End of an era
Steel art
Philo Ridge Farm stops food, market operations
Hinesburg man crafts heirloom quality knives
Page 8
Page 9
November 16, 2023
Child care reforms take shape
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Training day
Act 76 leads to higher wages, subsidies LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Advocates, lawmakers and child care providers are celebrating what they call a “quantum leap” with the Legislature’s passage of Act 76, a bill that invests $125 million annually into early childhood education. The new law seeks to lessen the gap between what it costs providers to deliver early education, with equitable wages for staff, while also creating access to affordable child care for families throughout Vermont. By October the state’s child care financial assistance program will be expanded to families up to 575 percent of the federal poverty level — $172,000 for a family of four — and facilities — both center- and home-based programs — will receive a 35 percent increase in state reimbursements for families utilizing financial aid. The expansion is expected to help nearly 7,500 more Vermont families, said Shelburne Rep. Jessica Brumsted, a member of the House Committee on Human Services. PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
See CHILD CARE on page 13
The Hinesburg Fire Department conducted a controlled burn training exercise last weekend on the corner of Route 116 and Hollow Road. See more photos, pages 4-5.
Conservative group complaint leads to investigation at school COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
The Champlain Valley School District was briefly investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights this spring after a complaint filed by a national conservative group targeted an opt-in racial affinity group at the Shelburne
Community School. In December 2022, the district announced it was looking to develop an affinity group program for students in grades three through eight at the Shelburne Community School who identified as Black or Indigenous and for other people of color. Parents were invited to sign their kids up by contacting the school’s Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion coach, Lashawn Sells. But the group never got off the ground. Parents Defending Education, a conservative nonprofit organization that says it “fights indoctrination in the classroom,” quickly filed a federal civil rights complaint with the office’s department of civil rights in January as a third-party organization “that opposes racial discrimina-
tion and political indoctrination in America’s schools.” Their complaint claimed that the group was in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires that taxpayer money not be spent in ways that See INVESTIGATION on page 16
Page 2 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
Champlain district educators recognized for excellence Two Champlain Valley School District educators were recently recognized for their contributions to the school community. Tim O’Leary, instructional coach and curriculum leader at Shelburne Community School, was recently honored with the Frank Watson Award by Vita-Learn, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to educational technology in Vermont. This marks the third consecutive year that a Champlain Valley School District educator has been honored with the award. O’Leary’s efforts are aimed at enhancing student outcomes through information technology, and he engages in initiatives that promote enhanced learning experiences. As a 2020 Rowland Fellow, O’Leary, alongside Charlie MacFadyen from Champlain Valley Union High School, worked on developing an equitable K-12 computer science program across the school district. O’Leary is an advocate for educational equity and improved access to technology and computer science. He played a pivotal role in implementing First Lego League groups in all K-8 schools within the district. In addition to his advocacy, he is a dedicated member of the Computer Science Teachers Association and serves as a board member for the Vermont chapter. He has been instrumental in advocating for Vermont students’ access to the Congressional App Challenge. MacFadyen was honored with the Computer Science Teaching Excellence
COURTESY PHOTOS
Above: Charlie MacFadyen accepts his award from the Computer Science Teachers Association. Left: Tim O’Leary with his Frank Watson Award.
Award at the recent New England Computer Science Teachers Association meeting. His recognition stems from his leadership in computer science both at CVU and districtwide over the past few years. MacFadyen is the digital learning leader at the high school and actively instructs computer science classes. He also coaches the cyberpatriot team and the math league, while also helping to coordinate various events for these groups.
Police offer free car seat safety check As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the Chittenden County Safe Highway Accident Reduction team and the Heritage Automotive Group will host a free car seat check Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1620 Shelburne Road in South Burlington. The free child safety seat check will run from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with a press conference taking place at 10:30 a.m. There will be a free lunch — hotdogs and hamburgers— from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. All members of the public, whether or not they have a child seat that needs inspection,
are welcome. Lt. Allen Fortin, project director for the Chittenden County law enforcement group, said of the upcoming holiday travel period, “Leave a few minutes early and be aware of the weather and road conditions that you may be driving into. Your NO. 1 goal should be getting to your destination safely.” Nationwide over holiday periods, police step up enforcement efforts for speeding, and aggressive, distracted and impaired driving.
Unclaimed property pilot program starts State treasurer Mike Pieciak’s office is launching a pilot program to reunite Vermonters with their unclaimed property. Though the office processes an average of over 17,000 unclaimed property claims per year, the amount of unclaimed property held by the state grows each year. The state currently holds nearly $120 million in unclaimed property. Officials hope the new program returns more money to Vermonters by proactively verifying their identities and mailing out checks. The treasurer’s office collaborated with the Vermont Department of Taxes using address data the department is allowed to share with the treasurer to verify the identities of 350 Vermonters with unclaimed property in amounts rang-
ing from $200 to $225. As a result of the program, over $75,000 will be directly returned to Vermonters. The office generally raises awareness of unclaimed property through media campaigns and outreach events. Individuals can search missingmoney.com to see if they have unclaimed funds. Under the pilot program, individuals will receive a certified letter in the next 10 days about their unclaimed property, and then will receive a check in the mail within three weeks. Pieciak hopes to expand the program to include more claims for Vermonters and work with Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas to include claims for businesses and nonprofits.
