Shelburne teenager is King of the 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
See FISHER on page 16
Selectboard re-engages with O’Brien Brothers
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
A pre-development agreement for a housing development touted as possibly the largest in Shelburne’s history is going to get a legal once-over.
The Selectboard agreed to seek an outside legal consultant regarding a contract between the town and developers.
The project still isn’t close to making it
in front of the town’s development review board, but a petition by the O’Brien Brothers to include its parcel in the town’s utility service area to allow for more homes under new state law has been the hot topic in Shelburne in recent months.
At least, that’s been the case during two community forums at town hall packed with
See CONTRACT on page 12
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
Museum hosts tours, lectures In Shelburne
This fall Shelburne Museum will feature a slate of scholarly lectures, curators’ tours and artist talks covering topics from the railroad in American art in conjunction with the current exhibit, All Aboard: The Railroad in American Art, 1840-1955,” to outsized ceramic jugs from the 19th century to contemporary artists from New England.
On Saturday, Oct. 5, Michael Leja, professor emeritus of history of art at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore pictures taken on the rail line between Philadelphia and Niagara Falls by the Langenheim brothers that provided a window into the rich and complex interplay at this time between trains and photographs. The talk, “3D Photographs of a Flattened World: Trains, Stereographs, and the Langenheim Brothers,” runs from 2-3 p.m. Vermont artist Jennifer McCandless creates ceramic sculptures using humor and satirical narratives to challenge the viewer’s perspectives on constructions of identity and societal norms. The pieces offer a social critique of how we interpret the ills of the world, how we interact with one another and how we see ourselves. She offers “Artist Talk: Of Monsters and Meaning” on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2-3 p.m.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Celestial Railroad,” published in 1843, offers a skeptical and satirical view of the era’s new means of transport. With a demon manning the engine, and a reassuring conductor named Mr. Smooth-It-Away describing the sights, the train sets out from the City of Destruction, across the Valley of Despond, on its way to the Celestial City. In this illustrated lecture, “The Celestial Railroad: Nathaniel Hawthorne and American Art,” Stanford professor Alexander Nemerov, one of America’s leading art historians, learn how Hawthorne’s views match — and do not match — the visions of the railroad in the paintings of American artists of his era. The talk takes place on Friday, Oct. 18, 6-7 p.m.
FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL
Visit shelburnemuseum.org for more information.
PHOTO BY ANDY DUBACK
Charles Louis Heyde, “Steam Train in North Williston, Vermont,” ca. 1856. Oil on canvas, 20 9/16” x 35 3/16” in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, gift of Edith Hopkins Walker.
How to vote in Shelburne
ACE SHEEHAN COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
The voting process may seem daunting, especially if it’s your first time, but it is a rewarding experience. Below, we’ve simplified the process based on where you live and how you prefer to vote.
Q: Am I eligible to vote?
A: If you are 18 or older, a U.S. citizen and a Vermont resident, you are eligible to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Q: How do I register to vote in Shelburne?
A: Registering to vote is the first step of the process. You can register to vote on the Vermont Secretary of State’s website at bit. ly/3ZDGCyt. You can register in person at the town clerk’s office at 5420 Shelburne Road. You will need a Vermont driver’s license or personal ID and your date and place of birth.
Q: How can I vote by mail?
A: This fall, ballots will be
mailed out by Oct. 1 to all registered voters. You can return your ballot by mail or drop it off at the town clerk’s office or police dispatch. There’s also a drivethrough option, the Shelburne Secure Absentee Ballot Drop Box, 5420 Shelburne Road, straight off the north door of the town offices.
Q: Where can I vote in person?
A: You can vote at the town clerk’s office during the early voting period, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The clerk’s office closes at 2p.m. the day before all elections.
Green Mountain Transit bus system provides access to polling and ballot drop box locations. (ridegmt.com)
Q: Who is running?
A. There are three seats up for election in the Vermont State Senate in the Chittenden-Southeast district. The following candidates are running (as they appear
on the ballot):
Thomas Chittenden, Democrat, incumbent
Virginia Lyons, Democrat, incumbent
Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Democrat, incumbent
Bruce Roy, Republican
Taylor Craven, Independent
There is one seat up for election in the Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6 District:
Kate Lalley, Democrat, incumbent
There is one seat up for election in the Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-7 District:
Shawn Sweeney, Democrat
For more information, visit the Shelburne Town Clerk’s website (bit.ly/3XD3taH) or call them at 802-264-5075.
