required.

• Men’s breakfast: Thursday, Sept. 14, 7-9:30 a.m.

Men gather for breakfast and conversation on the second Thurs-

Ball drop

day of the month. Contact Jim Hyde at james.hyde@tufts.edu. Registration required by Tuesday for the Thursday breakfast. Suggested donation is $6.

• Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group: Thursday, Sept. 14, 5-6 p.m.

Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s? Do you know someone who is? Monthly group meets on the second Thursday of each month. Questions? Contact Susan Cartwright: scartwrightasg@gmail.com. Registration recommended.

• Hearing Loss Presentation: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1 p.m.

Join Dr. Julie Bier, audiologist

at Better Living Audiology, for a short presentation about the first signs of hearing loss and dealing with tinnitus and balance issues to help prevent falls. The presentation will be followed by a complimentary hearing screening. Free cleanings of current hearing aids. Free, but registration required.

• Play reading: Thursday, Sept. 21, 2-4:30 p.m.

With Sue Foley and Wally Gates, the group meets monthly and is for people who enjoy reading plays aloud or listening to others perform. Each month a play is selected, parts are assigned, and scripts are distributed. A way to test the waters is to attend a

session as a guest. Contact Sue at ssnfoley@icloud.com.

• Women’s kayak trip to Molly’s Falls: Friday, Sept. 22

Details about the trip will be sent out the week prior. If you have questions, contact Susan Hyde at susanfosterhyde@gmail. com. Free, registration required.

• Walking and gentle hiking group: Thursday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m.

The group meets each month for a congenial non-strenuous walk. Meet in the parking lot at Charlotte Senior Center. Bring sunscreen, bug spray and water.

Questions? Contact Penny Burman at 916-753-7279. Free, but registration required.

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

The Rotary Club of Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg golf ball drop returns Friday, Sept. 15. Proceeds support fire and rescue services in Charlotte, Hinesburg and Shelburne, where in the past year crews responded to more than 2,000 calls for help. The fundraising event takes place from 4-6 p.m. at the Kwini Club Driving Range, 5353 Spear Street, Shelburne. All labeled balls will be dropped from a local helicopter courtesy of sponsors Beta Technologies and Kwini Club Driving Range. More than $2,000 in prizes will be awarded and only 1,500 golf balls will be sold. There will also be long-drive competition. Buy chances at bit.ly/3suL7fZ prior to the event or onsite Sept. 15.

The best local guide to home, design, real estate and gardening H ME

design

Age Well, Shelburne Craft School bring classes to older adults

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

To increase student diversity, the Shelburne Craft School is partnering with Age Well to offer “Weaving Your Story,” a fibers class that allows older adults and caregivers a space to reflect and celebrate people, memories and specific key milestones that have shaped the course of their lives.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of the work that Age Well does, and we were hoping to have courses filled with people of greater diversity than we typically pull at the school,” the school’s executive director, Heather Moore, noting it has more than doubled its offerings and local partnerships in recent months.

“We were looking to find students that had different socio-economic backgrounds.”

Age Well is the leading local area agency that advocates for the aging population in Vermont and is responsible for providing free nutritional counseling, case management and Medicare counseling.

“We’re tasked, in a very lovely

way, with supporting older adults, 60 and over,” Tracey Shamberger, Age Well’s director of business development and communications, said.

Age Well’s services are free and its main focus is to keep older adult at home by providing nutritional counseling, case management and Meals on Wheels.

In the classroom

Fiber arts teacher Bradie Hansen, a licensed therapist, guides participants in creating an individual time capsule that represents the different facets of each of their stories.

“The idea here is that anybody coming to the class is invited to think about whatever it is that they are going through, what transition they’re going through, anything like that,” Hansen said.

Hansen came to fiber arts 15 years ago and found the meditative process of weaving row after row as a helpful mechanism for griev-

See CLASSES on page 9

PHOTO BY DARIA BISHOP

Shelburne Craft School instructors Bradie Hansen and Luba Routsong work on a project as part of “Weaving Your Story,” a collaboration with Age Well.

“I started to notice that most of the time I felt better or felt just really connected with myself and grounded after working on projects.”

— Bradie Hansen

CLASSES

continued from page 8

ing the loss of her mother.