The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 3
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Outdoor Ed COURTESY PHOTOS
Vermont Commons School board and faculty members officially open the Outdoor Education Center in Charlotte as students look on. At top, from left, trustee Andrew Furtsch, chair Bethany Gibbs, trustee Craig Heindel and science department chair Peter Goff. The opening of the new 55-acre outdoor education center on Spear Street was attended by students, parents and guardians, faculty, board members and supporters of the South Burlington-based school.
Correction
The Hinesburg Community School will also present a 7 p.m. showing of “Matilda The Musical JR.” on Saturday, Nov. 18. We only noted one show at 2:30 p.m. The play will also be performed on Friday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. The last name of “Newsies” director Elisa Van Duyne is Van Duyne, not Duyne. The theater program at Champlain Valley Union High School has seen a turnover in directors, not musical directors.
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The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 5
Skill session The Hinesburg Fire Department conducted a controlled burn training exercise on Nov. 12 on the corner of Route 116 and Hollow Road. The property owner donated the house for training purposes, which allows fire crews to train and practice hose handling, fire-fighting strategies, reading smoke, understanding flame paths, using ladders and power tools, and much more. Joining Hinesburg in the training exercise were departments from Shelburne, Starksboro, Charlotte and Monkton.
PHOTOS BY LEE KROHN
Page 6 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
OPINION
Flag it! Here’s a ‘high-level’ column for you From the House Rep. Chea Waters Evans I take prolific notes during committee meetings. It helps me remember things later, it keeps me focused and it prevents me from changing my hairstyle every 20 minutes because my hands are busy with a pen instead of messing with my hair. (There’s a real pull between wanting to look OK up close on YouTube all day, and also not wanting my hair in my eyes.)
Because my committee, House Government Operations and Military Affairs, has jurisdiction over a lot of topics, many of which are incredibly unrelated to each other, my notebooks can be a real rollercoaster. One minute we’re talking about cannabis and the next we’re talking about EMS dispatch and the next we’re talking about state employee pensions and the next we’re talking about the Vermont Supreme Court’s internet limitations. One thing I’ve noticed as we
cover all these topics is the lingo. Every occupation has one, and the Legislature and state government in general has a whole group of words that I’ve never heard used anywhere with such alarming frequency. I started jotting down every time I heard them. There are little notes in the margins of my notebook that say, “HIGH LEVEL!!” and “SILO!!” We aren’t talking about land or farms. We’re talking about information and the way it’s delivered and to whom, and a big favorite of us government types is high level. There’s always some kind of high-level overview going on, or we’re just going to take a few minutes to give a high-level presentation about something, or someone will talk for a long time and then say, “OK, that was just a high-level description of the topic,” which makes me worry about how many lower levels there are and how much more information there could possibly be on this particular subject. (A lot, it turns out.) High level doesn’t mean what I thought it would mean—in this context, it’s always used synonymously with the idea that it’s broad, overarching or even general. So, not specific or on a higher level at all. If you think about a silo, it’s full of stuff over there all by itself. In this case, silo does mean that, but it’s with people or departments or positions or committees, or really any groups that in theory should be working in tandem but instead are off by themselves doing their own thing. Silos are important on farms. I don’t think they’re that helpful when it comes to spending our money efficiently or solving
problems creatively or finding a table. It’s always being set, and way to get from point A to point we’re always thanking people B without running all over the for setting the table for us and entire farm first. We do like to acknowledging that the table has talk about how things shouldn’t been set. I love this metaphor for be siloed, though. setting up an information session Yes, it’s an adjective, too. or introducing a topic and wish Then there are the flags. So we could take it further and say much flagging. It’s like the front we’re serving up some roasted of the United data or plating Nations over some piping-hot “OK, that was just a there in Montpetestimony, but lier with all the high-level description we only ever get flags everywhere. so far as setting “Thanks for the table. of the topic,” which the flag!” “That’s There was makes me worry not germane at some drama the moment, but earlier this year about how many I’ll flag it for about whether later.” “Let’s or not math was lower levels there flag that and talk done on the about it next back of an enveare and how much week.” Once I lope or the back heard someone of a napkin, but more information say they were that relates to going to put a the Affordable there could possibly flag in something, Heat Act and but I think they we won’t have be on this particular more informameant they were tion about that going to put a subject. until later next pin in it, which year: Septemis also someber, to be exact. But I’ll flag that thing that happens on occasion, for another column, I promise. but pinning isn’t as common as I hope I don’t sound cynical, flagging. I wish I had known this term when my kids were toddlers, because I’m not—I just love language and the way people use because instead of saying, it in different contexts. If you “Maybe later” or “Let’s talk feel siloed or want to give me a about your Christmas presents in high-level overview of anything the fall because in April it’s not going to really stick in my mind,” that’s on your mind, please be in touch any time. My cell is (917) I could have just cheerfully thanked them for the flag, flagged 887-8231 and you can call or it, and then not really followed text me, or you can email me at up on it but made them feel like I cevans@leg.state.vt.us. was listening. Even though there’s only a Chea Waters Evans, a Democafeteria and not a formal dining crat, represents Charlotte and room in The People’s House, that Hinesburg in the Chittenden-5 House district. doesn’t stop us from setting the
