Shelburne goes blue in General, approves wastewater bond
PATRICK BILOW STAFF WRITER
Shelburne voters approved a $38 million bond to consolidate the town’s wastewater treatment facilities.
In a decisive win, 3,694 voters favored the project, with 1,416 voting against it.
The approval arrives after years of planning and months of debate among voters leading up to Election Day.
The project will consolidate
Shelburne’s two wastewater treatment facilities into one location on Crown Road. The other facility on Turtle Lane will be converted into a pump station.
Wastewater employees have long argued for the need to update the facilities, citing failing equipment and inefficiencies in operating two treatment facilities.
The first phase of the project, which involves laying a pipe
See SHELBURNE on page 17
Incumbents win seats in Chittenden Southeast
LIBERTY DARR
STAFF WRITER
The three Democratic incumbents for Chittenden’s Southeast Senate District are holding onto their Statehouse seats after beating out two Republicans and one independent challenger Tuesday night.
Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Williston, garnered 24,922 votes in the towns that make up the Senate district. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Shelburne, received 21,498 votes, while Thomas Chit-
tenden, D-South Burlington, saw the highest number of votes at 28,729.
Bruce Roy, R- Williston, trailed with a vote tally of 16,080. Rohan St. Marthe, R-Jericho, got 8,619 votes and Taylor Craven, I-Shelburne, garnered 7,017 votes.
Together, the incumbents have served in the Statehouse for roughly 40 years. Lyons, chair of the House Committee on Health
See SENATE RACE on page 17
PHOTO BY LEE KROHN
Communications Union District awarded $2.1 million grant
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The Chittenden County Communications Union District, which currently includes eight towns, was awarded a $2.1 million grant from the Vermont Community Broadband Board in September to begin expanding high-speed fiber-optic internet connections to pockets of underserved areas throughout the county.
The communications union district officially formed in November 2022 after voters in five towns — South Burlington, Shelburne, Essex, Essex Junction and Williston — overwhelmingly approved its formation. The towns of Jericho, Underhill and Westford have since joined. The district received a grant award of $300,000 from the Vermont Community Broadband Board in 2023 for preconstruction work over the last year.
The main function of the district is to deliver public funds to providers to build the network and to provide oversight to ensure broadband service is provided to unserved and underserved locations — 4/1 megabits per second or less than 25/3 megabits per second. By working together, municipalities are more likely to attract a provider and leverage financial resources,
proponents say.
In 2023 the communications union district brought on Mission Broadband, a telecommunications consulting group, to help with mapping to better understand coverage areas in the eight municipalities. The Vermont Department of Public Service also has interactive maps available online that show broadband availability by 911 addresses, David Solomon, Shelburne representative to the district, said.
“We used those particular maps, and we went about verifying that those locations actually had activity there,” he said. “For example, you might have locations identified that turned out to be storage units, so we had to go through and make sure that those were valid addresses.”
The Chittenden County Communications Union District plans to partner with broadband company Consolidated Communications to bring Fidium Fiber to areas across the eight municipalities. Over the next few months, the district will be finalizing the grant agreement and partnership contract, Solomon said.
The current $2.1 million grant came from American Rescue Plan Act pandemic funding and is anticipated to fund phase one of construction in 2025. Phase two
is dependent on additional federal funding sources but could begin in 2027.
The Shelburne Selectboard last year voted to allocate $50,000 of the town’s own American Rescue Plan Act money to assist the communications union district. But Solomon explained that money has since been returned to the town.
“I think that when the Vermont Community Broadband Board approached the municipalities, there seemed to be this sense that everyone was going to get internet for free, and it wasn’t going to cost
the taxpayer or anything,” he said. “But that’s actually not what the law provides for. It’s not providing for this big fiber to come into town and to go everywhere. It’s specifically fiber for existing, unserved or underserved locales.”
Roughly 60 addresses in Shelburne are planned to be covered, with approximately 20 addresses in phase one and the rest in phase two. But only roughly five addresses in South Burlington are expected to be covered overall.
“South Burlington was more kind of supportive being part of
this, even though it is negligible the number of addresses that they have,” Solomon said.
Meanwhile, Burlington Telecom has separately begun to make its way into Shelburne and parts of South Burlington but they’re hitting areas he describes as “low-hanging fruit” — parts of Shelburne and Webster roads and into bigger neighborhood areas, he said.
The communications union district’s draft fiscal year 2025 budget is targeted to be $2.1 million and should be finalized later this month after a public hearing.
Shelburne native will speak at Veterans Day ceremony
Master Chief Machinist Mate Scott Wooster, a Shelburne native and 1990 graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School, is the 2024 Shelburne Veterans Day speaker.
The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m., on Monday, Nov. 11, at the Shelburne Veterans Monument.
Wooster joined the U.S. Navy
soon after graduation. His training has been in nuclear power and took place in Orlando, Fla., and Ballston Spa, N.Y. In 1996 he was selected as Sailor of the Year. His assignments included the USS Theodore Roosevelt in 1992 as a member of its machine division with a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and
Bows, twine,
Persian Gulf. This was followed by an assignment in 2000 aboard the USS George Washington, where he completed another six-month deployment.
Promoted to Chief Petty Officer January 2000, Wooster’s next
See CEREMONY on page 3
& everything fine!
‘Tis the season to be crafty! Join us and make your own cozy winter decoration. In this workshop we will be creating a wooden ornament using paint, modge podge, and glitter. Perfect as a tree ornament or a wall decoration! Seasonal appetizers will be served.
CEREMONY
continued from page 2
assignment was a six-month maintenance deployment period of the USS George Washington off the coast of Virginia that took place during Sept. 11, 2001. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was in New York City harbor the next day.
Promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer in Aril 2003, he returned to Norfolk Virginia in 2007 for a third tour on the USS Harry Truman as the Reactor Propulsion Leading Petty Officer where he completed a seven-month deployment.