This report comes via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Shelburne News.
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 intermedi-
ate- 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.
COURTESY PHOTO
Claire Black
OPINION
Shelburne Police Blotter: Sept. 16-22
Total reported incidents: 60
Traffic stops: 41
Warnings: 34
Tickets: 7
Arrests: 0
Medical emergencies: 20
Mental health incidents: 1
Suspicious incidents: 7
Directed patrols: 66
Citizen assists: 6
Motor vehicle complaints: 0
Car crash: 3
Animal problem: 1
Noise disturbance: 1
Unlawful Mischief: 0
Theft: 1
Harassment: 1
Vandalism: 0
Property damage: 1
Fraud: 3
Alarms: 6
Pending investigations: 4
911 Hang-up calls: 0
Sept. 17 at 3: 10 p.m., someone reported seeing smoke
coming from the area of the Red Apple Motel. The smoke was a campfire.
Sept. 18 at 8: 46 a.m., Shelburne Fire and Rescue assisted Vermont Air National Guard fire crews with an aircraft emergency at Burlington International Airport. No injuries were reported.
Sept. 18 at 9: 09 p.m., someone reported getting threatening and harassing calls on a street off Pond Road. The case is under investigation.
Sept. 19 at 11: 44 a.m., a stray dog was running loose on Bay Road, and the animal control officer was notified.
Sept. 19 at 8: 38 p.m., a two-car crash on Martindale Road resulted in one person being taken to hospital.
Sept. 20 at 9: 23 a.m., officers mediated a dispute at the Shelburne Campground.
Sept. 20 at 8: 30 p.m., officers mediated a dispute between two people on Shelburne Road.
Sept. 20 at 9: 23 p.m., a juvenile reported to South Burlington police that he had been assaulted in Shelburne. The incident took place in Burlington and police there were notified.
Sept. 21 at 8: 26 p.m., a retail theft was reported at Route 7 Liquor & Deli. The case is under investigation.
Sept. 21 at 11: 35 p.m., someone reported a loud party on Chesapeake Drive, but officers didn’t find the source of the noise.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.
YUTH
Let’suniteinpraiseand worshipwithotherpeersto growintheloveofourLord.
It’s back to school, so back to more school shootings
Guest Perspective
Jackie Wheel
It’s that time of year again, new outfits picked out, fresh school supplies purchased, lunches packed and the sound of gunshots ringing in the air. The quintessential back to school time of year should be renamed the more accurate Back to School Shootings. Maybe retailers can start using that in their ads as they push bulletproof backpacks. As a kid, I always had nervous butterflies before the start of a new year. What would this year hold for me? New friends? New crushes? New conflicts? Now, as a parent, my only nerves are whether my kid will come home to me at the end of the day.
*Thisyouthgroupisintendedfor7th-12thgrade students.Email stcatherineofsiena@vermontcatholic.org ifinterested.
Parenting is hard. One of the
trickiest parts is getting your child to school. If they are young like mine, they don’t want to leave mom and dad. They still feel the pull of the parental bond, biologically driven to stay near those who their survival depends upon.
As parents, we feel guilty. We feel our own bond pulling at our heartstrings and the stress of knowing we’re late for work or other responsibilities. Compounding all these feelings is the reality that this actually may be about our child’s survival. That we may have just left them crying in the arms of a near stranger at drop-off, perhaps calling out “mama,” to be left to the unthinkable fate so many of this country’s children have faced.
See SCHOOL SHOOTINGS on page 5
Shelburne News
Serving the community of Shelburne A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC shelburnenews.com
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Billing inquiries Leslie Lafountain leslie@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101
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Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 985-3091
continued from page 4
Our country, our children, our responsibility.
One child’s life is one too many to have been lost to gun violence. Yet, it is the No. 1 killer of children and teens in this country. Once again, right as we begin a new school year, another community is broken, traumatized by this violence.
America is failing its children. They should not be growing up in fear for their lives at school. They shouldn’t be losing their innocence at an unimaginable age while sitting through active shooter drills, expecting armed intruders to barge in at any moment.
How do we expect them to focus on normal kids’ stuff? To learn? How are we allowing this to become our reality?
second chance. Unsecured weapons are stolen from homes or vehicles and then used to commit violent crimes. I’ve met a lot of responsible gun owners. They welcome conversations about this issue, support common sense gun laws like universal background checks and acknowledge the importance of taking steps to ensure their firearms are secure because guns are never safe. They lock up their weapons in a lockbox, separate from ammunition. They never claim to be responsible; they just are.