“I started to notice that most of the time I felt better or felt just really connected with myself and grounded after working on projects,” she said. “As a therapist, I couldn’t help but make the leap if I could start to build that into ways that I worked with people.”

The class creates space for participants to process difficult situations they may be going through while also reflecting on situations that have marked their lives, each symbolized by different yarn, charms or even articles of clothing brought from home that can be woven into the finished project.

“This helps bring an understanding of how they got from one place to another,” she said. “People are invited to use different symbols to mark things that happened along the way,” describing a piece she had created that has her mother’s favorite shirt sewn into it. “So, if someone’s going through a major life transition, that might have its own constellation of symbols. If somebody’s working on healing, and metabolizing grief, that will have its own symbols.”

Although the class is not exclusively centered around grief, that feeling is often one that surfaces the most.

“It’s like watching someone suddenly have something in their hands that they made that reflects their loved one who they longed for,” Hansen said.

Although the rhythmic motion of the weaving process often creates a group silence, Hansen said that more often than not the classroom is filled with laughter and storytelling. On top of helping

Fall Safety Tips

Finishing up digging projects before the snow flies?

Before you dig, you or your contractor must contact Dig Safe™ at 811 at least 48 hours prior to digging.

How to Detect a Gas Leak

Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. A distinctive, pungent odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that you will recognize it quickly.

participants connect to past selves and lives, it also has created an outlet for new relationships and connections to blossom.

“A woman I spoke with said that she’s been looking for a program to connect with other people who are also experiencing grief,” Shamberger said. “What better way than to create something beautiful, meaningful and memorable with a group of people who understand exactly what each other is going through.”

In addition to issues like housing and food insecurity, Shamberger said that one of the greatest threats to older adults is social isolation and lack of connectedness.

“If you are socially isolated, your health deteriorates, that’s just a fact,” she said.

Hansen explained that more than anything, she hopes to bring a level of playfulness to some of life’s hardest battles.

“I’ve worked to make sure that there are a wild amount of options for people. Anything from straightforward yarn to stuff that’s wicked thick or sparkly with glitter and 18 shades of purple. I want people to walk in there to feel happy,” she said.

Moore noted that the outcome from person to person can be drastically different, but the process in some ways mirrors the reality of life.

“Talking to participants, they didn’t know what the finished product would look like coming in,” she said. “Sometimes, they didn’t even know what it would look like halfway through, just like your life in some ways.”

Before the work begins, Dig Safe will notify member utilities, who will then ensure the locations of buried facilities they own are clearly marked. Please insist that any work within 18 inches of the marked lines be done by hand.

Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.

Sound: You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.

If you suspect a leak:

Move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-639-8081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition.

Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

Check Locally First

PHOTO BY DARIA BISHOP

“Weaving Your Story” participant Betsy Franzoni finishes her piece.

H ME

News from Carpenter-Carse Library

Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg

To register, reserve books or for more information, contact Rachel Matthews at rachel@carpentercarse.org. Masks required indoors.

Hands and needles

Mondays in September, 10 a.m.-noon

Bring whatever project you are working on — quilting, knitting, embroidery, etc. No registration required.

Weekly storytime

Tuesdays in September, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts.

Lego club

Wednesdays in September, 2:15-3:30 p.m.

After school Lego club is back. For students in grades K-4. To reserve a spot, email jen@carpentercarse.org.

Chess club

Thursdays in September, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Players of any age or experience drop in for a weekly game of skill and wits. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Write your own picture book

Tuesdays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26, 3:15-4:30 p.m.

Kids in grades one to six work on their very own books. Read a book, have a snack and discuss a new story element each week. Sign up at rachel@carpentercarse.org.

Sunday storytime

Saturday, Sept. 16, 10-10:30 a.m.

Young children and their caregivers join together for stories and singing. Stick around for coffee, snacks, simple crafts and book browsing. No registration required.

TMCJ comics workshop

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7-8 p.m.

Join award-winning cartoonist and educator Marek Bennett for a closer look at VT Reads 2022 book, “The Most Costly

Journey.” Contact rachel@carpentercarse. org to sign up.

Page-to-screen movie and crafts

Friday, Sept. 22, 3:15-5:15 p.m.