His final assignment was with the Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet Command in San Diego. During this three-year assignment he was a member of the Surface Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team for training and safe operation of six nuclear powered aircraft carriers. He was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer in May 2007. By the end of his tour Wooster had circumnavigated the globe twice. been underway on eight of 10 Nimitz class carriers and logged 40 aircraft carrier landings and catapulted take-offs aboard C-2 Greyhounds.
Newspaper publisher, editor passes baton to next generation
BOB MILLER AND GREG POPA
VERMONT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GROUP
After nearly 40 years at the Vermont Community Newspaper Group, Greg Popa is retiring from the newspapers at the end of the year.
For the past 12 years, Greg has served as publisher and editor of the newspaper company, which includes five newspapers — The Stowe Reporter, News and Citizen, Shelburne News, The Citizen and The Other Paper of South Burlington — and their associated websites, Stowe Weddings, and Stowe magazine.
Prior to that Greg served as a photographer, reporter, editor and sales manager for the Stowe Reporter for more than two decades. Under his leadership, the newspaper company and its team of journalists and graphic artists have won several hundred awards through the New England Newspaper and Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, and Stowe magazine, which Greg has edited since 1991, has been recognized as the best in its class in New England just about every year since 2010.
During his tenure as publisher, he oversaw the acquisition of the News & Citizen and the three weeklies in Chittenden County.
He was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association Hall of Fame in 2022.
Fortunately for us, Greg has agreed to stay on and continue to edit and publish Stowe magazine.
He will be missed but his passion and professionalism will remain embedded in the journalistic culture of everything that we do.
Tommy Gardner, the current news editor, will replace Greg as editor of Vermont Community Newspaper Group’s five community weeklies. Tommy is well known throughout the Lamoille County area as he grew up in Morristown and Hyde Park and attended Johnson State College and is starting his 12th year as lead reporter and mentor to the other journalists at the company. Previously, he worked at the Hardwick Gazette.
We are incredibly fortunate to have someone as talented and experienced as Tommy to lead us forward. Known for his elegant and accessible writing, his work has also been regularly recognized by his peers in the regional newspaper awards contest.
In 2016, Gardner won the Mavis Doyle Award from the Vermont Press Association, which historically had been presented annually to one report-
er in the state. The award is named for the former dean of the Statehouse press corps, and selection is based on “the reporter’s aggressiveness, determination, compassion, commitment to journalism, dedication to social justice and unwavering belief that journalism should be the watchdog of the government and the voice of the people.”
The role of publisher is going to be replaced by a management committee that will oversee all the operations of the newspaper group. Serving on the committee will be Bob Miller, who has been the majority owner of the newspapers for 12 years, sales manager Bryan Meszkat, production manager Katerina Werth, who will become general manager, and Tommy Gardner, editor.
This structure ensures that the company will be overseen by local employees and managers of the business and not by some out-of-state owner.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 12-year ownership of these papers and working closely with Greg but it’s time to transfer the leadership and decision making to a younger and talented team of local managers who I’m excited to work with,” says Bob, who currently lives in Los Angeles.
All these moves will take place directly after the New Year.
THANKSGIVING DINNER
in the Beautiful Four-Story Atrium Restaurant and Veranda at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Burlington THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28
SEATINGS AVAILABLE FROM 12:00-4:00 PM
ADULTS $59 | AGES 5-12
|
Raw Bar and Seafood Display
Cold Poached Salmon
Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce and Lemons
Smoked Oysters and Mussels
Starters
Vermont Cheese Display
Salad Bar with Mixed Green and Toppings
Caesar Salad with Parmesan and Croutons
Garden Pasta Salad with Pesto Entrees
Cellentani Pasta in Garlic, Olive Oil, and Julienne Vegetables
Oct. 28 at 2:16 a.m., someone on Shelburne Road reported that his car alarm had gone off and that he thought someone was trying to break into it. The officers found nothing unusual.
Oct. 28 at 6:37 a.m., police removed an injured animal from Harbor Road.
Oct. 29 at 3:33 p.m., a retail theft was reported at Tractor Supply
on Shelburne Road. The case is under investigation.
Oct. 29 at 12:00 p.m., Fiddlehead Brewing Co. on Shelburne Road reported a theft. The case is under investigation.
Oct. 30 at 3:42 a.m., a woman was reportedly yelling at the T-Bird Motel and police say the occupant of the unit said the woman smashed a window and left. The case is under investigation.
Oct. 30 at 7:34 a.m., a Falls Road resident reported that their vehicle was vandalized.
Oct. 30 at 11:33 a.m., someone stole items from a home on Martindale Road. The case is under investigation.
Oct. 31 at 10:49 p.m., police mediated a dispute between people in a car at the Shelburne Bay Access.
Nov. 1 at 10:40 p.m., a Longmeadow Drive resident reported that items were stolen from their motor vehicle. The case is under investigation.
Nov. 2 at 10:31 a.m., a Mount Philo Road resident said homeless people might be living on their property. Officers were
See BLOTTER on page 21
Shelburne News
Serving the community of Shelburne A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC shelburnenews.com
Advertising submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. advertising@shelburnenews.com classifieds@shelburnenews.com
Editorial submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. news@shelburnenews.com
Calendar submission deadline: Friday at 12 p.m. news@shelburnenews.com
Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 985-3091
Police arrest man in bank robberies
COREY MCDONALD VTDIGGER
Burlington police on Friday arrested a man they say robbed three banks in Burlington and one in Winooski over the past week, according to Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad.
James Plunkett, 39, of Burlington, was arrested Friday on Riverside Avenue, Murad said. He was the primary suspect in a string of bank robberies in Burlington and Winooski.
According to Burlington police, Plunkett walked into three Burlington banks — Opportunities Credit Union, KeyBank and M&T Bank — and told employees he had a bomb before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
He was also cited in previous news reports as the main suspect in the robbery of TD Bank on East Allen Street in Winooski.
In each of the incidents, Plunkett could be seen in security footage and, in one video, was seen fleeing the bank on his bike. Police said he robbed Opportunities Credit Union on North Avenue on Oct. 31, KeyBank on Bank Street on Oct. 28, and M&T Bank on Pine Street on Oct. 26. At M&T and Opportunities Credit Union, he told employ-
ees he had a bomb before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Plunkett has a lengthy criminal history, with three assault charges, seven felony charges, 20 misdemeanor charges and 76 incidents going back to 2011, according to a Burlington police press release. He was separately spotted on video attempting to break into a home in Burlington’s New North End this month, police said.