This shouldn’t be a political issue.
Communities are shattered, lives thrown off course, towns forever changed. Their names synonymous with tragedy, quietly whispered across the country and then forgotten as a bad moment in history that’s too hard to look at directly.
Any American with a heart should be prioritizing children’s lives over guns.
If you think you’re a responsible gun owner and you won’t lock up your weapons, if you won’t acknowledge the role they play in this issue, if you think it’s an inconvenient truth that somehow doesn’t apply to you, then you should drop the responsible.
It’s overwhelming, all of it. Sometimes I feel like I’m screaming into a void.
As parents and community members we are traumatized, witnessing these horrific moments over and over, identifying with the victims or their families. Wondering when our number will be called. When will we lose the school shooting roulette? Are we really willing to gamble with our children’s lives?
And let’s talk about the shooters. These “evil” people. They are often children themselves. Why were they given access to a gun but not other resources? If they survive, we try them like adults, lock them away and never stop to consider that they are another child lost to gun violence.
Do you lock up your guns?
Most school shooters obtained their weapons from a friend or family member’s home. Kids unintentionally shoot and kill themselves, siblings, friends or parents by accessing unsecured weapons in homes. Children and teens facing a hard time turn to suicide by gun, a method that gives little hope of a
How are we supposed to raise children, build careers, be good parents, partners, friends, siblings? Keep our children safe, fight our fellow countrymen and the politicians capitalizing on the fear, the gun lobby and manufacturers profiting off the deaths of children.
How are we all not standing in the street, screaming? Refusing to work or lift a finger at home until the madness stops. Until children are safe, protected and prioritized. Not because it’s convenient, not because it’s the right political move, but because it is the moral imperative.
This shouldn’t be a political issue. Any American with a heart should be prioritizing children’s lives over guns. Right to bear arms? What about a child’s right to live?
There’s one simple way to help fight this epidemic, and that’s with your vote in November. If you aren’t helping fix the problem, then you are part of it. Their blood is on all our hands.
Jackie Wheel or Essex was born in Vermont. She is a mother and gun violence prevention volunteer.
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 highrise 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 long-term 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, 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 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 Writer offers more intel on O’Brien project
To the Editor: Here are links to the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment that Andrew Everett and I referenced in our article, “Here’s how to increase benefits, mitigate negatives of O’Brien project,” in the Sept. 19 Shelburne News.
The take-away, on top of the
estimate of 24,000 to 36,000 new homes needed over the next five years: “Combined, the increased demand and limited supply have driven home costs sky high, lowered Vermont’s vacancy rate, blocked renters from buying homes, left homeowners stuck in poor-quality housing and played a role in rising homelessness.” (bit. ly/47yiH5a and bit.ly/3Bh2428)
It is a crisis that affects everyone, as evidenced by the fact that housing is typically the largest household expenditure.
“Between 2019 and 2023, the average purchase price for buyers of single-family homes rose by 38 percent, and the cost to buy manufactured homes rose 37 percent,” the report said. “Renters are also struggling to afford housing: About half of Vermont renters spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing — the report’s “affordability threshold” — between 2018 and 2022. Also, one quarter of Vermont renters spent more than 50 percent of their income on housing.
“Vermont also struggles with low-quality and aging housing stock. About 20,000 homes had housing quality concerns in 2022, the report said. The state’s 32,000 low-income homeowners, many of them 65 and older, are particularly at risk of not being able to afford home repairs or adapt their homes to meet their needs as they age.”
Chunka Mui Shelburne
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.
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 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 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.
Helpful crisis numbers
If you or someone you know is in crisis, consider reaching out to the following
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
• The Island Memorial Difference:
• Pet Funerals • Cremation Services
•
•
• Your Pet is Always in Our Care
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.
Gomer & Gunther
PHOTO BY KEN CRITES
Lake Street Dive performed at Shelburne Museum as part of its summer concert series on Sept. 20
COMMUNITY
Community Notes
Sign up now for Shelburne grab and go meal
Age Well and St. Catherine’s of Siena Parish in Shelburne are teaming up to provide a meal to go for anyone age 60 and older on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Meals will be available for pick up in the parking lot at 72 Church St. from 11 a.m. until noon and are available for anyone 60 or older. Suggested donation is $5.
The menu chicken cacciatore, peas and carrots, wheat roll, pumpkin cookie and milk.
To order a meal contact Kathleen at agewellstcath@gmail.com or 802-5031107. Deadline to order is Wednesday, Oct. 2. 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.
