Lower speed spurs petition
A move to lower the speed limit to 25 mph on a section of Ferry Road in Charlotte has sparked some backlash.
While residents advocating for the change saw the recent selectboard decision as a massive win, others took to social media and launched an online petition asking the board to reconsider.
The topic of speeding has been a pervasive problem in the rural town for years. Two years ago, the issue peaked when three
See SPEED LIMIT on page 12
Hinesburg contemplates more pedestrian-safety measures
at a meeting last week.
The Hinesburg Selectboard heard plans for the next phase to improve crosswalks in the village
Hoyle, Tanner and Associates, a traffic engineering firm, prepared the recommendations with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, which helped
fund the multi-year planning effort for the town. Those plans address two intersections in the village: where Route 116 meets Silver Street and further north at the Mechanicsville Road intersection.
Phase one recommended safety improvements in three areas along Route 116 in the village: at the existing crosswalks in front of United Church and the Hinesburg Community School and further
south at the Buck Hill Road intersection.
Alex Weinhagen, Hinesburg
See SAFETY MEASURES on page 12
PHOTO BY AL FREY
Prescott Nadeau is sworn in as fire chief in Hinesburg on Sept. 17. He succeeds Nick Baker, who was on hand to welcome Nadeau as were other firefighters, friends, family and town officials.
New chief in town
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
Howard Center raises suicide awareness
As September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Howard Center wants to shine a light on vital resources that are available to the community.
Suicide is an indiscriminate crisis, affecting people from all walks of life. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, there is help available. There are individuals available to provide support, and a wealth of resources designed to guide them through these challenging times.
Identifying signs that someone may be thinking of suicide is essential, as early intervention can be lifesaving. While some signs may be clear such as talk about suicidal thoughts or wanting to be dead, others can be more subtle. It’s crucial to know what to look for to make a difference. Here are common warning signs:
• Talking about suicidal thoughts or a desire to die.
• Sudden shifts from deep sadness to an upbeat mood, which could mean acceptance of the decision to attempt suicide.
• Giving away cherished possessions or making farewell statements.
• Dramatic mood swings, increased use of alcohol or drugs or social withdrawal.
For more examples of warning signs, see the National Institute of Mental Health’s website at nih.gov.
Recognizing these signs is a crucial step, and it’s essential to reach out, regardless of how awkward or challenging it might seem. It is important to stay vigilant, even when things appear to improve. Whether it’s a friend, family member or someone else, your intervention could be lifesaving.
Firearm Storage
Suicide is a significant concern in Vermont, ranking as the ninth leading cause of death in the state, with 52 percent of suicides involving firearms, according to Vermont Vital Statistics and the Vermont
Gomer & Gunther
Department of Health.
“In Vermont, where over half of suicides involve firearms, safe storage is a necessity and can save lives,” Mark Margolis, Howard Center’s suicide prevention coordinator, said. “That’s why we’re offering free gunlocks to members of the community and their friends and families.”
Access to firearms at home increases the risk of suicide. To help prevent such tragedies, Howard Center is offering free gunlocks that are available for pick-up at
We understand the love you have for your pets and the importance they hold in your life. Our compassionate staff is devoted to easing the difficulties at this challenging time.
Our staff is here for you 24/7 Tiger & Buster
s
208 Flynn Avenue in Burlington, weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-4 pm.
For more info, contact First Call for Chittenden County at 802-488-7777.
Additionally, Howard Center offers a comprehensive and free information and resource guide, “Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan.” Recently updated to its third edition, this guide is designed to provide general information on suicide prevention to anyone living or working in Chittenden County.
Translations are available in French, Nepali, Somali and Swahili. To access the resource guide, and for more information, translated suicide prevention materials, and available support, visit howardcenter.org.
If you are interested in learning more
about Suicide Prevention, available suicide prevention training, or to request copies of the guide, call Howard Center at 802-4886000.
Helpful crisis numbers
If you or someone you know is in crisis, consider reaching out to the following resources, available day or night:
• Howard Center First Call for Chittenden County: 802-488-7777 (local).
• Suicide and crisis lifeline 9-8-8 (state and national).
• Crisis text line: Text VT to 741741 from anywhere in the U.S., anytime, about any type of crisis.
• In immediate danger, call 9-1-1 or seek assistance at the emergency department.
BRIAN LEWIS PHOTO
A red-tailed hawk scans for prey in the backyard of Brian Lewis’ Hinesburg home.
How to vote in Hinesburg
JACKIE SPINNELL COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
Voting may seem daunting, but it is an incredibly rewarding experience. We’ve simplified the process for folks here in Hinesburg below.
How do I register?
Returning voters
Registering to vote is the first step of the process, done online or in person. It can also be done on the day of the election.
Ballots for the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5 will be mailed out by Oct. 1 to all active registered voters. If you do not receive your ballot by Oct. 8, contact the Hinesburg Town Clerk’s office.
First-time or unregistered voters
Register on the Vermont Secretary of State webpage at bit. ly/3ZDGCyt. You will need a Vermont ID. If you do not have internet access or a computer at home, go to Carpenter Carse Library, which is open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at 69 Ballards Corner Road.
You can also register to vote by going to the town clerk’s office
in the town hall at 10632 Vermont Route 116. The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
How can I vote?
Mail-in or absentee
The deadline for absentee ballot requests is 5 p.m. the day before the election and the deadline for ballot submissions is before 7 p.m. on Election Day. For those who are unable to retrieve their ballot on election day, in-home ballot delivery is available.