Movies based on Kate DiCamillo’s books. This month’s movie is “Because of Winn Dixie.” Sign up at jen@carpentercarse.org.

Mid-grade book club

Thursday, Sept. 28, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

For students who like to read and discuss books that are past or current Golden Dome Book Award nominees or winners. 9-to-12year-old age range. Contact Jen.

ADULTS

Folk Jam with SongFarmers

Thursday, Sept. 7, 6-8 p.m.

Join SongFarmers during its monthly gathering and participate in a live music offering. Free and open to the public.

Personal technology help group

Friday, Sept. 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Kenneth Russell leads group on using personal technology. Bring your devices. Contact Rachel to RSVP.

Mystery book group

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

September’s pick is “Shady Hollow” by Juneau Black.

Beginning tai chi

Thursdays, Sept. 14, 21 and 28, 10-11 a.m.

Contact Rachel to sign up.

Evening book group:

‘The Henna Artist’

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 7-8 p.m.

A discussion of “The Most Costly Journey.” Reserve a copy at rachel@carpentercarse.org.

The best local guide to home, design, real estate and gardening

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If it’s important to you or your community look for it in The

Beatrice Precourt

Beatrice Margaret Dolan Precourt, 95, of Shelburne, died on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in Portland, Maine, on Sept. 20, 1927, beloved daughter of Edward and Rita (Delcourt) Dolan. On Aug. 25, 1951, she married Rinald (Ray) George Precourt of Saco, Maine, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Westbrook, Maine.

Together they raised six children: Raymond, Michael, Patricia, Brian, Edward and Steven.

Beatrice graduated from Cathedral High School in Portland, Maine, in 1945, and from Gorham State Teachers College in 1949. Beatrice’s love for education was such a huge part of her life. She was a dedicated teacher, holding several different teaching positions throughout her long career.

She started teaching kindergarten and third grade in Saco and then taught 4th grade at Oceanside Elementary when Ray was stationed at Fort Pendleton in California.

They moved to Portsmouth, N.H., where she was a first-grade teacher at the Sherburne School.

In Bristol, N.H., Bea taught sixth grade at the Bristol Elementary and on their final move to Shelburne in 1965 Bea taught both first and second grade at the Charlotte Elementary School for 20 years.

She left a little piece of her heart there with her dear friends and colleagues. Both she and Ray possessed a very strong work ethic. Outside of teaching, Bea was the “B” in the BandR Electric Company, which she and Ray started in 1972.

Beatrice was an immensely loving, kind wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She really enjoyed spending time with her family and loved to have everyone get together for dinner, birthday parties and holidays.

Her Catholic faith was such an important part of her life and legacy for her family, praying often for all of us and anyone else in need. She enjoyed traveling with Ray after their retirement to Hawaii, Bermuda, Ireland, England, Maine and many other places.

As a teacher, her love of reading remained with her until the end, reading the newspaper, magazines and nonfiction books — she didn’t have time for fiction — and,

Obituary

of course, her word puzzles. Bea’s independent spirit and large family allowed her to live on her own, until the end in the house she and Ray built together.

Some of her happiest memories were growing up on a farm in Gorham with her parents and sisters. She always felt blessed to have met Ray at the Buxton square dance in 1948, and later build a family with him. Returning to Maine to visit her family and spend lots of time at the beach was a highlight of her summers. She rarely missed attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.

Beatrice leaves behind her children, Raymond (Mary), and their children, Ian and Julia; daughterin-law, Mindy and her children, Scout (son Michael, daughter Montie), Samantha (Andromeda) and Thomas; Tricia (Jonathan) and their children, Brianna (Keith, sons Kieran and Kai), Kellen and Alainna; Brian (Alison) and their children, Megan, Joseph (Heather) and Alexander; Edward (Jo-Anne) and their children, Justin (Allison, son Greyson) and Mitchell; and Steven (Susan) and their children, Nicole, Brendan and Kristen; her sistersin-law, Rachel Turnage and Rita Bourgeault; brother-in-law, Leo

(Millie) Precourt; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Rinald; her son, Michael; parents, Edward and Rita Dolan; sisters, Louise Laliberty and Anna Landry; sisters-in-law, Jacquelyn Desaulniers, Irene Precourt and Rita Precourt; brothers-inlaw, Arthur Laliberty, Raymond Landry, Edmond Precourt, Fernand Precourt, Norman Precourt, Paul Precourt, Gerard Precourt, Lawrence Precourt, Robert Precourt, Ernest Precourt and Victor Desaulniers.