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It’s that time of year: Let’s talk turkey run a little hot, often overheating. Plus, I still don’t understand stuffing, let alone where to Carole Vasta Folley put it. One expert blamed my failure rate on the fact that I pick I have a long hapless history extra-large turkeys. I find that with turkeys. I’ve dated quite offensive. Others suggested I do a few. That is, if you describe dating as I do: A planned engage- it upside down for the first hour. What is this, Cirque du Soleil? ment preceded by nerve-wrackAnother authority ing anticipation atop a said to select only fresh ton of lofty expectation turkeys. Seriously? The only to end in exhauslast thing I need in a tion, crushed dreams relationship is a cheeky and withering disapturkey. It’s bad enough pointment. Sometimes I have to see their even gastrointestinal gizzards. distress. Then, there are It all started with those mavericks who Butterball. You’d think recommended wild with a name like that, Carole Vasta Folley turkey. At first, I was I’d have a winner. I all in. I love bourbon. mean, who doesn’t like But then I realized they butter, let alone balls? meant turkeys that live outside in Perdue and Honeysuckle were the woods. People, I don’t even next followed by Shady Brook. camp! Besides, I don’t know The name Shady itself should about you, but I’m not randomly have tipped me off as it was picking any ol’ turkey from my indeed one slick turkey, slipping out of my hands onto the floor as backyard. I have standards. Finally, in a desperate I cried fowl, and yelled, “Get a attempt, I searched for advice grip on yourself!” from Bobby Flay, celebrity chef By the way, all these turkeys, and restaurateur par excellence. each and every one of them, were full of themselves, boasting Or at least I thought so until he said, “I whack off the legs and good taste and perfection. Of the thighs!” What is wrong with course, I fell for their claims. Even though, year after year, one this man? This certainly explains his divorce rate. I suggest he turkey after the other was toughwork on his approach. er than the next. They say our relationships Couldn’t they at least try a are a reflection on how we were little tenderness? At first, I blamed myself. I do parented. If this is true, I never
In Musing
had a chance. My mother, bless her heart, skewered every turkey she met. Wearing a chenille robe that I’m pretty sure was a bedspread, she’d meet them in the wee hours of daybreak, trudging to the kitchen with a lit Virginia Slims. My mother tussled with turkey after turkey like wrestling matches held in a sink. Eventually she’d throw in the towel and exit the kitchen disheveled and stricken. Come to think of it, those turkeys probably deserved a little more enthusiasm and a lot less secondhand smoke. Though I can understand why her heart wasn’t in it. After all, she was married to my dad, who was a turkey. Maybe my lackluster history with turkeys is indubitably my fault. The truth stands for itself. There’s been a new turkey every year and just the one me. I am the common denominator. I must be the problem, not the turkey. I can’t even blame the tough ones with no taste. Folks, this is why I go to therapy. So, one day the turkey and I will unite in roasting nirvana. Where gobble-gobble won’t be just the sound of a turkey, but of me eating it. If not that, then I hope there’s a special chicken out there waiting just for me. Carole Vasta Folley is an award-winning columnist and playwright. Visit carolevf.com.
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Page 8 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
PHILO RIDGE PHOTOS
Above and below: Sheep — and cattle — graze in meadows at Philo Ridge Farm in Charlotte Right: Farm owners Diana McCargo and Peter Swift.
Charlotte’s Philo Ridge Farm halts food, market operations LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Champlain Valley School District Child Find Notice Champlain Valley School District (including the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston, Vermont) is required by federal law to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities. The process of locating, identifying and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. Champlain Valley School District schools conduct Kindergarten screening each spring; parents may also call to make an appointment to discuss their concerns at any time. As the school district of residence, CVSD has the responsibility to identify and provide services to any child with special needs who may require special education and related services in order to access and benefit from public education. If you have, or know of any CVSD resident who has a child with a disability under the age of 21 or a child who attends a private school located in Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, or Williston, Vermont, we would like to hear from you. Sometimes parents are unaware that special education services are available to their children. Please contact the School Principal (Charlotte Central School – 802-425-2771, Hinesburg Community School – 802-482-2106, Shelburne Community School – 802-985-3331, Williston Central/ Allen Brook Schools – 802-878-2762) or the Director of Student Support Services, Anna Couperthwait at 802-383-1234.