In-person
Mail-in or early voting ballots are accepted at an in-person ballot drop box at Hinesburg Town Hall. Polling and ballot drop box locations are accessible via the Green Mountain Transit bus system. Visit ridegmt.com to find more information on bus routes and schedules.
How do I know who to vote for?
Who is running for the Vermont State Senate in my district? (Chittenden-Southeast)
Hinesburg belongs to the Chittenden-Southeast Senate District. For the 2024 election, there are three seats up for election and five candidates on the ballot. The following lists the candidates for
this seat, listed in the order they appear on the ballot:
Thomas Chittenden, Democratic Party (incumbent)
Virginia Lyons, Democratic Party (incumbent)
Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Democratic Party (incumbent)
Bruce Roy, Republican party
Taylor Craven, non-partisan candidate
Who is running for Vermont House of Representatives in Chittenden 4 and Chittenden 5 districts?
All residents in Hinesburg are members of Chittentenden-4 or Chittenden-5 districts. Both districts have one seat, and both candidates are incumbents running again unopposed.
The candidate for Chittenden-4 is Phil Pouech and the candidate for Chittenden-5 is Chea Waters Evans.
If you have further questions about how or where to vote, reach out to the Hinesburg Town Clerk’s office at 802-482-2281.
Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for The Citizen.
Pianist presents ‘Forests & Fairy Tales’
Burlington-based pianist Claire Black performs “Forests & Fairy Tales,” a program of Romantic and 20th-century works for solo piano, featuring at the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Road, on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 4 p.m.
This benefit concert is jointly presented by Charlotte Congregational Church and the artist. Audience contributions, after expenses, will be split equally between the New Community Project to support weekly food shares and Joint Urban Ministry Project to fund bus vouchers.
The program will include Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), Op. 82, by Robert Schumann; V mlhách (In the Mists) by Leoš Janáček; Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures), Op. 3, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Impromptu, Op. 24 No. 3, “Eros”, by Sergei Bortkiewicz.
In “Forests & Fairy Tales,” evocative titles depict ancient myths, wilderness and weather, flora and fauna. Listeners are invited to receive this imagery — through the distinct sound world of each composer represented — for what it is and for what it might symbolize.
Noted as “a fine pianist with
substantial, crystal-clear technique, plenty of power, yet with a sensitive musicality and a penchant for lyricism” (James Lowe, Times Argus), Black is an active performer of classical music as both a collaborator and soloist.
Her passion for chamber music synergizes with abundant experience, including many seasons of performance tours with the Stellaria Trio, Vermont Virtuosi, Cialde Quintet and the Elegua Duo.
Black’s latest solo projects spotlight works by Clara Schumann. She won second prize in the 2022 International Clara Schumann Competition.
She served for a year on the faculty and as staff accompanist at Whitworth University, but her musical life has been based in Burlington for the better part of a decade. She traces her collaborative roots to Baldwin Wallace University, where she kept an extensive roster of clients as a staff accompanist and coach.
Black specializes in intermediate- and advanced-level instruction in her private studio. Past teaching engagements include positions at Middlebury Community Music Center, Oberlin Conservatory Community Music School, and the piano festival Summer Sonata.
Other performances include Christ Episcopal Church on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m., in Montpelier; Richmond Free Library on Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.; and livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m.
The suggested donation is $20. For more information, visit newcommunityproject.info and jumpvt.org.
MAIN STR E ET BUSI NESSES ARE OPEN D E SPITE TH E DETOUR S !
Pop in, grab a bite, or pick up something special—your support keeps Burlington buzzing!
Claire Black
Let’suniteinpraiseand worshipwithotherpeersto growintheloveofourLord.
OCT.6,2024TILL
Hinesburg Police Blotter: Sept. 17-25
Total incidents: 52
Arrests: 2 Traffic stops: 15
Sept. 17 at 10:06 a.m., suspicious activity on Route 116 was investigated.
Sept. 17 at 7:24 p.m., suspicious activity on Pond Road was investigated.
Sept. 17 at 8:19 p.m., suspicious activity on Ballard’s Corner Road was investigated.
Sept. 18 at 7 a.m., officers responded to the Jiffy Mart on Ballard’s Corner Road for the report of suspicious activity.
Alicia Marshall, 48 of Hinesburg, was cited for violation of a trespass order.
Sept. 18 at 10:09 a.m., an officer responded to Dugway Road in Richmond to assist first responders with an individual having a mental crisis.
Sept. 18 at 3:01 p.m., a burglary on Piette Road was reported and investigated.
Sept. 19 at 6:04 p.m., officers assisted first responders with a medical emergency on Shadow Lane.
Sept. 20 at 9:15 a.m., officers mediated a domestic dispute on Green Street.
Sept. 20 at 9:39 p.m., suspicious activity on Route 116 was investigated.
Sept. 20 at 10:24 p.m., an officer assisted the State Police with mediating a dispute between residents in Starksboro.
Sept. 21 on 9:14 a.m., an officer mediated a domestic dispute on Hollow Road.
Sept. 23 at 3:43 p.m., officers responded to Burritt Road for a domestic dispute. Nathan Miner, 60 of Hinesburg, was cited for Domestic Assault.