The family would like to thank the many health professionals for their expert and compassionate care over the years, especially Dr. Joseph Winget, Dr. Susanna Thach

and University of Vermont Hospice, specifically Judy Johnson.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Catherine’s Church in Shelburne on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. Visiting hours will be held at the Ready Funeral Home, South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington, on Friday, Sept. 8 from 5-7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Shelburne Food Shelf, PO Box 763, Shelburne VT 05482, or UVM Health Network Home Health and Hospice, 1110 Prim Road, Colchester VT 05446.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Ready Funeral and Cremation Service. Online condolences may be made at www.readyfuneral.com.

115 Ferry Road, Charlotte. 802-425-3864. Register at charlottepubliclibrary.org or info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org.

More information and links can be found on the library website.

ONGOING

Preschool storytime

Tuesdays in September, 10-11 a.m.

Preschool stories, crafts and activities. Age 2 and over.

Preschool free play

Wednesdays in September, 10-11 a.m.

Kids explore the sensory table, sorting, playing with blocks, play dough and more. Age 2 and over.

Book chat

Wednesdays in September, 3-4 p.m.

Discuss new books, old books and books missed.

Charlotte Coding Club

Wednesdays starting Sept. 13, 2:15-3:30 p.m.

Hack Club, a global organization that helps teenagers to code, hosts a six-week program. For kids in grades seven to 12. Email

nila@hackclub.com for more information.

Crochet and knit night

Wednesdays in September, 5:30-7 p.m.

ALL AGES

“Sweet Tooth Dilemma” book talk

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7-8 p.m. Join Dr. Andrea Grayson for a discussion of her new book “The Sweet Tooth Dilemma,” which describes why, what and how of quitting sugar.

Garden circle

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4:30-6 p.m.

Better Together book discussion: “The Push”

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7-8:30 p.m.

Open group that discusses books related to parenthood. Register at susanna@charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Mystery book group

Monday, Sept. 18, 10-11 a.m.

“Tied Up in Tinsel.”

‘Finding the Mother Tree’

Monday, Sept. 18, 7-8 p.m.

“Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest,” Suzanne Simard book talk. Register online.

Short story selections

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1-2 p.m.

‘The Agrarian Vision of Wendell Berry’

Wednesdays, Sept. 20 and 27, 2-3:30 p.m.

Kentucky farmer and writer Wendell Berry, whose thinking transcends the usual left-right divide and describes a path of humility that could help navigate the critical challenges of our time. Register on the library website.

Men’s book discussion:

‘Norwegian by Night’

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:30-9 p.m.

An extraordinary debut, featuring a memorable hero, “Norwegian by Night” is the last adventure of a man still trying to come to terms with the tragedies of his life. Compelling and sophisticated, it is

Beatrice Precourt

Pickleball play picks up in Charlotte, Shelburne

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

On any Saturday afternoon, courts that once carried the racket of tennis have been overtaken by a game that has captured the soul of many Americans, including hundreds in Chittenden County: pickleball.

The sport, which has been around since the 1960s, is the fastest-growing sport in America, primarily due to its accessibility, fast-paced matches and comradery between players, on and off the court.

To the passing eye, the game looks like a mix of tennis and a large-scale ping-pong match as competing two-player teams whack a whiffle-like ball back and forth with plastic paddles.

While most people come to the sport out of curiosity, Charlotte resident Greg Smith said he found the game months after a debilitating back surgery that left him immobile.

“Literally, I was in a fetal position for six months,” he said. “The idea of just being out there and doing something was so wonderful.”

Smith, a tennis player at heart, explained that because of its similarity to other popular sports, picking up the game is relatively simple, and the short lengths of the matches make it much less likely to severely strain muscles.

“If you’ve had any experience at all with ping pong, badminton, tennis, it’s a natural,” he said. “You’ll pick it up really quickly and what you see is people doing the same shots that you’re familiar with: dig shots, smashes, all these different types of strokes, you can pick them up quickly.”