“I am, once again, deeply appreciative of and impressed by the caliber of our city’s investigatory team,” Murad said in a press
Police seek man who robbed credit union
South Burlington police are investigating a robbery at the EastRise Credit Union on Shelburne Road on Tuesday, Oct. 29, around 4:52 p.m.
Police say the robber fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
The man entered the credit union, said he was armed with an incendiary device and demanded money, police said. The suspect never brandished a weapon or device.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying the man, shown here from video stills. Contact Det. Connor Lamay at clamay@ southburlingtonpolice.org or 802-846-4197. Anonymous tips are welcome.
South Burlington is being assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms’ Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force.
release. “I also offer sincere thanks to the South Burlington Police Department, the Winooski Police Department, and the Vermont State Police Northern Drug Task Force, personnel from each of which have contributed to this investigation and apprehension.”
South Burlington has also been hit with two bank robberies in recent weeks. On Oct. 29, a man entered the EastRise Credit Union on Shelburne Road in South Burlington demanding money, according to a police press release. The man told the bank teller he was armed “with an incendiary device,” police said.
South Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke said his department is working closely with Burlington’s department, but said they don’t believe Plunkett to be a suspect in the Oct. 29 robbery.
“We believe that our robbery was perpetrated by another person, and we are trying to discern whether or not Plunkett is working in concert with others or if ours is simply a standalone,” he said. The robbery came a little more than a month after a robbery of KeyBank on Shelburne Road in South Burlington on Sept. 25, Burke said. Police are investigating whether there is a connection between that case and the incident at EastRise Credit Union.
Burke said the robberies in the area are unusual, but also noted that it is common to see a repeat occurrence from lone individuals.
“It’s a trend we haven’t seen for a number of years, that’s for sure,” Burke said. “Generally, once you have one it’s pretty predictable, you’ll have two or three before you actually catch up with the person.”
Sarah Ruane, a spokesperson with the FBI’s Albany division, said the federal agency is aware of the incidents in both cities and is “assisting our law enforcement partners as needed.”
COURTESY PHOTO Police say this man is a suspect in an Oct. 29 robbery at a credit union on Shelburne Road.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BURLINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
A screenshot of James Plunkett from Oct. 26 inside of M&T Bank in Burlington.
OPINION
To legislators: Making funding decisions is not easy, popular
Guest Perspective
Jane Kitchel
As I reflect on my 20 years serving in the Vermont Senate, there are areas where we made great progress but complex challenges loom.
I take pride in getting the state’s fiscal house in order. Reserves have been built, we’ve addressed pension liabilities, and we have produced a balanced budget every year. Legislation to enact one of the most robust child care programs in the country survived a veto. We implemented tax policy changes that keep millions more in Vermonters’ pockets. We improved the state’s transportation infrastructure.
And while the modest inflationary increase in Department of Motor Vehicle fees has been heavily scrutinized, it finances Vermont’s transportation system and draws down federal dollars that save Vermont taxpayers’ money. Since 2020, we’ve appropriated nearly $300 million for housing development resulting in over 5,000 new affordable housing units throughout Vermont. Yet political messaging has overshadowed this progress.
Property taxes
trative overhead, overbuilt or antiquated infrastructure, and projections do not show trends reversing.
I hope solutions are proposed this coming year that provide fiscal sustainability and produce solid educational outcomes. It will require strong leadership as changes will likely be the subject of opposition.
Income tax benefits
The Legislature has implemented several tax changes that saved Vermonters money, including a Social Security income tax exemption that affects 7,800 households. Vermont single filers with an adjusted income of less than $50,000 and $65,000 for married filers pay zero tax on their Social Security income.
Military and civil service retirement income is exempt on the first $10,000, or approximately 3,000 households.
About 3,000 families will receive a $261 Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and families of 34,000 children under the age of 5 will benefit through the Refundable Child Care Tax Credit ($1,000).
After the 1997 Vermont Supreme Court Brigham decision, Vermont moved to a property tax structure, requiring the Legislature to set a statewide rate based on locally approved spending. Since 2018, sales tax revenues and 25 percent of rooms and meals taxes have been dedicated to the education fund. When school spending increases exceed normal growth of these non-property tax revenues, the gap is funded by an increase in the property tax and voters are de facto increasing their property taxes.
Although school spending is approved locally, the Legislature must set the statewide property tax rate to reflect this local spending. The Legislature then takes the blame. This local spending authority with a state revenue responsibility has created a serious disconnect between local school budget spending decisions and statewide property taxes.
It is straightforward: The greater the approved spending locally, the greater the revenues needed at the state level.
The latest study by Picus Odden & Associates estimates that Vermont is currently spending $400 million more than what is needed to adequately fund the K-12 education system. Standard & Poor reports that if the rate of spending is not slowed, it could put the state’s bond rating at risk. Vermont has high per pupil spending, declining enrollment, costly adminis-
A property transfer tax exemption is now in place for primary residences on the first $200,000, while a Medicare savings plan will save seniors approximately $2,000 per year.
Families, workforce and economy
The Legislature’s investments have made higher education more accessible to Vermonters. 802 Opportunity Grants are providing approximately 2,000 students with two years of free tuition at the Community College of Vermont. Tuition assistance has been directed to careers in health care, the trades and other critical non-degree programs.
For years, parents and employers highlighted the need for affordable child care. The average cost for a Vermont family with two young children has been over $26,000 a year. Child care workers have not been paid competitive wages, turnover has been high, and many programs have closed, creating a provider shortage and putting a strain on Vermont’s families and the workforce.
Revenues were required to adequately address this crisis. A payroll tax of less than one half of one percent (.44 percent) was implemented to be split by employers (.33 percent) and employees (.11 percent). For a full-time median wage employee that equates to $3.15 per week (employer) and $1.05 per week (employee).