Shelburne church, Age well host July luncheon
Age Well is offering a luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 15, in the St Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St. in Shelburne.
Entertainment will be provided by Gerry Ortego on guitar.
The menu is lasagna roll ups with sweet Italian sausage and marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, spinach salad with Italian dressing, dinner roll, applesauce, pumpkin cake and milk.
You must register by Wednesday, Oct.
9, to Kerry Batres, nutrition coordinator, 802-662-5283 or email kbatres@agewellvt.org. Tickets are also available at the Age Well Office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester.
Check-in time is 11:30 a.m. and the meal will be served at noon. There is a $5 suggested donation.
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 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.
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.
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
Since 2018, the Addison Allies has worked to build an inclusive, stronger and more diverse community by providing services and 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.
Vermont Climbing Festival comes to Waterbury
CRAG-VT holds the sixth annual Vermont Climbing Festival on Sept. 27-29 at Farr’s Field in Waterbury.
Climbers from across the state and beyond will gather for a weekend of climbing, skill-based clinics, free workshops, competitions, speakers, trail projects, music and more.
North Face athlete Mark Synnott will be the keynote speaker on Saturday evening.
News from Pierson Library
Poetry salon and open mic
Tonight, Thursday, Sept. 26, from 6-8 p.m., gather in town hall at the Pierson Library to hear amazing poetry and share some of your own for Shelburne’s monthly salon. Two featured poets doing amazing work kick things off and then it is your turn to amaze the village with your poetry.
This month’s featured poets are Wake Robin resident and true heir to Tennyson, Valerie Graham, followed by bilingual poet and University of Pittsburgh graduate Douglas Currier, who has four collections and divides his time between Vermont and Argentina.
New climate change series
For the next several months, the Pierson Library is teaming up with the Shelburne Climate and Energy Committee on a new series of programs called Living with Climate Chaos. Each event will focus on a different component of our rapidly swaying climate changes and extreme weather conditions.
To kick things off, they are hosting an informal discussion of the philosophical considerations of climate change with University of Vermont professor Mike Ashooh on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. Bring your thoughts and concerns.
This will be followed by a presentation from forester Ethan Tapper the next day, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m. Tapper will present his new book, “How to Love a Forest,” and argue for a compassionate approach to conservation.
Exhibitionist’s book club
In conjunction with Shelburne Museum, this group pairs great works of literature with exhibits
All festival proceeds support the work of CRAG-VT to preserve, protect and steward Vermont climbing.
Here’s the schedule of events:
• Friday, Sept. 27: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., climbing clinics; 7-8:30 p.m., social hour; and 8:30 p.m., climber story hour and campfire.
• Saturday, Sept. 28: 7:30-10 a.m., check in and demo gear, yoga, coffee and pancake breakfast; 9 a.m.-3 p.m., climbing clinics; 9 a.m.-4 p.m., bouldering competition; 4-7 p.m., base camp workshops, vendor village; 7 p.m., keynote; and 8 p.m., dyno competition and crack wrestling with DJ
Kang Anade, raffle, silent auction, games and more.
• Sunday, Sept. 29: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., CRAG-VT stewardship project; and 9 a.m.-3 p.m., climbing clinics.
For tickets and more information, go to cragvt.org.
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
Fall Safety Tips
currently at the museum. For October everyone’s getting weird and gothic with the museum’s “New England Now: Strange States” exhibit at the Pizzagalli Center and Alasdair Gray’s “Poor Things.”
The library will also be showing some films related to the book. It all starts Tuesday, Oct. 1, when book club members will meet at the library at 10 a.m. to walk or carpool to the museum for a free tour of the exhibit. To participate contact the Pierson. Copies of the novel are now available at the front desk.
Death café moves to Pierson
Death cafes are opportunities to gather and increase awareness of death so that we might make the most of our finite loves. Shelburne resident and optometrist Nick Marconi has been leading local death cafes for over 10 years.
He’s now at the Pierson in a new monthly series of intimate discussions, where you’ll vote concerns, share stories, question and think together about this fact of life. The next one will be this Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. Space limited to 12 participants for the sake of intimacy. To register, call 802-985-5124.
Board game enthusiast Friday
This Friday, Sept. 27, from 3:30-5 p.m., lovers of board games gather to play. There will be three available to play. Potential games are Wingspan (good for ages 10 and older for up to six players), Settlers of Catan (for 10 and older and up to five players) and Timeline (a card game, good for ages 8 and up and any number of players.