He said that because the sport found immediate popularity in older age groups and those who are unable to play games like tennis anymore, the sport has gained trac-

tion in Vermont due to its aging population.

“This is just natural for those who can’t play tennis anymore or can’t run up Mount Philo or whatever. So, the sport is beautiful that way,” he added.

In Charlotte, the beach courts are now being used a lot less frequently for tennis and are instead being used almost daily by up to 30 avid “picklers.” In fact, some have estimated that the annual pickleball player hours at Charlotte beach is an estimated 10,384 hours. Assuming one-anda-half hours of play per visit, that equates to nearly 7,000 unique visits to these courts every year by players.

Smith is partially to blame for the increased pickleball traction in Charlotte since he initially introduced the sport to a group of residents almost 10 years ago.

“It’s a cantankerous bunch of people from about age 38 to 78,” he joked, noting that he refers to himself as the pickleball-meister. “It’s diverse and what I’ve seen is a lot more young players are starting to come in.”

In his group alone he has over 95 people currently on his weekly email list, but the list at one point was as high as 150 people. Other groups of 40 to 50 players have branched out into their own groups.

“I have to say, I’ve never seen a sport this contagious, really,” Smith said. “It’s a hell of a community-building enterprise.”

Earlier this month, the group successfully led a charge to convert one tennis court at the beach into two permanent pickleball courts and has successfully raised more than $6,000 to help pay for the switch.

During Vermont’s long winter months, Smith hopes to create an indoor league this year, but in past years players have kept the passion burning by playing polar pickleball.

“They play outdoors all winter in anything over 30 degrees or so,” he said.

Shelburne picklers

Next door in Shelburne, the pickleball craze is in full swing, too.

Resident Len Gulino, a trained pickleball instructor, former USA Pickleball Ambassador, and pickleball tournament director, currently offers weekly clinics to beginners and intermediate players who may be looking to improve their technique.

“I actually love beginners because there always seems to be a moment in that first session, about halfway through where all of a sudden, they have a great rally and somebody yells out, ‘Oh my lord, this is fun.’ I swear to God, it’s almost every session is like that.”

Gulino came to the sport in a similar way to Smith. With experience playing tennis and pingpong, he found the sport sometime in 2015 on a trip to Florida, a moment he describes as a reincarnation of sorts.

He spearheaded a pickleball group in New Hampshire — where he was living at the time — of about 250 players and later brought his skills to Shelburne when he and his wife moved to town in 2021.

“I was totally happy with retirement until COVID-19 hit and I was like, you know what, I’m not done. I’m too young. I’ve got more to offer the world.”

Gulino said the sport is unique in that people of all ages can compete against each other, something he could never have done in a sport like tennis.

“I routinely play with people in their 20s and 30s and I’m competitive with them,” he said. “In tennis, there’s no way I could do that because it’s such a big court.”

The growth also prompted the Shelburne Selectboard to upgrade

the Davis Park courts on Harbor Road to include permanent pickleball courts. The approved allocation of $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to the courts includes power washing, resurfacing and repainting the entire area, changing the layout to include four to six pickleball courts and four tennis courts, as well as some minimal fencing in between to prevent pickleball and tennis from rolling onto each other’s courts.

While the sport offers a fun way to stay active for a wide variety of demographics, Smith and Gulino both agree that more than anything, people from all walks of life are finding common ground through the game.

“It’s built relationships that didn’t exist before,” Smith said. “It’s connected people who didn’t know each other, and it’s eliminated a lot of the isolation that was here with us from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

PHOTO BY GREG SMITH Len Gulino showcases a gold medal win.

Redhawk volleyballers win straight sets in season open

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Cross country

The Champlain Valley girls’ cross-country team opened the season with a first-place finish at the Essex Invitational Saturday, Sept. 2, after placing six runners in the top 10.

Estella Laird was the top finisher, while Alice Kredell came in second. Lydia Donahue was fourth, Audrey Neilson was sixth and Charlotte Crum came in seventh place. Annalise Wood also finished in the top 10, placing eighth.

For the boys, Champlain Valley finished in fifth place. Owen Deale was the top finisher, in 10th. Kody Guiternam was 21st, Charles Garavelli was 22nd and Ethan Morris was 25th.