As a result, a four-person family
Jane Kitchel
COMMUNITY
Christian Scientist talks about God’s powers
Nikki O’Hagan, a Christian Scientist and international speaker, will present a free one-hour talk, “The Science of God and It’s Power to Heal Us,” on Saturday, Nov. 16, at The University of Vermont, Dudley H. Davis Center, Jost Room.
The talk will focus on universal healing precepts found in the Bible, especially in Jesus’ life and teachings, and show how they are available for anyone to understand and experience through the lens of Christian Science. The talk is and sponsored by First Church of Christ, Scientist, Burlington. Sharing examples of healing from her own life and professional practice of Christian Science, O’Hagan will explain why Christian Science is both Christian and scientific, meaning that people can prove its effectiveness for themselves. The practice is fully
COURTESY PHOTO
Shelburne residents, town staff and Shelburne Recreation Committee members gathered on Nov. 1 to celebrate the grand opening of the Hullcrest Park’s new playground.
continued from page 6
described in the book, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” written by the founder of the Christian Science movement, Mary Baker Eddy.
O’Hagan travels from her home in County Kildare, Ireland, to speak to audiences as a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
Learn more at christianscienceburlington.org.
Shelburne Episcopal church hosts holiday bazaar
Trinity Episcopal Church will open its doors for its annual holiday Christmas bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
The sale will feature all manner of gifts and will fill the rooms with original and handmade crafts, food, and ornaments. A special traditional item will be the pinecone wreaths fashioned by hand. They require no adjustment; just hang them on the door.
Other holiday gifts will include knitted and crocheted items and wooden and glass tableware.
There will be children’s activities, raffles and take-home baskets and holiday food set-ups.
The church is on Shelburne Road (Route 7) in Shelburne.
Holiday bazaar
At Faith United Methodist
Faith United Method Church of South Burlington will host its annual holiday bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 899 Dorset St.
Featured this year are a large variety of adult and children’s new and like new winter coats for $10-$20 each, a huge cookie walk, fudge, pies, to-go soup, and lots of holiday and home decor. All proceeds will go directly to the South Burlington Food Shelf. Contact Diane at events@ faithsbvt.org with any questions.
Shelburne
church, Age well host July luncheon
St. Catherine of Siena and Age Well are teaming up to offer a Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday, Nov. 20, for anyone 60 or older in the St Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St. in Shelburne.
Check-in time is 11:30 and the meal will be served at noon. There is a $5 suggested donation. Entertainment will be provided by Gerry Ortego on guitar.
The menu is roast turkey and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sliced carrots, wheat roll, pumpkin pie with cream and milk.
You must register by Wednesday, Nov. 13, Kerry Batres, nutri-
tion 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.
Burlington Civic Symphony holds fall concert
The Burlington Civic Symphony presents its fall concert on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester with guest conductor Cole Marino.
The program will feature Gioachino Rossini’s Semiramide Overture, the Karelia Suite by Jean Sibelius and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major.
Marino, a classically trained conductor, baritone and keyboardist, graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in 2020.
Information and tickets can be found at bcsovt.org.
Knights of Columbus host community breakfast
Join the Knights of Columbus DeGosbriand Council # 279 on Sunday, Nov. 10, for a community breakfast, 9-11:30 a.m., in the parish center of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, 29 Allen St., Burlington.
The feast will feature bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, blueberry pancakes, French toast and more. Coffee, juice, butter and real Vermont maple syrup are included.
The cost is $10 and $25 for a family of four. The breakfast benefits seminarians or religious aspirants for books, car insurance, maintenance, travel during vacations, clerical clothing, emergency expenditures and other living expenses.
Contact David Ely, davidely1986@gmail.com or 802-8625109, for more information.
Ohavi Zedek hosts Musical Memories Series
On Thursday, Nov. 14, Ohavi Zedek Synagogue and the Lost Mural Project will host a concert featuring saxophonist Marty Fogel and his quintet, Thread of Blue.
The group includes Tom Cleary on piano, Dan Silverman on trombone, Jeremy Hill on bass and Geoff Bernstein on drums. The program will include improvisational jazz music emanating
Schoolgirl samples
The Vermont Sampler Initiative will hold Sampler and Embroidery ID Days on Friday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at the Holy Family St. Lawrence Church Hall in Essex Junction to register samplers and other embroideries made by schoolgirls before 1900. At this event, samplers will be photographed, a detailed description will be recorded, and owners will be asked to share the history of the sampler and its maker. The Sampler Initiative has registered nearly 800 samplers from 157 individuals and organizations. The Vermont initiative is part of the National Sampler Archive Project, a national effort to document schoolgirl samplers made in this country. The images and information are online at samplerarchive.org. To schedule an appointment, email samplersvt@gmail.com.
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COURTESY PHOTO
Laraja dressed as Blue Man and won the most original costume award for first and second graders at the Shelburne Recreation Halloween Contest on Oct. 27. The Knoff family won the cutest award in the family category dressing as squirrel, acorn and trees. The Emerson-Ward family won most original as a race car team, also in the family category.
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 7
from Jewish sources: liturgical melodies, original pieces inspired by religious text, Eastern European tunes and original arrangements of songs by American Jewish composers Jerry Bock, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin and Kurt Weill.
The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the synagogue, 188 N. Prospect St., in Burlington. Proceeds benefit The Lost Mural
Project and Full Circle Preschool. Learn more at bit.ly/4fmGPdZ
Shelburne holds blood drive on Nov. 19
St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Shelburne is hosting a Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Nov. 19, noon-5 p.m., 72 Church St.
To give, call 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter Shelburne to schedule an appointment. Appointments are strongly recommended as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated. Questions? Contact Laureen Mathon at lmathon104@gmail. com.