A popular food destination spot announced its end — at least for now — in Charlotte last week. Owners of Philo Ridge Farm on Mt. Philo Road said their “public-facing food operations” will “temporarily pause” on Dec. 10 for the foreseeable future with plans to continue as a nonprofit working farm. “After a transformative and deeply rewarding decade, we now want to ensure that Philo Ridge Farm will be a multigenerational community asset,” owners Diana McCargo and Peter Swift said in an open letter to the community. The duo called this transition a “natural next step” for the farm as they seek to expand on a mission to focus on new research opportunities that will continue to support the future of food and agriculture in the state. “We acknowledge that this is a change for the farm, our staff, and our community,” they said. “We are immensely proud of the significant impact our team has made over the past decade.” The land where Philo Ridge Farm sits has a rich agricultural history in Charlotte with roots that
were tended initially by the Western Abenaki tribe. The Williams family established the first farm on the land in 1840, which would be purchased by the Foote family in 1878, who operated the farm for the next six generations. McCargo and Swift, longtime neighbors of the farm, purchased the 400-acre property from the Foote family in 2012 and their vision became Philo Ridge Farm in 2015 with a focus on regenerative farming. Just three years later, one of the restored historic barns was transformed into the kitchen and market, which has since become a spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner for locals and travelers. In tune with the farm’s nose-totail butchering philosophy, everything grown and raised at Philo Ridge was sold at its market and used in the kitchen. The market has been open year-round to the public as both a grocery — full of organic produce and grass-fed meats — and as a gathering space. No specific details have been announced about whether the market and dining room will reopen, but the duo described the process as a “multi-step, multiyear endeavor.” “Creating and sharing good
food has always been a part of who we are and will be part of our future,” they wrote. “We are committed to retaining our founding spirit.” Management staff was not made available to answer questions, but in a statement explained that several employees will continue with Philo Ridge Farm through the transition and all seasonal contracts will be honored for employees on contracts aligned with the growing season. The transition will affect 28 “valued team members,” in the hospitality program, including part-time and full-time employees. Land stewardship has remained a guiding principle for the farm’s operations since its beginning and the team has already worked closely with the University of Vermont to establish a research and evaluation protocol that can be used by other farms around the state. A nonprofit designation will enable the farm to further pursue new opportunities in farming, science, research, and education, according to McCargo and Swift. “One of our long-term goals is to support more farmers in the transition to regenerative agriculture and we feel this important work is needed now more than ever.”
The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 9
Steel beginnings
Hinesburg craftsman explores love of art LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
For craftsman Phil Seeley, everything starts with a slab of steel. The Pennsylvanian-turned-Vermonter spends most of his days in the red shed that sits behind his picturesque Hinesburg home, moving through his workshop from one station to the next until the shapeless steel has turned into a perfectly crafted knife. Aside from just creating a marketable brand, the endeavor has turned into a passion project he says was inherited from a long line of men before him who worked with their hands. “I grew up in Pennsylvania, so there’s a lot of farmers,” he said, shuffling methodically around the shop in his dusty boots. “I remember my grandpa pulling out his pocketknife and his old, worked hands opening it. Knives have been in me for that reason, for a long time.” Seeley found his love for art during a two-year stint at the defunct Burlington College, where he learned quickly that he wasn’t fit for “the cookie cutter college,” he said. “It was fun because I got to experience a bunch of different mediums of art.” The son of a traditional sign maker and woodworker, Seeley followed in his father’s footsteps shortly after graduating and began working in sign shops to support himself. Aside from the daily grind, he explored a variety of mediums, including painting pinstripes on hot rods, portraits and sculpture, but the first time he saw someone make a handmade knife, the course of his life changed. “I remember getting a burn inside,” he said, holding a freshly polished knife, the passing November sun reflecting off its blade. “I got an old saw blade and cut it out and I made my first knife in that barn. It just like grabbed me and I just couldn’t stop doing it.” That first knife still hangs above his worktable as a reminder of the moment. But it took years for him to master the most effective process for turning concepts into usable objects. Seeley said it takes roughly two to three weeks to complete a batch of 10 knives. To start, he hand draws and carves a design into wood that acts as a pattern for the steel. “Then I can get a feel for it and a sense of if it’s going to ride correctly,” he said. From there, he turns to what he calls “the heartbeat of the shop,” grinding and shaping the freshly cut design. “I clean it all up through this process,” he said. “I sand, I grind. Then I heat treat them myself and there’s a science to this since each steel has a different formula.” He then starts the intricate operation of
PHOTO BY LIBERTY DARR / COURTESY
Above, Phil Seeley shows the raw materials of his knife-making process in his Hinesburg workshop. Below, the work of Phil Seeley.