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OPINION
Privatization costs more than money
Guest Perspective Walt Amses
While it’s disturbing that Acadia Healthcare, a chain of mental health facilities, has been holding patients against their will, according to a New York Times report, it’s even more troubling that there are chains of such institutions scattered across 19 states — a string of psychological Walmarts, essentially incarcerating patients for such things as not finishing a meal.
Although the why is transparent — $2,200 per day — how it works is much more under the radar: Scores of people in America have been held against their will until their insurance is maxed out.
Capitalism making bank on people’s misery is nothing new. If a predatory salesperson, for instance, senses desperation in a potential mark, they can sell them almost anything if the thing they’re offering will alleviate that desperation. The more desperate people feel, the easier it is to close the deal. And if what they’re feeling results in anxiety, despair, depression and a sense of unhappiness, it’s logical that they would explore options to alleviate that suffering.
The Times reports Acadia Healthcare has enjoyed soaring revenues since the dark days of 2020, taking full advantage of the pandemic to more than double its stock price, very often by holding people who posed no danger to themselves or others.
basic needs like food, clothing and shelter.
While state laws regulate long-term, involuntary commitment, a person can be taken into custody on an emergency psychiatric hold and transported to a secure facility for evaluation and a judge can order the person detained for a limited time while an evaluation is conducted.
Short of these emergencies and reasonable safety precautions, there are likely no provisions in either state or federal law supporting patients being held against their will based entirely on the institution’s bottom line, which is precisely what Acadia did, according to more than 50 current and former executives and staff members interviewed by the Times. The corporation “deploys an array of strategies to persuade insurers to cover longer stays,” employees said, “exaggerating patient symptoms or tweaking medication dosages, subsequently claiming patients needed to stay longer because of the adjustment.”
With nearly three times as many federal contractors as government employees and $1 trillion in federal, state and local spending going to private companies, the effort appears successful on its face, but a closer look reveals different implications.
“A Florida social worker tried to have her bipolar medications adjusted and spent six days in an Acadia hospital. A woman who works at a children’s hospital was held for seven days after seeking therapy at an Acadia facility in Indiana,” the newspaper reports. And documented on a police report, 16 patients, freed in a police raid at an Acadia hospital in Georgia, told investigators they had been kept there with “no valid reason.”
In the United States a person can be involuntarily committed to a mental institution if they have a serious mental illness that impairs their ability to reason; if they pose a real and present threat of substantial harm to themselves and others; or if they have been diagnosed with a grave disability rendering them unable to provide for
To make matters worse, Acadia facilities around the country have been cited by health inspectors for patients not receiving the prescribed therapy and for being unsupervised and denied access to vital medications. Many reports described rapes, assaults and filthy conditions. Ironically, eerily similar circumstances launched the movement to deinstitutionalize psychiatric patients over a half century ago, well before they became a sought-after route to financial gain.
Like almost everything else in a capitalist culture, mental health clients and psychiatric patients are monetized, becoming a fungible commodity if you’re running a health care facility with shareholders breathing down your neck. Once administered by either nonprofits or the government, both of which have reduced their involvement, psychiatric hospitals find for-profit companies playing a larger roll, often motivated by the mandate of the Affordable Care Act that insurance companies cover mental health.
“Acadia’s success,” according to the Times, “has attracted notice on Wall Street.” With its stock price rising, the
Don’t repurpose cathedral for housing
To the Editor:
After writing about the importance of saving the Edward Larrabee Barnes Cathedral and the Dan Kiley-designed park on Pine Street in Burlington, I have received pushback from people who live in Burlington and who talk about the need for housing. (“Burlington’s cathedral, its parkland should not be demolished,” Sept. 12, 2024)
I am writing now to suggest that more housing in Burlington will not solve Vermont’s housing problem. Burlington’s problem will be alleviated — hopefully — by the housing to become available in the new city center. All people —workers, young entrepreneurs and families — want to live in places where livable wages are paid, where there are good jobs and families feel safe. That does not appear to be downtown Burlington now.
Building more high-rise housing instead of maintaining a park and utilizing a beautiful cathedral as a music and performance center, or as a rehabilitation center, or both, creates positive downtown energy and will help rebuild Burlington’s reputation as a dynamic, and safe university city.
The Vermont Supreme Court will hold a hearing on Thursday, Sept. 25, in the Supreme Court Building in Montpelier.
I have no direct authority to speak on this issue, but I have a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College in art and history, a master’s from the University of Vermont, and matriculated into the historic preservation program
at George Washington University. I spent many years in the Monterey, Calif., area saving murals that had been created for the U.S. Army at Fort Ord, plus a mural by Chiaro Obata, a professor at Berkeley and who was interned at Poston Internment Camp during World War II.
Sally Giddings Smith Montpelier
Vote for Bruce Roy for Senate seat
To the Editor:
I am weary of the finger pointing between the Legislature and the governor. Communication is the responsibility of both sides in a conversation.
I am weary of simply throwing money at every problem. Government needs to be fiscally responsible and consider longterm sustainability when attacking issues. I believe we must all recognize that state government may not be able to solve every single problem, nor should it be responsible for every problem.
I am weary of reading about elected officials who declare “I don’t believe there is a conflict of interest for me” when it seems obvious to this citizen that they will personally benefit in some way from their position. We need people in the Legislature who can reasonably and fairly consider all sides of issues, including budgets, and come up with cost-effective compromises on our collective behalf and not their own.