Football

Burr and Burton 38, Champlain Valley 28: Champlain Valley was outscored in the second half as Burr and Burton handed the defending champs a loss in its season opener.

Ollie Cheer led the way for the Redhawks, going 14-for-29 with 262 passing yards, three touchdown passes and

LIBRARY

continued from page 11

an emotionally haunting novel about ageing and regret. Hybrid event.

TMCJ comics workshop

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7-8 p.m.

Join award-winning cartoonist and educator Marek Bennett for a closer look at VT Reads 2022 book, “The Most Costly Journey.” Bennett presents some of the many comics documenting human migrations and struggles throughout the ages and leads a hands-on demo to show how you can cartoon the stories of your own family, neighborhood and wider world. At the Carpenter Carse Library. Contact rachel@ carpentercarse.org to sign up.

‘The Return’

Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:30-9 p.m.

From Man Booker Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Hisham Matar, a memoir of his journey home to his native Libya in search of answers to his father’s disappearance.

Stephen Kiernan:

‘The Glass Chateau’

Sunday, Sept. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

A novel of hope, healing and the redemptive power of art, set against the turmoil of post-World War II France and inspired by the life of Marc Chagall.

What’s NOAA all about?

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a weather forecaster? Join the weather-curious for a presentation by the National Weather

one-yard rushing TD. But it wasn’t enough for CVU, which was outscored 24-14 in second half.

Brian Rutherford had seven catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns, while Jacob Armstrong added a touchdown catch.

Girls’ soccer

Champlain Valley 12, Mount Anthony 0: Chloe Pecor led the way for Champlain Valley in an offensive outburst that helped the Redhawks to a 12-0 win over Mount Anthony on Friday, Sept. 1.

Pecor had four goals and one assist for CVU (1-0), while Zoe Klein, Ella Knudsen, Ava Barron, Reese Kingsbury, Rieanna Murray, Natalie Webster, Lily O’Brien and Kate Roberts all added a goal.

Lily Williams and Lauren Knudsen each had two assists, while Anya Johnson earned the win in goal.

Girls’ volleyball

Champlain Valley 3, St. Johnsbury 0: Girls’ volleyball opened the season with a straight set win over St. Johnsbury Friday.

The Redhawks won the first set, 25-11, and then the second 25-12 to take control. A 25-16 win in the third clinched it for CVU.

Hometown boys

Driver Wanted

Service of Burlington to learn about what these meteorologists do every day to keep you safe. For kids, parents and anyone interested in weather. Hybrid event.

Julia Grand Doucet: ‘The Most Costly Journey’

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 7-8 p.m.

Much of the work on Vermont dairy farms is done by people from Latin America. Julia Grand Doucet from Open Door Clinic will provide insight into the lives and experiences of the workers whose labor supports the continued viability of dairy farming in Vermont, as well as an overview of the goals of the El Viaje Más Caro Project and the collaborative methods that define its approach.

Author talk: Marilyn Webb Neagley

Thursday, Sept. 28, 7-8 p.m.

Join local Vermont non-fiction author Marilyn Webb Neagley for a discussion about her newest book, “Attic of Dreams: a memoir.” Neagley has spent most of her life in Shelburne where she now resides with her husband, Mark. At the Charlotte Senior Center. Call 802-425-6345 to register.

Repair cafe

Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Get your broken stuff ready. Co-hosted with Sustainable Charlotte, the Charlotte Grange and the Charlotte Library. Open to anyone in any town. Register at Sustainable Charlotte. At the Charlotte Congregational Church.

Hart & Mead Energy and All Star Fuels in Hinesburg/Bristol area is looking for an individual with a clean CDL-B / Hazmat endorsement. Able to pass federally mandated drug screeening. DOT physical required. Competitive wage, paid holidays and sick time.

SALES EXECUTIVE

Award-winning group of community weeklies with offices in Stowe, Morrisville and South Burlington seeks a sales person. Ideal candidate should have a basic knowledge of the local towns, business and communities we serve. A proven track record in sales and an ability to offer topnotch customer service is a required. In addition to servicing established accounts, candidate must be able to generate sales from qualified leads as well as establish new ones. Our company offers health benefits, vacation time, and provides on the job training in newspapers sales. Generous base salary during training and ideal hours (few nights or weekends). If you possess these qualifications and would like to be considered, please send your resume and cover letter to: Bryan Meszkat at bryan@newsandcitizen.com.