crafting the handle with different stone and wood pieces. Working only with high-carbon steel and stabilized hardwood, his designs quickly begin to take on a life of their own, and mastering this entire process, he said, is when he truly fell in love with the idea of functional art. “Something that is beautiful, but also serves a purpose,” he said. “It’s not just the end product but I love it from the time it starts. There are hard parts and some of it is grunt work but of all the processes that I’ve dipped my toes in, this was clearly it.” His knives, which range in size from small pocketknives to chef’s knives, have gained popularity on social media in recent years with the product selling out almost as soon as he makes it. “I made my first batch of knives, and they sold within like 30 seconds. I didn’t even know that that was something that could happen,” he laughed. Now, the bigger endeavor is learning how to streamline his processes to build his brand, Barn and Brook Supply Co., even bigger. “You’ll never have it all figured out,” he said. “It’s a constant learning process and a constant flow of creativity and learning and it just never stops.” His success, he said, isn’t just a stroke of good luck. It comes from hours of sweat equity, and more than anything, a deep-seated passion to work with his hands. “It’s just like somebody that dedicated their life to be a good teacher or a good carpenter, or someone that has a trade,” he said. “Well, I’ve done that as well. I’ve dedicated my life to working with my hands. It’s not unusual that I would be here. It’s a good fit.”
Page 10 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
COMMUNITY ‘Watercolor Abstracts’
Community Notes United Church of Hinesburg offers holiday bazaar The United Church of Hinesburg will hold its annual holiday bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the parish house, 10580 Route 116. Come shop for reasonably priced items in Grandmother’s Attic, a jewelry corner and the arts and crafts center. A baked goods table will have an array of homemade treats, including pies, homemade breads, cookies, our traditional brown bobbies and more. Lunch will be available between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and will feature homemade soups, sandwiches and a free dessert. Debit and credit cards are accepted. There will be wreaths for sale in the parking lot again this year (cash or check only). More at ucofh.org or email or call Yvonne Whitaker at unitedchurch@gmavt.net or 802-4823352.
Red Cross hosts blood drive in Shelburne The Red Cross will hold a blood drive on Tuesday, Nov. 21, noon-5 p.m., St. Catherine’s Parish Hall, 72 Church St., Shelburne. Schedule an appointment at redcrossblood.org or call 800-7332767. Appointments are strongly recommended as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated. Share with patients in need this
holiday season and get a pair of officially licensed socks from the movie “Elf.”
Bella Voce chorus presents ‘A Ceremony of Carols’ Kick off the holiday season with Bella Voce women’s chorus and its rendition of Benjamin Britten’s Christmas classic, “A Ceremony of Carols,” with guest harpist Rebecca Kauffman as the concert’s centerpiece, Saturday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. at the College Street Congregational Church, 256 College St., Burlington. The second concert will be held Sunday Dec. 3, 4-6 p.m. Tickets are $20. Both concerts will feature festive and lively arrangements of carols and songs of the season with woodwinds, piano and percussion. For information, contact Sarah Pettineo at sarah@bellavocevt.org or call 215-478-7336. COURTESY PHOTO
Hinesburg School presents ‘Matilda JR’ The Hinesburg Community School will present “Matilda The Musical JR.” on Friday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 18, at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. “Matilda” is the story of a young girl who dreams of a better life. Despite many challenges, Matilda advocates for justice and See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 11
Brad Stetler and John Penoyar both came to painting later in life, and they are now showing their work in a show entitled “Watercolor Abstracts” in the community room of the Carpenter Carse Library, 60 Ballards Corner Road, Hinesburg. The exhibit features an opening on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2-4 p.m., and runs through February. Above, “Harbor” by John Penoyar.
State officials seek public input on 2025 budget The Vermont Department of Finance and Management if offering a public forum on the 2025 state budget to let the public participate in the development of
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goals and to help prioritize spending and revenue initiatives. Members of the public can offer their thoughts, comments or suggestions regarding the devel-
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The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 11
COMMUNITY NOTES continued from page 10
inspires her fellow “revolting children” to teach the evil headmistress a lesson. Based on the award-winning children’s book by Roald Dahl, “Matilda JR. will have the audience rooting for the young girl with a wild imagination, a love of learning, and supernatural powers. Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, they play a joyous student power-romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination. The matinee performance on Saturday is perfect for the little ones who will have a chance to meet the characters after the performance. General admission is $8, and groups of four or more, $30.
Feeding Chittenden hopes to feed 10,000 families Feeding Chittenden’ Holidays Without Hunger campaign hopes to feed 10,000 families during through the end of December. The agency is asking supporters to make a virtual donation this year by visiting feedingchittenden. org, reminding everyone that a donation of $25 feeds a family of four. Director Rob Meehan says the agency saw an increase in demand over the last few months, with an average of 200 people coming in each day to access the food shelf. “This increase comes at a time when many economically challenged households are facing higher inflation rates, with housing, food and heating costs continuing to rise,” Meehan said. Donations received through the Holidays Without Hunger campaign will be used to purchase holiday fixings such as turkeys, mashed potatoes and stuffing. To learn how to volunteer or get involved, visit feedingchittenden. org.