Declan
Best dressed
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHELBURNE RECREATION
HONORING The Veterans Among Us
LORENZO P. BUSHWAY, SR. April 28, 1960 Active Duty: Feb. 1953-Feb. 1955
W. WILBUR United States Army T/4, 14th Armored Division
ROBERT S. BORKOWSKI Sergeant (SFC) Medic VT Army National Guard
PVT. HENRI DE MARNE & PVT. CLAUDE DE MARNE Henri de Marne and his brother Claude, Patton’s 3rd army, WW2, 1944
ROLAND
THOMAS C. GIBSON Royal Air Force Squadron Leader 1947-1952, Malaya
PETER PAUL ZUK U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant Served 1955-57 Japan and Korea
MICHAEL W. LYNCH U.S. Navy, Lt.J.G. Civil Engineer Corp 1967-1975 VT Air Guard 1976-1979
US Army and VTARNG
SHANNON B. BLAKE U.S. Army, Major 1986-2006 Afghanistan War Veteran
DAVID WINER Corporal, Marine Corps March 1944-July 1946 Peleliu Campaign
WILLIAM A. READ JR. U.S. Navy Commander Gunnery Instructor Patrol Squadron 101 Southwest Pacific
DAVID F. LELAND United States Navy Lieutenant WWII 1944-1955
BEANE U.S. Navy 2 years WW II USS Missouri
EUGENE A. MEILER U.S. Air Force Captain, 1956-1966
JODY LABOUNTY US Air Force Sargeant 6 years
RALPH M. BURGESS U.S. Army Master Sergeant 1947-1981 Korean War Veteran
MICHAELA LABOUNTY US Army, Specialist Vermont Army National Guard 2 years Currently serving
ARTHUR F. GREEN US Army/US Air Force/VTANG Master Sergeant 30 years of service
MIKE BOLDOSSER CVU Class of ‘76 Retired Lt. Colonel U.S. Air Force 1976-2001
STEVE TAYLOR U.S. Army, Sgt. Co. B 6/27th Heavy Field Artillery Song Be Vietnam
D. K. ROTHENBERGER U. S. Air Force Airman First Class 1954-1962
PROUT, JR. USN USMC FMF 2nd Mar. Div. Vietnam Era 1965-1967
AL DIPIETRO Petty Officer, 2nd cl. US Navy SeaBees DaNang, Vietnam 2 Tours - 1967 & 1968
JOHANNA CONDON U.S. Army Captain MI Iraq, Afghanistan
COTE U.S. Air Force Sargeant, 1966-1970
BOLDOSSER CVU Class of ‘73 U.S. Marine Corps Served 1973-1977
LLOYD EVARTS US Army retired, CWO W3, 1955-1976
W. SCOTT STIREWALT U.S. Army
R. DONALDSON, JR. U.S. Army, PFC, two years WW II Occupation Forces Germany
CPL. WILLIAM WILLETT
BRUCE
COL.
LT. ALICIA STIREWALT U.S. Air Force
DOUGLAS
PAT
JAMES
JAMES W. CORLISS
U.S. Marine Corps 1989-1993
U.S. Army National Guard 1993-2011 E-4
Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom
THEODORE J. FINK, MD Major, US Army Medical Corps 1972-1975
HENRY “HANK” VIZVARIE Sgt., 77th Infantry Division (Statue of Liberty Division), WWII
JAMES R. FINK 1st Lieutenant, US Navy Nuclear Submarine Service 1994-1999
PATRICIA G. LAVERY VT Army National Guard Sergeant First Class (SFC) Admin and Training 1976-2009
GORDON LOWE Staff Sgt., U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division World War II 5 years service
THOMAS J. CANDON US Army Lieutenant Colonel Vietnam Active, Reserve and Guard
Corporal U.S. Marine Corps Served 1951-1955 Korean War
COL. J. WARD STACKPOLE, MD Percy Jones Army Hospital, Korean War Fort Devins in MA, Desert Storm Reservist for 30 years
GERALD J. THOMAS U.S. Navy E-4 Aviation Radioman WW II - Pacific Theatre Served June 1942 - Dec. 1945
GREGORY DEUTSCHER U.S. Marine Corps, Cpl
JAMES A. MOORE United States Navy/ Navy Reserve Sonar Technician Chief, Retired 1966-1972 USN, 1975-1991 USNR
DONALD CHARLES HEIDER U.S. Air Force 1955-1960
CESARE BUFANO VQ1 US Navy Vietnam, Cold War 1965 - 1969
S.
US Army Private First Class 1943-1944 Purple Heart and Bronze Star
JACK H. PRESS U.S. Army, TSgt Signals Intelligence European Theater 1944-1946
JOHN ARNOTT
RUSSELL HORNE, JR. Coast Guard Served Aug. 1942-Aug. 1945 WWII
ARTHUR
KUNIN
CHARLES D. GRIBNAU U.S. Army Battle of the Bulge Infantryman Yankee Division
RICHARD J. DUBOIS U.S. Navy FN 1949-1958 Korea
DAVID S GARDNER Gunner Navy USS Topeka WW II
ROBYN A. LITTLE (NEE WHITEMAN) U.S. Navy E 5 1981-1989
HILTON H. BROOKS Naval Reserve Seabees Seaman 1st Class USS Arkav, Okinawa, HI 1943-1945
STUART JACOBS Sgt. First Class U.S. Army Korea 1952-1954 Bronze Star Medal R&R Toykyo, Japan, 1953
WALT HOUGHTON U.S. Air Force VT Air National Guard, MSgt. 12 Years
MARC LEWIS 2nd Class Petty Officer E-5 USS Josephus Daniels 1980-1985
SAM FEITELBERG U.S. Army
GEORGE BEDARD U.S. Army Specialist 5 Artillery/Survey Division Vietnam / 3 years of service
CARROLL A. “BUD” OCKERT Col. U. S. Army 1958-1988 Viet Nam
ELWIN R. JIMMO US Army 1964-1968 SSGT
GEORGE R. ELLWOOD U.S. Army, Sergeant 2000-2008 Operation Iraqi Freedom
PLANTE U.S. Army Signal Corp World War II
RICHARD C. LAFRENIERE Army E-7 Sargent Desert Storm 1991-current Iraq and Afghanistan
GEORGE J. ELLWOOD Lt. Col. U.S. Army Vermont National Guard Vermont State Guard 1943-1999
LAWRENCE H. RIGGS U.S. Marine Corps World War II Served 3.5 yrs in South Pacific Received Expert Rifleman Award; became rifle instructor
FREDERICK
BRUCE E. HILL
U.S. Navy Pilot LTJG 1955-1958
Discharged in 1964 as LT
DONALD L. MOORE U.S. Air Force S/Sgt 1952-1956
J. RUITENBERG United States Air Force Technical Sergeant 12 years of service
MATTHYS LAURENS LEVY U.S. Army Engineers 1st Lt. 1952-1954
TOM WADSWORTH U.S. Navy Commander Vietnam and Iraq 1967-1992
RICHARD BRANDA US Army Major MC 1968-1970 Vietnam
US Marine Corps Captain 2011-2017
JOHN J. NAILOR United States Marine Corp. Sergeant Vietnam 1964-1968
CLIFTON L. PARKER U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant 1970-1990
DANIEL BEAN US Navy HMC 1952-1968
C.