I worked with Bruce Roy at IBM in Essex Junction for more than 20 years. Our jobs, Letters to
at different levels, were to help IBM’s external semiconductor customers be successful. That meant representing the customers’ needs to IBM and vice versa. It meant constant communication among parties with very different interests and perspectives. It meant being creative in solving
AMSES
continued from page 5
company is now valued at about $7 billion with its chief executive paid more than $7 million last year.
But Acadia’s “success” is based more on incomes than outcomes, and unfortunately is only a small example of how over the last 40 years both Republican and Democratic administrations have been more than willing to cede control of health care, public water supplies, infrastructure, transportation, prisons, parks, education, sanitation and weather service — among others — to private companies.
In “The Privatization of Everything,” Donald Cohen and Allen Mikaelian take on and “completely demolish” the mythology surrounding the privatizer’s worldview that shifting public entities to profit-seeking private management will lead to cost-cutting and greater attention to customer satisfaction, reduce taxes and shrink the size of government.
Citing numerous examples, the pair demonstrate how
problems. It took hard work and effort to craft compromises.
I watched Roy craft these compromises repeatedly. I often walked out of his office wondering how the heck he did it. He was always respectful of everyone. If he said he was going to do something, he did. He stood by
his people and his customers. Roy is a gem of a human being, and we would be very fortunate to have him serve in the Legislature in the Chittenden-Southeast Senate district.
Sarah Weber South Burlington
private-sector managers have adopted profit-making strategies that can make essential services unaffordable or unavailable to large segments of the population. Profit-seeking operations can conceivably choose not to provide health care to the indigent, extend education to poor or learning-disabled children or deliver packages to remote locations.
The privatization movement’s beginning is largely credited to Ronald Reagan’s 1981 remark that “government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem,” and with Milton Friedman, the administration’s economic guru, who rejected claims that “society has a duty” or “government has a moral function.” The mantra became, “Don’t just stand there, undo something.”
With nearly three times as many federal contractors as government employees and $1 trillion in federal, state and local spending going to private companies, the effort appears
successful on its face, but a closer look reveals different implications.
Between 2019 and 2023, Acadia’s North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital sought to extend patient involuntary stays, filing more than 4,500 legal petitions, according to court records. During a drought in Apple Valley, Calif., where water is privately controlled by the Carlyle Group, rates were routinely 50 to 100 percent higher than neighboring towns with publicly owned water utilities. And airlines’ focus on the bottom line has resulted in smaller seats, additional luggage fees, pricey seat selection, delays and cancellations.
As capitalism takes over so many aspects of our lives, we can take comfort in the words of Michael Corleone, a staunch advocate of privatization: “It’s nothing personal. It’s strictly business.”
Walt Amses is a writer based in Calais.
How wet weather affects fall foliage
Guest Perspective
Michael J. Caduto
The Northeast is famous for its fall foliage, as the lush, green leaves of summer transform into bright hues, turning hillsides and valleys into quilts of scarlet, ochre and gold. Among the brightest foliage is that of our region’s various maple species. But as our summers have become, on average, warmer and wetter, the celebrated bounty of fall color may fade.
Persistently wet soils, such as the Northeast experienced in 2023, when an entire summer’s worth of rain fell in July, can strain trees. Even in typically well-drained areas, soil can become saturated from repeated heavy rainfalls in locations where the topography causes water to accumulate. Research conducted at Purdue University found that when the roots of sugar maples were flooded for eight days straight, the oxygen-deprived conditions eliminated their ability to respire.
The prolonged and frequent rains during the summer of 2023 stressed many maples, and their leaves became infected by anthracnose, a disease that can be caused by several different kinds of fungi. Symptoms include brown spots on the leaf’s midrib, major veins and edges. Sugar maple leaves in many parts of northern New England were covered with dark splotches, autumn leaf colors were noticeably less intense, and leaves dropped earlier than usual. Anthracnose can affect many types of trees, including ash and oak species.
Anthracnose fungi overwinter in dead leaves and in infected buds and twigs. Hot, dry weather discourages the growth of spores. But from spring through late-summer, warm, wet weather produces reproductive spores that are spread by wind and rain, increasing the infection of leaves and twigs.
“What can be problematic about the wetter conditions we are experiencing is if a prolonged rainy season causes a proliferation of foliar fungal diseases,” Alexandra Kosiba, a researcher, forest ecologist, and assistant professor at University of Vermont Extension, said. “This is really due not to the amount of rain per se, but prolonged leaf wetness, which is tied to relative humidity, number of rainy days, the timing of rainfall, cloud cover, and lack of wind — all which play a role in determining if leaf surfaces are able to dry out or not.”
Anthracnose isn’t usually lethal to trees unless they are experienc-
ing additional sources of stress. But severe or repeated anthracnose infestations can impact the productivity of leaves and stress trees over time, especially when insects are also damaging leaves.
Early leaf drop in a single year won’t likely cause lasting damage to a tree, but premature defoliation over the course of multiple years can weaken trees. Mature trees are more resilient in the face of anthracnose infection, but younger trees can suffer lasting damage.
Several factors contribute to autumn leaf color, including day length and weather conditions during and preceding foliage season. Anthocyanin, the pigment that causes a deep red color in leaves, for instance, requires bright sunshine to form. If there are lots of cloudy late-summer days, leaves don’t develop these intense red hues.
“The drab foliage we saw in 2023 was a combination of foliar fungi, plus a lack of sunlight from cloudy days,” Kosiba said.