4-H holds science fun day at University of Vermont A Science Fun Day on Saturday, Dec. 9, will offer “out-ofthis-world” STEM activities for students in grades three to five. Participants will have an opportunity to create, build and test as
they engage in several fun, handson activities including flying helicopters on Mars, investigating alien genetics and building an egg-drop lander to deliver their “egg-stronaut” safely to the ground. The free workshop will be led by 4-H science ambassadors, a group of high school students who plan and organize VTeen 4-H Science Pathways cafés throughout the school year. It will take place from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington. Space is limited to 30 participants; membership in 4-H is not required, only an interest in exploring science, technology, engineering and mathematics topics. To register, go to go.uvm.edu/ scifunday. Questions? Contact Lauren Traister at lauren.traister@ uvm.edu.
Revolutionary Vermont is topic of museum talk Ethan Allen Homestead Museum enrichment lecture series continues with “The Fluidity of Allegiance in Revolutionary Vermont” by Benjamin Anderson Anderson will be presenting from Scotland; the talk will be on Zoom, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. The talk will be limited to 100 attendees. To register, go to ethanallenhomestead.org.
Gardening conference focuses on resilience The University of Vermont Extension master gardener program will offer its annual conference on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Zoom. The conference theme, “Fostering Resilience in Our Gardens,” reflects on this year’s challenging growing season, including the late frost in May and July floods. It also looks to the future with ways gardeners can better weather interpersonal and gardening challenges. Featured speakers include Matthew Wichrowski, who will kick off the conference by delving into the world of personal resilience through the lens of gardening. Wichrowski is a registered horticultural therapist and a clini-
COURTESY PHOTO
Alpine Shop staff.
Alpine Shop celebrates 60 years Alpine Shop mark a big milestone this month as it celebrates turning 60. What started out as a small ski store in a Swiss chalet building on Williston Road in South Burlington is now one of the largest and longest-running outdoor gear and apparel shops in New England. While a lot has changed over the years — most notably its recent
move to Shelburne Road, the store has remained locally owned and operated throughout its history and supports over 100 Vermont charitable events each year. The store will celebrate its 60th with special events, after hours events with live entertainment and merchandise giveaways throughout November. Alpine Shop was founded in
1963 by Chuck and Jann Perkins (later operated by the Perkin’s daughter, Peg and son-in-law, Scott Rieley) but purchased 13 years ago by Vermont residents Andy and Becky Kingston. Asked about turning 60, Andy quipped, “Are you talking about me or Alpine Shop? I did get my first set of skis at Alpine Shop when I was 3 years old!”
cal associate professor of rehabilitation medicine with New York University’s Langone Medical Center. Alicia Wasula, a forensic meteorologist, will address how gardeners can prepare their gardens in the face of climate change. She is the owner and president of STM Weather, a meteorological firm in Troy, N.Y, that provides climatological analysis and weather preparedness plans. UVM Extension agronomist Heather Darby will give a presentation on the importance of building and maintaining soils for resilient gardens, while Sarah Kingsley-Richards, Extension pesticide safety education program coordinator, will share information about biopesticides, an emerging component of integrated pest management to keep plants healthy and thriving.
Gardeners also may take part in an optional lunchtime session to exchange ideas, share successes and challenges from their growing season and discuss the morning’s presentations. Registration is $40 per person before Nov. 22, and $55 after that date. For more information or to register, go to bit.ly/475t8wc. Registration closes on Nov. 30.
and are available for anyone 60 or older. Suggested donation is $5. The menu is stuffed chicken breast with apple cranberry stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots, cranberry sauce, wheat roll, pumpkin bar with white chips and Craisins and milk. To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-503-1107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, Dec. 7. If this is a first-time order, provide your name, address, phone number and date of birth. If you haven’t yet filled out a congregate meal registration form, bring a completed registration form with you or send one to: Age Well; 875 Roosevelt Highway, Ste. 210, Colchester VT 05446. Forms will be available at meal pick up. Learn about restaurant tickets to dine at participating restaurants at agewellvt.org.