US Army Reserve Military Police E5 April 1967 - April 1973
ROBERT NAPPI U.S. Army, Signal Corp Staff Sargent 1968-1971
RICHARD W. DUDLEY Vermont National Guard Sergeant 1951-1959
CAROL-ANN GEORGES US Army Nurse Corps First Lieutenant 1969-1971
T.
US Marine Corps Corporal 1986-1990
RONALD A. SWEET United States Army Reserve Sargent 1955-1962
ROBERT L. DURKIN U.S. Army Airborne/Ranger Captain 1967-1970, 101st Airborne, Vietnam
RUSSELL D. SPAID US Army 36th Infantry Reconnaisance Troup 1942-1946
PAUL ROMANO
STEPHEN
HOFMANN
JOSHUA
COHEN
ZACHARY
HONORING The Veterans Among Us
BERNARD E. DEE JR. United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel 21 years of service
PAUL GOODRICH US Army 1968-1969 Vietnam Veteran
ROBERT BINGEL US Army Captain 6 years of service
HANS PUCK US Army Infantry Platoon Leader First Lieutenant 2 years of service Vietnam, Bronze Star
ROBERT A. GASSER US Army Corporal, Military Police 100th Division 1943-1946
BOB BENNETT U.S. Air Force A/2C 1955-1959 Reporter, Pacific Stars & Stripes, Tokyo
HANK HARDER US Air Force and Vermont Air National Guard Brigadier General 1989 - present
MAUREEN MUNN CONDON U.S. Army Captain Army Nurse Corp 4 Years
ROBERT METHOT SR. Sergeant WWII 1942-1946
CHARLES R. DUNHAM US Army Corps of Engineers Captain 1963-1965
DONALD CONDON U.S. Army Captain INF Vietnam 8 Years
HENRY HILLIARD U.S. Navy Awarded NATO medal for service
GERARD R. TESSIER U.S. Army, SFC WW II, Korea, Vietnam 26-year veteran
MARK J. GUSTAFSON U.S. Air Force, Major 1999-2013
State climatologist speaks at Pierson
On Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m., Pierson Library in Shelburne will host a presentation by Vermont state climatologist Dr. LesleyAnn Dupigny-Giroux. With expertise in floods, droughts and extreme weather, Dupigny-Giroux will share insights on current climate and weather trends, helping attendees understand what the future may hold.
• Write together for NaNoWriMo, Friday, Nov. 8, 9-11 a.m.
Join fellow writers for a quiet space to craft your novel. Tea and coffee provided.
• Multicultural movie night, Friday, Nov. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Enjoy a family movie with pizza, sponsored by the Shelburne Equity and Diversity Committee. This month’s film: A boy with a facial difference finds friendship at school. (Rated PG, 113 minutes)
• Ecological fall garden cleanup, Saturday, Nov. 9, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Participate in a hands-on gardening event led by master gardener Steve Budington, focus-
Experience a performance and workshop of traditional Morris dancing, featuring live music and costume.
• Meet the Siberian sled dog puppies, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2:15-3:15 p.m.
Snuggle with Siberian Sled Dog puppies in two half-hour sessions hosted by author Milagro Amaya Turner. Registration required.
• Writers unite, Thursday, Nov. 14, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Teens ages 11-15 gather to improve writing skills and share their work. Snacks provided.
• “Living with Climate Chaos,” Thursday, Nov. 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Presentation by Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, state climatologist, about climate change impacts and trends.
PHOTO BY DR. LESLEY-ANN L. DUPIGNY-GIROUX
Democrats lose supermajority in House, Senate Rodgers ousts Zuckerman
VTDIGGER
The Democratic supermajority in the Vermont House is no more.
Republicans picked up 18 seats in the 150-member chamber on Tuesday, dramatically reshaping power dynamics in the House. They’re set to hold 55 seats in the next biennium — enough to prevent Democrats and Progressives, who will hold 92 seats together, from overriding Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s vetoes.
Three independents won races Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office.
The chairs of two House committees were among several Democratic incumbents unseated Tuesday — as was an assistant majority leader of the party — ensuring major changes to the chamber when lawmakers return to Montpelier in January.
The outcome mirrored that of the Vermont Senate, where Republicans toppled four incumbents and picked up two additional seats in the 30-member body.
Vermont Republican Party Chair Paul Dame said the Republican successes in legislative races will force Democrats to work with Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who cruised to reelection Tuesday.
“I don’t think we’ve had a night
this good in 10 years,” Dame said. “Tonight, voters have weighed in on how to solve that stalemate. They said, ‘You should have been listening to the governor in (the) last two years.’”
Speaking at an election party in South Burlington on Tuesday night, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, bemoaned the outcomes of that day’s elections.
“Our stomachs are in knots tonight about what’s happening with the national election and elections here at home,” said Krowinski, flanked by about a dozen House colleagues. “We are still waiting to get final results from across the state. We’ve picked up some seats. We’ve lost some seats. It’s difficult, but what I want Vermonters to know is that we still have your back.”