PHOTO BY ALAN WARD

To complete a picturesque and amazingly rain-free weekend in Central Vermont, the sights and sounds of Barre’s Thunder Road International Speedbowl went off without a hitch Sept. 3 for the 45th Labor Day Classic. Taking first was Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, with Shelburne’s Kaiden Fisher in second and Marcel Gravel in third. From left, Fisher, Therrien and Gravel. Bobby Therrien proved time and time again throughout the Labor Day Classic 200 that he was the class of the field, en route to his second victory in the iconic Thunder Road event.

zen center yard sale

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

The week-long bait drop is a coopera tive effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost al ways fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective when given soon after

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of

According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their nor mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild

RABIES BAIT

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

continued from page 2

The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost al ways 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.

Buying Sports and Collectible

So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons.

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According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4 face burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food vendors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

Propane

SHELBURNE DAY

continued from page 4 face burne-Hinesburg head the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food ven dors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

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ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Get outside and enjoy as much fresh air and exercise as possible this week, Aries. A weekly outdoors excursion can recharge the batteries and provide some time to re ect.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, it’s not possible to have everyone like you all of the time. Emotionally it can be dif cult to accept that not everyone agrees with your point of view. Be who you are.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Someone from your past might come back into your life, Gemini. Keep a lookout for someone who seems familiar, as it can be a way to reminisce for a bit.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, start conversations with all of the people you meet so you can learn about different backgrounds or cultures. You might learn something you didn’t know or try a new food.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, try to work the room when you are thrust into a social situation. You need to be a diplomat or politician if you want to be in good standing with as many people as possible. Put your best face forward.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

You know who you can trust, Virgo. Stay close to those people for the time being. Some dif culties with family members will arise and you may need to pick sides.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Libra, after a whirlwind adventure, you may be glad to be back home. Vacations are nice and relaxing, but soon enough you may crave the familiarity of your own space.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, you a calm energy around you this week. You can rest assured that the people you are dealing with have everything handled. They take care of business.

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 ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure 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!

CROSSWORD

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

There is a great opportunity knocking at your door, Sagittarius, so why not seize it? New things can be scary, but you have to dive in right now.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Take stock of where you want to go in the future and start putting those plans together, Capricorn. You don’t have to gure everything out, but try to map out a rough outline.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

You can quickly see when someone is putting on an act, Aquarius. They may say one thing but mean another. This duplicity can be offputting, but try to get along with others right now.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Pisces, you are in no danger of not being popular right now, so continue to enjoy all of the invitations you receive. You also can be proactive and throw your own party for friends.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Second sight

4. Standard electrode potential

7. Type of gibbon

8. John Joseph __: American industrialist

10. Manning and Whitney are two

12. Abrupt

13. Baroque musical instrument

14. Post-burning residue

16. When you hope to arrive

17. Sign up (Brit. Eng.)

19. Sun up in New York

20. Employee stock ownership plan

21. Where people live

25. Method to record an electrogram

26. Angry 27. No longer living

29. Simple 30. Swiss river

31. Portion of a play

32. It’s under the tree 39. Wood sorrels

41. No (Scottish)

42. Dialect of English

43. Former Steelers’ QB

44. Popular beer

45. It can make you sick

46. Tropical tree and fruit

48. Company of cer

49. Contact lens term

50. Your consciousness of your own identity

51. “Ghetto Superstar” singer

52. Piece of turf

CLUES DOWN

1. Number of players on each side in a football game

2. Containing salt

3. Reasoning or knowledge: a __

4. Car mechanics group

5. Leave a place

6. Southern Colombian capital

8. Old English letter

9. Tide

11. Walk heavily

14. Chemical

ANSWERS

compound (abbr.)