Stuffed chicken fills the plate at Age Well 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, Dec. 12 The meal will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon
Page 12 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
Burlington airport announces new airline, flights to Florida HABIB SABET VTDIGGER
Come January, Vermonters will be able to fly directly to Florida year-round out of Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport via the low-cost carrier Breeze Airways. The airline plans to begin twice-weekly direct service from Burlington to Tampa starting Jan. 31 and to Orlando starting on Feb. 14, airport and airline officials announced at a press conference Wednesday morning at the airport. “Today we welcome Breeze Airways to the Leahy BTV team,” Nic Longo, the airport’s director of aviation, said. “The relationship that we’ve kindled over the last year is strong, and with this new service I look forward to a long relationship and a valued partnership for many years to come.” Longo said that Florida is a particularly popular destination for Vermonters, with approximately 200 passengers flying to or from the Sunshine State each day through the Burlington airport. “These new direct flights are going to be extremely important,” Longo said. Other than American Airlines, which operates a nonstop flight once weekly to and from Miami exclusively during the winter months, Breeze Airways will be the only airline offering nonstop service to Florida from Burlington on a year-round basis.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Gareth Edmondson-Jones, a spokesperson for Breeze, hinted at the possibility that the airline may expand its Burlington operations in the future. “We grow like a weed, as I say. As soon as these flights fill up, we’ll add more flights and more destinations, so there’s lots more to come here,” Edmondson-Jones said. The announcement of the new partnership comes just weeks after the airline JetBlue abruptly announced that it would pull out entirely from the Burlington airport, effective Jan. 4. The airline has provided nonstop service to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and cited air traffic control staffing challenges and congestion in the New York airspace as reasons for its departure. On average, JetBlue has accounted for roughly 10 percent of the airport’s monthly customer base, airport officials have said, and its sudden decision to end its services prompted members of Vermont’s congressional delegation to send a letter to the airline’s CEO criticizing the move. In a separate decision, Delta Airlines also recently announced that it would be scaling back its service between Burlington and two New York City airports — JFK and LaGuardia Airport — effective Dec. 7. Longo told VTDigger that the Burlington airport is always working with airlines to meet
PHOTO BY HABIB SABET/VTDIGGER
At a press conference at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport on Wednesday, Nic Longo, the airport’s director of aviation, welcomed Breeze Airways to the airport.
the demands of Vermonters, but he did not specify if there were any concrete plans to restore or add routes to New York City in the immediate future. Still, he
expressed a hope that the airport would be able to increase service to the area soon. “Do I feel like that market is going to stay the way it is right
now, following those announcements? Absolutely not.” Longo said. “I definitely see that market as forecasted to come back quickly — for that to be resolved.”
Help Audubon Vermont during annual Christmas bird count
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Audubon is looking for vounteers for its 124th Christmas bird count.
Over a hundred years ago, people around the U.S. started counting birds in mid-winter. This survey, which became known as the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, now involves traveling birders and folks who watch their backyard feeders, all over North American and in more than a dozen other countries. Tens of thousands of volunteers drive, walk, sit, snowshoe, ski, canoe and even bicycle while looking for and counting birds. The yearly bird census provides scientists with invaluable information about avian populations and locations. This year, during the 124th Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a local group of bird-lovers will be doing a tri-County census in parts of Chittenden, Franklin and Lamoille counties. On Saturday, Dec. 16, people might see slow-moving cars or folks with binoculars in the Cambridge, Westford, Milton,
Fairfax, Fletcher, Underhill, Jericho and Jeffersonville area. The group invites everyone in those areas to flag us down and tell us about interesting birds they’ve been seeing in towns and fields, forests and backyards, or on rivers and lakes. All the sightings and reports will be compiled and sent to Audubon, and then it will be made available to everyone online. The tri-county group will also send a summary to local newspapers so that everyone can read about the rich bird life in our area, even in the winter. If you’re looking to participate in this year’s count, there are two ways: Travel and count birds along a predefined route in the tri-county circle; or count birds on your feeder at home. If you’re interested in routes, email Judy Bond at grgis@ymail.com and if you’re interested in a feeder count, email Jason Crooks at mwongera@ hotmail.com.
The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 13
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COURTESY PHOTO
Advocates, lawmakers and school staff gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Homestead School’s newest facility.
CHILD CARE
VERMONT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP
continued from page 1 “More families are going to be eligible for subsidies,” said Aly Richards, chief executive officer of the advocacy group Let’s Grow Kids, which has lobbied for these changes since its formation in 2015. “Centers are going to get paid more per child and subsidy from the state. So, they don’t even have to raise their rates. They’re just automatically going to get more per child and more kids are going to get subsidies.” Though only $20 million in grants meant to immediately help with infrastructure and staffing rolled out this fall, facilities throughout Chittenden County are already beginning to see positive effects, advocates say. According to a state study commissioned in 2021 by the Rand Corporation, Vermont’s estimated cost to overhaul the child care system was somewhere between $179 million and $279 million per year, the same advocates say Act 76 just scratches the surface to solve problems in the sector. “I often say it’s a quantum leap forward because we created a sustainable, dedicated revenue source,” Richards said. “We need to just implement it.” The program will cost the state’s general fund approximately $50 million annually with the remaining $80 million coming from a 0.44 percent payroll tax — 0.33 percent paid by the employer and 0.11 percent paid by the employee. That is expected to roll out in July. According to RAND, the early childhood education workforce in Vermont is relatively low-paid and typically receives few or minimal benefits. As of May 2019, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the median child care worker was paid less than $14 per hour or about $28,500 in annual earnings while preschool
teachers had somewhat higher compensation of about $16.50 per hour or roughly $34,300 a year. The effect of this legislation, Richards said, provides livable wage for a women-dominated profession while at the same time creates more workforce opportunities for parents who have been forced to stay home due to ineligibility for financial help. “You hear from almost anyone, ‘I can’t afford to live here, I can’t afford child care, my taxes are too high.’ So, what we’ve been able to talk about is looking at affordability a little differently,” she said. “The best thing to reduce our collective taxes is to increase our population, and this is one of the few things that increases our population because you’ll see so many young families wanting to be here and can’t be here because of child care.” According to the study, the expansion of subsidies into even higher income households has the potential to expand the labor force by 600 to 2,800 workers, an increase of less than 1 percent of the state’s current labor force. “For people who have exited the labor force, child care is one of the key barriers,” Richards said.