How can we distinguish between the impact of New England’s famously unpredictable weather on the intensity of fall foliage color in any given year, versus the long-term trend being driven by a changing climate? While the quality of autumn foliage varies from year to year, over time the warming climate is shifting the season later and causing more frequent periods of meteorological conditions that are not conducive to vibrant fall foliage.
“The climate impacts we’re seeing on foliage are mostly due to warmer temperatures leading to a longer growing season which has extended the timing of peak leaf color over time,” Kosiba said.
What is in store for fall foliage this year? While some areas in our region experienced severe flooding during the summer, we escaped last year’s long stretches of cloudy skies and record-breaking summer rains. So far, September has featured many dry sunny days and cool nights — conditions that bode well for a vibrant foliage season.
That is, unless the weather changes, again.
Michael J. Caduto is a writer, ecologist, and storyteller who lives in Reading. He is the author of “Through a Naturalist’s Eyes: Exploring the Nature of New England.” The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
COMMUNITY
Community Notes
Community Alliance Church
Hosts Pie Day
The Community Alliance Church, 190 Pond Road, is celebrating the start of the fall with Pie Day on Sunday, Oct. 6, noon-3 p.m.
Come for games, lunch, fellowship and a lot of pie.
Please bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket and the pie for a pie contest. You get to enjoy the pie contest, lunch, cornhole and a bouncy castle for kids.
Learn more at facebook.com/ events/478856881645778.
Leashed tracking dogs can help recover game
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department provides a list of certified leashed tracking dog owners who volunteer during hunting seasons to help hunters locate deer or bear that have been shot but not yet recovered.
The dog owners, who provide their services for free, must pass an extensive exam to be certified and licensed.
This list, which may be updated during the seasons, is available at vtfishandwildlife. com.
Event celebrates legacy of Lydia Clemmons
“Looking Forward: A Celebration of Legacy with Clemmons Family Farm” celebrates the legacy of Lydia M. Clemmons with collaborating artists and beloved community members., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Come together to walk, talk, eat, plant a tree, enjoy art and look to the future.
The Clemmons Family Farm stands on a 60-year legacy of community-building by Jack and Lydia Clemmons that centers African American history, arts, culture and a deeply meaningful place — the historic 138-acre Clemmons farm.
The mission of Clemmons Family Farm is to preserve and maintain the historic farm in Charlotte as an educational prototype, and a model for preserving African American-owned agricultural land, cultural and heritage assets in the U.S.; to empower a growing network of Vermont’s Black artists and culture bearers with opportunities for professional development, advocacy, visibil-
ity, networking, paid engagements, collective healing and a safe haven for creativity that helps them to thrive; and to build a loving multicultural community around African American and African diaspora of history, arts and culture.
Tickets are required through Eventbrite.
September programs at the Charlotte Senior Center
• Walking and gentle hiking group, Thursday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. Free but registration appreciated. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot at Charlotte Senior Center. Questions? Contact Penny Burman at 916-753-7279.
• Play reading, Thursday, Sept. 26, 1-3:30 p.m. Join Sue Foley and Wally Gates for table-reading fun. Registration required at ssnfoley@icloud.com.
Learn about migrant justice in Vermont, beyond
Join a conversation with a local farm worker and Madeline Sharrow from Migrant Justice, a Vermont-based human rights organization, and Charlotte resident Steve Hill, a volunteer providing humanitarian aid at the southern border with No Mas Muertes (No More Deaths).
The talk, “Migrant Justice Issues in Vermont and Beyond,” will take place Tuesday, Oct. 1, 6-7 p.m., at the Charlotte Library. It will explore national immigration policy and our humanitarian responses both at the southern border and in our own backyards.
Grange holds children’s clothing, outerwear drive
A kids’ clothing and outerwear drive will take place from Oct. 1-8 in Charlotte.
Donations of children’s and teen clothing and shoes are welcome. Just drop them off in the weatherproof bin by the front door of the Grange Hall. The hall will be staffed by volunteers on two mornings: Saturday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-noon, and Tuesday, Oct. 8, 8:30-10 a.m. (Consider dropping off while the hall is open if you have larger quantities of clothes to donate.)
The fall drive also works to provide children served by the Charlotte Food Shelf with
See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9
COURTESY PHOTO
The Vermont chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America hosts Laura Rocklyn, an actress, writer and first-person historical interpreter as she presents a dramatic living history. “Jane Austen: Who Dares to be an Authoress” will take place at the Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, on Sunday, Oct. 6, 1-3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Learn more at janeausteninvermont. blog. Above, Rocklyn as Jane Austen.
Jane Austen
Barre, Williston,
Rice unveils sports field
Rice Memorial High School is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new state-of-the-art turf playing field on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 3:45 p.m., 99 Proctor Ave.
The new field represents a significant enhancement to the school’s athletic facilities, providing student-athletes with a high-quality surface for soccer, field hockey, football, lacrosse and other sports, according to school officials.
The field is designed to improve playing conditions, extend practice seasons and reduce weather-related interruptions.
“We’re excited to celebrate the launch of this new field a mere three months after construction began. This is the first phase of a larger strategic campus improvement plan. Expansion takes time and resources and we’re taking
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
a full winter gear set-up, so consider donating children’s winter jackets, mittens, hats, snow pants and snow boots.