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.
Come and ask questions, share experiences and learn about opportunities for participating in issues surrounding immigration. Snacks will be provided.
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.
SPORTS
At Champlain Valley
Weekend action sees lots of wins
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 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’ 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.
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.
Barre, Williston, St. Albans & Plattsburgh, NY
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.
holds a ribbon-cutting on its new playing field tonight, Sept. 26.
Rice unveils new 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 one step at a time,” prin-
Youth basketball registration is open
cipal 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.
Shelburne Parks & Rec News
This popular recreational program emphasizes the basics of the sport, along with good teamwork and sportsmanship. The program is open to youth in grades one to six.
Practices start in early December and are open to Shelburne residents only.
Grades one and two are co-ed and will practice and scrimmage on Saturday mornings only. The goal of this age group is to introduce and practice basic skills and team play concepts. The registration fee is $52.
Grades three to six have separate girls’ and boys’ teams. Organized practices will begin in December, and regular practices and games will start the first week of January and continue until the February break.
Practice will be held one night a week with games on Saturday against other town recreational teams from the Champlain Valley Recreation Association. Games will
be played both in Shelburne and out of town. Travel is required. The fee is $63.
Volunteer coaches are needed. If interested, call the office at 802-985-9551 or indicate at the time of registration.
The registration deadline for both groups is Friday, Nov. 8.
Hullcrest Park notice
The Hullcrest Park playground project will begin the week of Sept. 16. Please stay out of the playground and immediate area during renovation and construction.
The park will remain open for use of the field and basketball court.
The project should be finished by early October. Direct questions about the project to Shelburne Parks & Recreation 802-9859551.
Learn more at shelburnevt.org/160/ parks-recreation.
Last year, Vermonters threw away 71,113 tons of food scraps which ended up in our only landfill. Equal to 242 pounds of food scraps per person per year.
CSWD’s Organic Recycling Facility (ORF) and our six Drop-Off Centers accept food scraps from residents and businesses to keep them out of Vermont’s only landfill. For information scan or visit cswd.net/a-to-z/food-scraps
COURTESY PHOTO
Rice
hundreds of residents, staff and volunteers, and through a multitude of newspaper guest perspectives, letters to the editor and social media posts.
O’Brien petition
O’Brien Brothers has for decades owned the property that sits immediately outside the town’s water and sewer service area. The
The project, while hinging on new legislation, has also forced the town to ask itself some important, albeit tough, questions about the future of the town.
developers came to the selectboard four months ago with a petition to include part of the property in the town’s designated utility service area to allow it to build more houses. The selectboard holds jurisdiction over the sewer service area map, which is routinely updat-
TENT SALE
ed about every three years.
That designation could give the land, which is currently included in the town’s rural zoning district, a higher density as outlined in the 2023 HOME Act. Although the town’s planning commission is currently looking at massive regulatory reform, the current rural zoning district only allows for one unit per 5 acres.
But under the new state law meant to spur housing development across the state, areas serviced by water and sewer can be built at a much higher density than five dwellings per acre.
The parcel is separated by Thomas Road into two tracts — a 110-acre tract on the north side of the road and another 65.5 acres to the south. The northern parcel sits at the edge of the current area serviced by water and sewer infrastructure, located on the south side of Irish Hill Road, between Spear Street and Thomas Road.
The company argues that, although the northern portion of the property is not technically considered part of the town’s service area, its proximity to that infrastructure — including an 8-foot sewer line and manhole located on the property and a water main connection located less than 50 feet away on Irish Hill Road — should allow it to be.
No concrete plans for the development have been given to the town, but early projections by the company indicate that it could have up to 375 units — mixed with multi-family, single family and affordable units — built in a phased approach.
The town and its lawyers entered closed-door negotiations with the development company for two months before landing on a pre-development contract that would serve as a guiding document
that allows the town more control over the project’s outcome.
Some stipulations included increased bike and pedestrian connectivity, a commitment to net-zero building, affordability requirements and a conservation clause for the southern portion of the property, all things the development company says it remains committed to.
But the conversations that Shelburne is having on a local level pertaining to this development reflect much larger conversations happening statewide.
No vacancy
A recent analysis put together by the Vermont Housing Financing Agency for the Department of Housing and Community Development known as the “Vermont Housing Needs Assessment 20252029” outlined staggering statistics for the state just under 650,000 people.
In recent years, the increase in the supply of available homes has simply not kept pace with the increase in demand to live in Vermont, the report shows.