On the ground Let’s Grow Kids is now parading around the state to celebrate the bill’s launch with “The Courage in Action Child Care Tour,” which showcases centers and facilities that have already been able to implement changes in their operations. The first leg of the tour stopped at the Homestead Preschool on Shelburne Road in South Burlington, which recently opened a new facility in August thanks to grant funding. Owners Jeff O’Hara and Leigh Lamphere opened their original
facility five years ago to serve families who struggled to access child care, providing 70 toddler and preschool spaces. With a rising need for infant and toddler care, the school expanded to offer 42 infant and toddler spaces in 2022. But in April as the waitlist grew to over 170 kids and the certainty of Act 76 became certain, the team bought a building just steps from its other facilities to open six more classrooms. “That’s what helped us make the decision to purchase (the building) knowing that the funding was coming,” Joanne Pillsbury, the school’s early education coordinator, said. “We knew that one of the biggest challenges was going to be hiring staff with the size of that building and with the needs of the community. But the anticipation of the funding coming from the bill, we started hiring early.” In addition to being able to hire nearly 25 additional staff members, the school increased wages by 10 percent and expanded its benefits packages to include a 401k. “(The owners) were just really committed to making sure the staff is taken care of and that was the biggest impact from the bill,” Pillsbury said. “We’ve always provided medical, dental insurance, life insurance policies and disability. They added in a 401k with a really generous employer match.” In Hinesburg, the team at First Roots - Wild Roots — previously known as Annette’s Preschool — has been implementing workshops for families who now qualify for financial assistance on how to access that money. “We set up an informational night with families to talk about See CHILD CARE on page 16
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The Citizen • November 16, 2023 • Page 15
Horoscope November 16, 2023
ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE
Weekly Puzzles
Page 16 • November 16, 2023 • The Citizen
GIFT CARDS! GIFT CARDS!
COURTESY PHOTO
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CHILD CARE
continued from page 13 child care financial assistance and how it might affect them,” said Maeghan Booska, co-director of the school, from helping families figure out their own resources and who to turn to with questions, to “really building a unified front around how to get more families the financial support they need.” Like the Homestead School, the team at First Roots - Wild Roots is seeing a 10 percent increase in staff salaries along with the addition of dental coverage to its benefit package. “We made that leap of faith to be able to make that commitment to our team,” owner Andrea Sambrook said. Both Sambrook and Pillsbury said the legislation provides more than resources and funding, but it also ushers in a new era for early educators who say they finally feel recognized for their work. “It’s an exciting time to be part of early education because it’s finally getting recognized as the important career that it is,” Pillsbury said. “Both the scholarships that the
state has started to provide for early educators in local colleges to help feed into the talent pool, and now this government funding so we can pay them what they’re worth. There’s really no more important job.” Legislators say that early childhood care affects nearly every sector in the state’s economy and Act 76, while a big accomplishment, is still a work in progress as it rolls out in phases. Brumsted added that a major chunk of the bill also focuses on the collection of data to track its effectiveness. “We want to be sure that we look back in one year, five years, 10 years and make sure that it is having the impact that we intended it to have right,” she said. “This legislation is, at least in my memory, one of the first times that we have actually named an entity, which is Building Bright Futures — we’ve named them, we’ve given them money — and they’re a public-private enterprise whose job is to collect both qualitative and quantitative data on this child care legislation.”
INVESTIGATION continued from page 1
result in or support racial discrimination. “The program description does not make participation in these affinity groups open to all,” the group said. An investigation into the matter was opened by the Department of Education in April but ended within days after the office of civil rights noted that the group didn’t officially exist yet. “The district also informed (office of civil rights) that the group would not restrict membership on the basis of race or color, and that it updated the school newsletter to make clear that ‘all are welcome’ to join the group,” the department of education said in a May 1 letter. Parents Defending Education, first formed in 2021, has filed dozens of similar complaints challenging diversity, equity and inclusion programming across the country. Among the programming it has challenged, according to reporting from the New York Times, was a “Families of Color
Playground Night” in Colorado and an advertised “Students of Color Field Trip Opportunity” in Illinois. It is one of a number of right-leaning organizations that have targeted local school districts in recent years. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has, according to the New York Times, logged a record number of discrimination complaints in the past year, as school districts across the country and the state have in recent years become a hotbed of political divisiveness. In the Champlain Valley School District, efforts have been taken to bolster issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The district hired Dr. Asma Abunaib as its newest director of diversity, equity and inclusion in 2022. In September 2022, an equity audit funded by the district found that marginalized groups in the district are not achieving comparably high outcomes compared to their peers.