Volunteers are also needed to sort and fold clothes on both Oct. 5 and Oct. 8. Email alcoop.vt@ gmail.com to sign up or learn more.
Clothing drive benefits migrant farmworkers
The Charlotte Grange is holding a clothing drive for local migrant farmworkers. For the third year, the Grange is working with Addison Allies Network to round up clothing in Charlotte.
Since 2018, the Addison Allies has worked to build an inclusive, stronger and more diverse community by providing services and
VT fish and wildlife department sponsors student art contest
Art entries are now being accepted for the 2025 Vermont Student Fish Art Contest through the state’s fish and wildlife department in partnership with Wildlife Forever.
Students in kindergarten through grade 12 select a fish species found in Vermont waters and submit an illustration and one-page creative essay. (An essay is not required for kids in kindergarten to
third grade.)
“The contest is a way for Vermont students to use their creativity and strengthen their knowledge and connection with the environment,” Corey Hart, the department’s education specialist, said.
Last year, 226 Vermont students submitted artwork, and several Vermont schools incorporated the contest into their curriculum, allowing
teachers to highlight the selected fish species in detail.
Winners in four grade categories will receive a fishing rod and reel, and their art will be entered into a selection process to be featured in the department’s forthcoming 2026 Fishing Guide and Regulations publication.
Rules can be found at theartofconservation.org/fishart-contest.
one step at a time,” principal Adam Nagy said.
The ceremony will feature brief remarks from Nagy and other guests, including project donors, alumni and student leaders. A blessing of the field will be led by Bishop John McDermott.
Following the ceremony, the Rice field hockey team will play the inaugural game on the field at 4 p.m.
“We are thrilled to unveil this amazing facility that will benefit not only our current students but future generations of Rice athletes,” athletic director Neil Brodeur said.
For information about the ceremony, contact Megan Shrestha, director of marketing and communications at shrestha@ rmhsvt.org or 802-233-8361 or Nagy at 802-862-6521 or nagy@ rmhsvt.org.
Fall Safety Tips
social integration for both migrant farmworkers and immigrants living in Addison County.
The drive will be held Nov. 2-6.
Specific donations include machine washable and dryable hoodie sweatshirts; pants (denim, canvas or Carhartt); work clothes; vests (fleece, Carhartt or heavy cloth); jackets; and thermal underwear. (Please, no button-down shirts, polo shirts, or wool items of any kind. Footwear, hats, scarves and gloves are also not needed.)
Sizes needed include male teen (large and XL) and male adult (small, medium and large).
Please, no tears, rips or stains. Zippers should be fully functioning.
For information call Sally Wadhams at 802-355-1478.
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.
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.
Be safe
Scan the QR Code or visit vgsvt.com/ be-safe for more safety information.
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.
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.
COURTESY PHOTO
Rice holds a ribbon-cutting on its new playing field tonight, Sept. 26.
Weekend action sees
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Field hockey
Champlain Valley 7, Burlington 0: Charlie Baird scored her first varsity goal as the Champlain Valley field hockey team cruised to
a win over Burlington on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Carly Strobeck added two goals and an assist for the Redhawks (4-1-1), while Emery Thompson scored and had an assist. Cordelia Thomas, Penny Webster and Chloe Tomasi also scored for CVU, while Alex Wemple had two assists.
Annabel Johnson earned the shutout for CVU.
Girls’ soccer
Champlain Valley 4, South Burlington 1: The girls’ soccer
PHOTOS BY AL FREY
Above: The Champlain Valley Union soccer team celebrates its 4-1 win over the South Burlington Wolves Sept. 21. From left, Lauren Knudsen, Ezra Dziurzynski, Sierra Rainey, Abby Bunting, Elsa Klein and Rieanna Murray
Below: CVU’s Lauren Knudsen battles for control from Eve Linnell. South Burlington dropped the game 4-1 on Sept. 21 at home. Knudsen scored a goal.
REDHAWKS
continued from page 10
team remained undefeated with a win over South Burlington on Saturday.
Rieanna Murray scored a goal and added three assists for CVU, which moved to 6-0. Abby Bunting, Elsa Klein and Lauren Knudsen scored.
Anya Johnson and Josie Ziter combined to get the win in goal for the Redhawks.
Boys’ volleyball
Champlain Valley 3, Mount Mansfield 0: CVU won its fourth game in a row in high school boys’ volleyball, earning a straight set win over Mount Mansfield on Saturday.
The Redhawks won all three sets in narrow fashion, winning the first 25-21, the second 26-24 and wrapped up the win with a 25-20 victory in the third set.
CVU moved to 4-1.
Football
Champlain Valley 52, BFA-St. Albans 0: The Champlain Valley football team opened a 31-0 lead at halftime and did not look back in a win over BFA-St. Albans on Friday, Sept. 20.
Nolan Walpole had two touchdown runs for the Redhawks. Quarterback Orion Yates threw for two TDs, hitting Jacob Armstrong with a 36-yard pass and George Taylor with
another TD pass.
CVU’s Billy Bates returned a kickoff for a touchdown, Dylan Frere nabbed an interception and returned it for another TD and Daniel Tuiqere added a rushing touchdown to round out the scoring. Alex Jovell also kicked a 25-yard field goal.
CVU moved to 4-0.
Boys’ golf
The boys’ golf team came out on top at the North Country Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Camden Ayer scored a 73 to lead the Redhawks, while Cooper Guerriere had a 75 and Jack Bryan scored a 76. Quinn Vincent rounded out the CVU scorers with 86.