To accommodate projected growth in households living yearround in Vermont, replace homes that are lost from the housing stock due to disrepair, normalize vacancy rates, and house those experiencing homelessness, Vermont is likely to need an additional 24,000-36,000 total homes across the state over the next five years.
Without increased supply, Vermont’s home sale and rental markets will continue to grow even tighter than they currently are, with prices likely to continue to skyrocket and further intensify what experts have called an “acute
from page 12
housing crisis,” the report says.
Vermont’s homeowner vacancy rate — the number of homes on the market compared to the total number of actual households — is estimated at 1.2 percent, below the 2.0 percent rate considered indicative of a healthy housing market, the report says, with Chittenden County at a notably low vacancy rate of .5 percent reflecting the high demand for homes in the region.
According to the report, Vermont’s rental vacancy rate follows suit at 3.2 percent, lower than what experts consider to be a healthy vacancy rate of around 4 to 6 percent. Chittenden County’s vacancy rate of 1.5 percent in 2022 was well below that of a healthy rental market.
According to the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, the county’s rental apartment vacancy rate, at 1 percent, was even lower last year.
At a May meeting with the Shelburne Planning Commission, Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale stressed the important role that Chittenden County will play in solving the state’s housing problems, especially with its proximity to some of the largest employers in the state — the University of Vermont campus and hospital — and Route 7, one of the major transportation corridors in the state.
“Chittenden County will play a unique role in solving our housing and economic development problems as a state because we are at the epicenter of the employment corridor,” Hinsdale said, adding that increasing the grand list is one of the only levers that can be pulled to increase the capacity to pay state and local services. “The same folks who often feel concerned that we don’t have enough property or value to go around to share our tax burden, sometimes don’t take into account that right now we are
losing more housing stock than we are creating.”
That was partially the intent of the HOME Act, sponsored by the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs chaired by Hinsdale.
“I don’t want to come here and say Shelburne hasn’t been doing its part for affordable and senior housing in a major way,” she said, noting projects such as Bay Ridge, a recent housing project spearheaded by the Champlain Housing Trust at the former Harbor Place on Route 7. “Shelburne is doing a lot. Is it achieving a healthy vacancy rate? Unfortunately, not.”
A 2023 Housing Booklet, compiled by the town’s housing committee in conjunction with Chittenden County Regional Planners, says that, as of 2022, the median price of homes used as primary residences in Shelburne was almost four times higher than in 2000 and averaged at $724,828 — 235 percent higher than the price statewide.
There were 108 primary residences — including 91 single-family homes and 17 condominiums — sold in Shelburne in 2022. Countywide, there were 1,934 homes sold that year with a median price of $595,881.
But the housing crisis is also bringing most of the state’s other crises into light. Economic viability and growth depend on an available workforce living within the state.
“We will not meet our climate goals. We will not meet our health care goals. We will not meet any of our goals, our education goals unless we have a workforce,” Hinsdale said.
Meagan Buckley, president and CEO of Wake Robin and chair of the town’s affordable housing task force, said at a community forum held earlier this month regarding the O’Brien Brothers petition that
over 67 percent of people who work in Shelburne do not live within the town’s boundaries.
“I see this need every day,” she said as an employer in town. “We see our staff who want to be part of this community, who want to be able to raise a family, downsize all of those things.”
Moving forward
Mike Ashooh, chair of the selectboard, explained that the selectboard is expected to pick an outside legal consultant to review the pre-development agreement at a meeting Tuesday night after this story went to press. But it is likely the pre-development agreement will be tweaked to include additional provisions and stipulations.
“I think that’s the approach,” he said. “I think the board all feels that the O’Briens are really genuinely trying to put something together that the town would find appealing. So, trying to work in that spirit of, ‘OK, let’s really try to do that right.’”
Leaders with the development company have shown a willingness to continue to engage in the process.
It remains uncertain how long additional negotiations might take.
“What I think we should be focused on is trying to encourage good development and good change and discourage bad development,” Evan Langfeldt, CEO of the development company said at a meeting last week. “We truly listen during those input sessions, and we have a lot of takeaways too. We intend to continue to work on it. The pre-development agreement, while it was informed by a public process, it by necessity had to be negotiated between two parties. Now, it’s public, people have weighed in on it and I think there are certainly opportunities to make it better.”
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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 drivers, 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 fatherson 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 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.
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.”
— Kaiden Fisher
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
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.
Photo by Lee Krohn