Democratic incumbents ousted Tuesday:
• Rep. Diane Lanpher in the Addison-3 district
• Rep. Mike McCarthy in Franklin-3
• Rep. William Notte in the Rutland-7 House district.
• Rep. Josie Leavitt in the Grand Isle-Chittenden district
• Rep. Dennis Labounty in the Caledonia-3 district
• Rep. Robin Chestnut-Tangerman in the Bennington-Rutland district
People
• Rep. Jim Carroll in the Bennington-5 district
Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party, said in an interview around 11:15 p.m. at the party’s election night gathering in South Burlington that the state GOP’s — and particularly Scott’s — messaging over property taxes proved to be more effective on the campaign trail than what he called Democrats’ “herculean work” knocking on doors and engaging with voters on the ground.
Scott and the GOP, Dandeneau said, “overwhelmed people’s
Chittenden-Southeast Senate
concerns about the future of our democracy with concerns about the future of their own pocketbooks.”
Zuckerman loses
John Rodgers, a Republican from Glover, was elected lieutenant governor Tuesday, unseating Progressive/Democrat Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman in a rare ouster of a statewide incumbent.
The dramatic conclusion came at the end of a highly competitive — and at times highly personal — contest for the state’s second highest-ranking office.
The outcome became clear around 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, when the last of Vermont’s 247 towns and cities reported results. At that time, Rodgers led Zuckerman 46.2 percent to 44.6 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s Office — with just 5,959 votes separating them.
“We feel like we’ve got it,” Rodgers said earlier Wednesday morning, in a phone call around 12:30 a.m. “We couldn’t be happier with the results.”
About an hour before that, Zuckerman addressed reporters at the Vermont Democratic Party’s election night party in South Burlington, saying “there’s certainly a decent chance I’m going to lose” but declining to formally concede the race.
The result means that Republican Gov. Phil Scott — who cruised to reelection on Tuesday — will have a close ally serving in the lieutenant governor’s office for the first time in the eight years he’s served as chief executive.
The race saw both Rodgers and Zuckerman, who work as farmers and previously served alongside each other as state legislators, pitch themselves as a stronger voice for working class people and the better candidate to help tackle concerns
over affordability and property tax increases in many communities necessary to fund public education.
Zuckerman was seeking his fourth term in the lieutenant governor’s office.
Speaking at the Democratic party event, he acknowledged that Rodgers’ campaign messaging was effective, though the incumbent characterized it as “a lot of promises, and really, capitalizing on people’s frustration.”
Strong turnout
Throughout Vermont on Tuesday, voters streamed into polling places to cast their ballots in an election that has been marked by extraordinary anticipation and division at the national level and a more muted debate closer to home.
More than 220,000 Vermonters — roughly two-fifths of the state’s registered voters — had already voted before Tuesday, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said at a press conference that afternoon.
She said she expected overall voter turnout to be high, though she said it was too soon to say whether it would exceed the high-water mark set four years earlier, when nearly 371,000 Vermonters — or roughly 73 percent of registered voters — took part in the election.
According to the Community News Service, 47.12 percent of mail-in ballots were returned and accepted as of Nov 5. Charlotte and Shelburne had the highest percentage of mail-in ballots at 65 percent and 62 percent, respectively.
Though many voted early, some said they preferred to wait until Election Day to part with their ballot.
Though few statewide candidates in Vermont face serious
PHOTO BY GLENN RUSSELL/VTDIGGER
on Tuesday.
continued from page 16
lenges this cycle, Gov. Phil Scott and his fellow Republicans have sought to make the election a referendum on the Democratic supermajority that controls the Statehouse. That message resonated for Joan Forbes, a 73-year-old Middlebury resident who owns a concrete company. Outside the Middlebury Recreation Center on Tuesday morning, she said that she was hoping to give Scott “the help that he needs to do things to make Vermont livable right now.”
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between the Crown Road and Turtle Lane facilities, will go to bid this winter. Construction at the Crown Road location will follow. The pipe alone is estimated to cost $6.2 million.
“We appreciate the community’s support, and the town’s project team looks forward to moving this along,” said Town Manager Matt Lawless Tuesday night.
House races
Incumbent Democrat Kate Lalley won the Chittenden-6 State House seat, garnering 2,042 votes.
Her opponent, Deb Mayfield, who ran a write-in campaign earlier this year to challenge Lalley, received 828 votes.
“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to serve the community for another term,” said Lalley after the results came in.
Democrat Shawn Sweeney, a newcomer to politics, won the Chittenden-7 House seat in an unopposed race. He received 2,060 votes.
Sweeney is the owner and operator of Sweeney DesignBuild,
SENATE RACE
continued from page 1
and Welfare, has served in the Legislature for 12 terms. Hinsdale, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs has served six terms in the Legislature, four of those in the House — where she sat on the House General, Housing and Military Affairs, and Ways and Means Committees, and served as vice chair of the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee — and two in the Senate. And Chittenden, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, has served two terms in the Senate after three terms on the South Burlington City Council.
While Democrats won big in Chittenden-Southeast, the Senate overall lost its Democratic supermajority as Republicans flipped six seats, unseating four incum-
But like Vermonters traditionally do, Forbes said she was splitting her ticket — voting for Republicans in statewide races and for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, for president. “That’s new for me!” she exclaimed.
Explaining her vote for Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and Tuesday’s winner, Forbes said, “I just don’t like the negativity. He has to badmouth everyone. People shouldn’t do that.”
While Harris won Vermont’s three electoral votes, the country has a whole will send Trump back to the White House in January.
Norman Boyden, 80, a retired clockmaker from Williston, stood outside the armory in his town with a sign and a hat emblazoned with the name of his friend, Bruce Roy, a Republican candidate for state Senate in the Chittenden-South district. He noted that he also had a Trump hat waiting for him in his Jeep, which featured a Trump
bumper sticker.
“Trump is not a perfect person. None of us are. Has he made mistakes? Absolutely,” Boyden said. “But the other side has made far more mistakes.”
Referring to two foiled assassination attempts on the Republican presidential nominee, Boyden said, “He’s risking his life to bring balance back.”