South Burlington followed in second place and Essex came in third.
Boys’ soccer
Champlain Valley 2, St. Johnsbury 1: Champlain Valley narrowly defeated St. Johnsbury on Saturday to win its third game in a row.
Caleb Greenslit scored and posted an assist for the Redhawks. Mason Barron tapped in a goal and William Wallace added an assist.
Ziggy Babbott made two saves in goal. The team is now 5-1.
SAFETY MEASURES
continued from page 1
director of planning and zoning, also updated the board on efforts to implement those recommendations.
As part of phase two, engineers recommended improvements to the existing crosswalk at the intersection of Route 116 and Silver Street, which continues straight where Route 116 bends west. It is a heavy-traffic area for vehicles, with nearly half of Route 116’s southbound traffic turning onto Silver Street.
The crosswalk at the intersection is currently considered unsafe, according to Weinhagen. Cars merge quickly onto Silver Street from Route 116 and a long, three-lane crosswalk leaves pedestrians exposed to traffic for too long.
The nearby Hinesburg Community School advises its students not to cross there.
still frequent pedestrian traffic, which creates a dangerous situation.
At the bare minimum, the engineers recommend trimming trees near the intersection that are blocking a streetlight to improve visibility for pedestrians.
After that, the firm advised Hinesburg to conduct a pedestrian traffic study to present to the Vermont Agency of Transportation for the potential installation of crosswalk at the intersection. If it is approved by the state, installation of a crosswalk, including signs, beacons and other safety features, would cost around $158,000.
With the grant secured, Weinhagen said that work should be completed by this time next year.
To improve the crosswalk, the safety plan recommends better street lighting at the intersection, more signs to warn of pedestrians and a brighter, textured crosswalk painted a contrast color instead of white.
The recommendation also includes installation of a mountable curb apron that will slow down southbound traffic turning onto Silver Street from Route 116.
The estimated construction cost falls just shy of $100,000. Weinhagen mentioned a handful of state grants during last week’s meeting that Hinesburg could apply to for the project, should the selectboard choose to go forward with the improvements.
Phase 2 also focused on the Mechanicsville Road intersection with Route 116, where there is currently no crosswalk but
SPEED LIMIT
continued from page 1
dozen residents along Greenbush Road filed a petition imploring the selectboard “to act to enforce the traffic laws on our street in response to ongoing community concern about the challenges dangerous drivers pose to safe automotive, pedestrian and bicycle travel within our neighborhood.”
While the town has conducted several traffic studies in both the East and West villages, part of the problem is that Charlotte lacks enforcement for its speed limits since the town is without a police force. Instead, it contracts with the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department to patrol the town for eight to nine hours a week on weekdays.
The area in question this summer was a .4-mile stretch of Ferry Road from the intersection of Greenbush Road to the railroad tracks headed west. The paved road is classified by the state as a major connector as motorists use the road to catch the ferry to New York.
A traffic study conducted by Chittenden County Regional Planning in May found that the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel is nearly 10 miles over the posted 40 mph speed limit. While the data shows that the speed from those traveling westbound is slightly higher than those traveling toward the village, it can mostly be attributed to the steep downgrade for westbound traffic.
The nature of that section of road for
Last month, Hinesburg received a grant from the state to implement recommendations outlined in phase one of the safety project, which the selectboard approved last year.
The grant will help fund improvements to the crosswalk in front of the Hinesburg Community School, including installation of traffic beacons and curbs that will narrow the road near the sidewalk. There will also be a warning sign for cars as they round the curve near Silver Street and approach the school.
With the grant secured, Weinhagen said that work should be completed by this time next year.
Hinesburg has already completed the phase one safety recommendation for the crosswalk in front of United Church and is still awaiting a selectboard decision for the Buck Hill Road intersection, which is considered an unsafe pedestrian area that could require costly safety improvements.
those traveling from Greenbush Road may also add to the problem.
The east side of the Greenbush intersection features a village setting with a post office, library and senior center, which can typically signal drivers to slow down.
Motorists exiting the west village area tend to drive at higher speeds due to an open landscape, and straight road section with a steep downhill.
Based on speed data, planners recommended lowering the posted speed limit for that area to 35 mph. The selectboard in August moved to lower it down to 25 mph with an official effective date of Oct. 3. Per state law, the town cannot set speed limits lower than 25 mph or higher than 50 mph.
“Folks who live in that area can speak up, but I’ve heard from plenty of them, and I believe I’m speaking on their behalf in this regard,” board member Lewis Mudge said at a meeting in August, advocating for a 25 mph zone. “I know CCRP makes the recommendations, but I’m talking about people who live on the actual road, and I’ve yet to hear from one person who lives on that road who says, ‘I don’t want it to be 25.’”
Town administrator Nate Bareham said the sheriff’s department raised several concerns, mainly that the section of road where the speed limit reduction would be implemented is relatively narrow — 22 feet wide — and doesn’t provide a safe place for
drivers to pull over should a stop be initiated. Second, there are limited locations where an officer can patrol to clock speeds.
But concerned residents along that stretch were quick to speak up at the meeting and invite the department to sit in their private driveways to monitor traffic.
“The sheriff can hang out in my house and drink coffee, and I’ll feed them dinner every single night,” resident Mike Dorsey said.