15. Arti cial openings

18. Luteinizing hormone

19. Unit of energy

20. Circular movement of water

22. A way of holding

23. Popular book of words (abbr.) 24. States’ group 27. Dashes 28. Body part 29. Electronic countermeasures

31. Consumed

32. Small bird 33. Unhappy 34. Football’s big game (abbr.) 35. Valued object offered in good faith 36. Wild goats 37. Precede in place 38. Small edible sh 39. Notice of death 40. Body cavity of a metazoan 44. Partner to cheese 47. Not around

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We understand the love you have for your

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for Fall

FROM THE HOUSE

continued from page 5

smells and sometimes the midnight bellowing is unsettling, I’m used to them and have grown to love and appreciate them as part of my olfactory and aural landscape. I also knew they were here when I moved in and accepted that it’s part of the deal.

These paragraphs can also apply to my thoughts on cannabis grow operations: smelly, not ideal for some people, but also totally not against the law and therefore, whether we like it or not, they’re allowed to exist. The town isn’t allowed to specifically create land use regulations that apply only to that one industry or operation.

Another hot topic that I shouldn’t weigh in on but will is short-term rentals. I’m always a little suspicious when people say that outsiders will disrupt the character of their neighborhood. What are the outsiders doing, holding a Satanic ritual that involves burning roadkill in the middle of the night without a burn permit?

Many towns are trying to institute

RELIEF FUNDS

continued from page 1

district’s chief operations officer, said.

The Champlain Valley School District faces a daunting task in the next five years thanks mainly to the effects of Act 127 — but further exacerbated by the end of ESSER funds, as well as the increasingly immediate need to rehabilitate its aging buildings.

Act 127, Vermont’s new education formula signed into law last year, corrects what researchers at University of Vermont and Rutgers University showed was an insufficient pupil weighting system for low-income students or non-English speaking students. The new formula tries to correct that, but because of the shift, several districts that have historically benefited from the weighting — Champlain Valley, South Burlington, Essex and Mount Mansfield Unified Union among them — are now facing dwindling student counts, meaning those districts will eventually have to start raising taxes or cutting spending to fill in the gap.

rental registries to figure out how much available housing there is, and how much of that is being co-opted by short-term rental units. I don’t think this is the issue in Charlotte. I’m pretty sure the people who don’t want shortterm rentals are concerned not because they want more longterm renters to have access to Charlotte housing, but because they don’t want the bother that comes along with their neighbors renting out their homes.

In towns with more density and cities, it makes complete sense to register and regulate short-term housing, especially when we’re in the midst of a housing crisis. Here, in my opinion, not so much.

I’d prefer you’re not mad at me, but if you are, I welcome your opinion. If you agree with me, or have a point I haven’t considered, I welcome your opinions, too. You can always contact me at cevans@leg. state.vt.us or 917-887-8231.

to prepare.

School administration officials hope to use the next five years, while the cap is still in place, to identify resources “that don’t align with our goals in the strategic plan or have become inefficient of obsolete,” Marckres said.

Administration officials have said they will begin requiring offsetting reductions for any new expenses.

Meanwhile, the district is beginning work on addressing its facilities, and will soon create a larger facility study committee — including board members, faculty and staff and other stakeholders from the broader community — as a starting point for a capital plan.

The school district is facing a budget hole that will either need to be raised through a 16 percent homestead tax rate increase, or by dramatically cutting spending.

Because of this, the Champlain Valley School District, which includes Hinesburg, Charlotte, Shelburne, Williston and St. George, is facing a budget hole that will either need to be raised through a 16 percent homestead tax rate increase, or by dramatically cutting spending.

Coupled with the ESSER funding, the district will face tough choices over whether to cut programs or institute a hefty tax increase for residents of the five Chittenden County towns.

The new education formula provides for a cap of 5 percent per year through fiscal year 2029 to ensure tax increases are not overly onerous, giving the district some time

“Those three things are really going to be the main drivers of the fiscal year 2025 budget and the next five years and even beyond that,” Marckres said.

Bonnie Birdsall, the director of communications for the district, said administration officials, including Marckres and superintendent Rene Sanchez, will be working with school leaders and teachers to explain the implications of the loss of ESSER funds, and plan on visiting each school this month to share a presentation and engage faculty in conversations on the implications of the loss of ESSER funds.

Officials at a recent school board meeting said they will be reviewing and prioritizing those positions against the existing general fund spending.

“With our budget process starting within the month, this is among our top priorities now that school has begun,” Sanchez said.

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Rep. Chea Waters Evans