Selectboard member Frank Tenney, a commercial school bus driver, has similar fears. He also was the only member on the board to cast a lone vote against the speed change.
“I’m just talking about as a commercial driver, it makes it hard when somebody gets pulled over and they’re taking up the whole lane,” he said. “I mean, if the ferry gets done and everybody’s going over, and this police officer pulls somebody over and stops them on the road, how is that commercial vehicle getting by? With the hill, it makes it different.”
Resident Dianna Fletcher started circulating an online petition — which has garnered roughly 65 signatures — opposing the lower limit. She is also a bus driver with Charlotte Central School and fears that the lowered speed may make driving conditions on her daily route to school less safe.
“My biggest concern, especially as a
school bus driver, was the fact that within the first few weeks of my driving that speed limit, I had a car passing me going up the hill, and then at another point in time, a car passing me going down the hill,” she said. “I had seen some people talking about it, and I don’t usually chime in on this sort of thing but having had that safety concern. I was like, ‘I’ll put in my two cents.’” For her, there are more moving pieces to consider when driving a large vehicle packed with children.
Another reason for her concern is the slope of the road, which can create a hazard when driving in the winter.
“Getting the bus to the top of that hill, I’ve had troubles in the past with it posted at 40 mph, getting up to that stop sign, let alone trying to do it at 25 mph. I’m not looking forward to experiencing a backward slide in a school bus,” she said.
Faulkner said the board has received a lot of feedback regarding the change, and the selectboard may again review the decision. But, for now, the board is leaving the new limit as is.
But Fletcher said she plans to keep the petition up and active as a litmus test for how much support she can get.
“A lot of people had mentioned to me, ‘Thank you so much for speaking out, because there’s so many people that are pushing this agenda,’” she said.
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Frankie White of Burlington crosses the finish line at the 50th running of the Green Mountain Athletic Association Apple Harvest 10K at Shelburne Town Beach on Sept. 21. She placed 99th overall. See more photos online at shelburnenews.com. Apple harvest
Shelburne teenager is King of the Thunder Road
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
At 16 years old, Shelburne stock racer Kaiden Fisher became the youngest King of the Road during the Thunder Road Championship Night on Sept. 14, garnering more points throughout the season than any of his competitors.
Fisher, a junior at Champlain Valley High School, is breaking new records every season. Last year, at just 15, he became the youngest driver to be crowned Late Model Champion at Thunder Road, and he’s not slowing down any time soon.
“It’s been a great season,” said Fisher, who spoke virtually with the Shelburne News surrounded by trophies in his family’s basement last week. After the race earlier this month, he addressed the crowd at Thunder Road in Barre, thanking his crew and sponsors, and will add another trophy to his collection at a formal banquet this fall.
This season started off slowly for Fisher and the team, but as the weekly races piled on, the young driver found his rhythm behind the wheel, and wins started adding up. Around mid-season, Fisher had a string of top five finishes, including a handful of wins at Thunder Road that gave him a comfortable points lead going into the championship.
Fisher said it was a busy race season with weekly appearances throughout New England. His car, a yellow and red speed demon sporting number 18, which was built by Dale Shaw Racecars in New Hampshire, was the subject of his focus this summer. Fisher spent nearly every night in the garage with the car, tuning its engine with his team and rehearsing track strategies.
There were almost no issues with the car all season, according to Fisher, who was equally solid behind the wheel, except for a single spin-out mid-season that barely set him back.
“That’s how you win championships,” Fisher said. “Consistency with the car and keeping a level head when you’re racing.”
Fisher has spent most of his life at the track. His dad and three uncles were driv-
ers, and at three months old, Fisher was in the stands playing with toy race cars while the real machines thundered around the track below him.
His dad, Jamie Fisher, was also crowned King of the Road, making them just the third father-son duo to win the title in racing history.
Eventually, Fisher started racing, too, and the need for speed clearly ran in his blood. He started with go-karts when he was 8 years old and claimed victory in his very first race.
At 11, Fisher transitioned to racing cars before he even had a license to drive, which is permitted with permission since it’s a closed track. Racing cars was a completely different beast. They are bigger and
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faster with more components like springs and shocks, and it’s more difficult to know where you are on the track and how to move with other cars.
Nevertheless, Fisher adapted quickly. He entered the adult division at 13 years old and began racing at Thunder Road, his home track in Vermont. In just three years, he advanced to his current status as a top-ranked driver despite being half the age of many of his competitors.
That doesn’t faze him, though. In fact, Fisher said it’s “kind of fun” being the youngest on the track.
“I want to beat everyone because they’re older than me, and I think everyone wants to beat me because I’m younger than them,” Fisher said. “I’m used to it by now,
and I think it’s really cool when people I admire come up to me and say, ‘You did a great job for being so young.’ That feels really good.”
Fisher is still in the youth of his career, but he said racing comes naturally to him. He’s comfortable behind the wheel, traveling around 100 miles per hour on a tight track with other cars that are typically in the rearview. It’s what he does, and he hopes to do it for a living one day on a national stage.
“Once you put on your helmet and start that engine, and you pull the car onto the track, nothing else matters. You don’t think about anything,” he said. “Everything happens so fast that you really can’t think about it. You just have to do it.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Kaiden Fisher with his dad, Jamie. Both are now King of the Road champions at Thunder Road in Barre. Kaiden has the distinction of being the youngest top-ranked driver on the track.
HONORING OUR VETERANS