Donna Mae Peck, 78, sounded a similar note when voting at Lake Region Union High School in Barton Tuesday morning.
“The country is going to hell, and we need a big change in administration,” the retired chef said of the presidency.
Other
statewide races
Vermonters reelected the state’s attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and auditor of accounts by comfortable margins Tuesday, sending a slate of incumbent Democrats (and one Democrat/ Progressive) back to office.
Unofficial results from the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office just after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning showed victories for attorney general Charity Clark, secretary of state Sarah Copeland Hanzas, treasurer Mike Pieciak and auditor Doug Hoffer.
None of the incumbents faced competitive challenges.
and he says he plans to bring a business mentality and cost-analysis techniques to Montpelier.
Affordability was a major theme of Sweeney’s campaign, saying he wants Vermonters to get value for every dollar spent. He previously stated that the model for education funding “has run its course.”
Kamala Harris was the clear favorite for president in Shelburne with 4,472 votes. Donald Trump, who looks to be on track to reclaim the White House in January, received 915 votes.
Republican gubernatorial incumbent Phil Scott received 4,038 votes from Shelburne, with Esther Charlestin receiving 1,038.
Bernie Sanders got 4,138 votes for U.S. senator. His opponent, Gerald Malloy, received 1,143 votes. Becca Balint received 4,144 votes for Congress, followed by Mark Coester, who received 930 votes. Both Sanders and Balint are incumbents.
David Zuckerman received 2,943 votes for lieutenant governor, with challenger John Rodg-
ers, who ousted the incumbent, received 2,086.
Shelburne voters reelected other statewide Democratic office holders, including state treasurer Mike Pieciak, secretary of state Sarah Copeland Hanzas and attorney general Charity Clark.
Thomas Chittenden was the favorite in Shelburne for state senator in the Chittenden-Southeast District with 3,498 votes. Ginny Lyons received 3,089 votes and Kesha Ram Hinsdale got 2,820. All three incumbents head back to Montpelier for another term.
Republican challenger Bruce Roy of Williston received 1,864 votes.
According to Town Clerk Diana Vachon, 61 percent of Shelburne voters returned their ballot before Election Day.
“It’s been busier than past elections,” she told the Shelburne News Tuesday. “We had a line out the door this morning, which we haven’t had in years, so it’s been nice to see people voting in person again.”
Peck said she believes Scott is an “excellent” governor. As for legislative Democrats? “Everything he tries to do, they override his veto,” she said. “There are too many out-of-staters, transplants, running the state now. They don’t seem to care what the real Vermonters want.”
Reporting by VTDigger journalists Neal Goswami, Ethan Weinstein, Shaun Robinson, Sarah Mearhoff, Emma Cotton, Kevin O’Connor, Neal Goswami, Paul Heintz, Klara Bauters, Peter D’Auria and Auditi Guha.
bents and dominating races for open seats, according to VTDigger, nearly doubling its representation from seven seats to 13.
The Senate chair of the natural resources and energy committee, Sen. Chris Bray, an Addison County Democrat, lost to a political newcomer, Steven Heffernan, while Katherine Sims, who mounted an aggressive campaign for the Orleans County Senate district lost handily to her GOP opponent, Sam Douglass.
Other Senate Democrats in Orange, Grand Isle, Caledonia and Chittenden counties were also defeated.
The Republican strategy of blaming the Democratic supermajority for steep tax increases this year seems to have paid off statewide, if not in Chittenden-Southeast.
Lyons told The Other Paper in October that an experienced Senate is something that will be crucial in the next biennium as hot topics loom. From housing and combating climate change to property taxes and education funding reform, the legislature is facing a monumental year with each incumbent candidate outlining these issues as top priorities.
“It’s really important to have experienced leadership in the Senate and I do bring that, and I will continue to bring that,” Lyons said.
Roy, who garnered 11.8 percent of South Burlington’s votes Tuesday night, brought in $21,500 to finance his campaign in total.
Hinsdale raised just over $26,000 for her campaign. Chittenden brought in $11,833 and Lyons $3,370.
By supporting each other, CVU boys’ win 21st state title
LAUREN READ SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
For most of the season, the Champlain Valley boys’ soccer team’s mantra has been “the only team that can beat CVU is CVU.”
On Saturday, in the Division I state championship, they proved unbeatable.
The top-seeded Redhawks beat No. 10 Colchester 3-0 at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field to win the D-I state title — the 21st in program history.
“I’m just proud of the way they came together,” CVU coach Shane Bufano said. “I was just really impressed with the level that these guys competed.”
The season didn’t come easily for the Redhawks, who battled some defensive issues early on, faced one of the state’s tougher game schedules and spent a lot of time on road. But the group focused on supporting each other and being mentally tough and as the season progressed, the defending champs found their rhythm.
“It was kind of an arduous season in a few ways,” Bufano said. “We were making a bunch of silly mistakes and getting frustrated by that. So, we had a sit down and talked about how we could be good teammates and support each other, and that I thought really contributed to how we started to play for each other as the season progressed.”
All the work throughout the regular season paid off in the final game, when the team’s defense combined to shut down star Colchester player Demunga Alfani in the early parts of the game.
Then the CVU offense jumped on two first half opportunities — one half way through the half from George Charlson and the other just before the end of the frame on a converted penalty kick for Miles Bergeson.
The 2-0 lead forced Colchester to rely more on its star and opened up the game for CVU, exactly as they planned.
“We knew if we scored early that they’d have to push (Alfani) up, which would then open up our midfield,” Bufano said. “We
6am-9am, Saturday, November 16th
scored fairly early, about 19 minutes in, so as soon as we had scored, they put him as a forward, which the entire midfield was open and we took control after that.”
The well executed game plan piggybacked on all the work the team had done through the regular season and helped the Redhawks secure the program’s 21st state title, a record that is tied for most in state history with the CVU girls.
“I really am happy for those guys to go out on top,” Bufano said. “It’s really a privilege to be part of something like that and not something to take for granted. I think when they look back at it, they are going to really cherish that time.”
Barre, Williston, St. Albans Plattsburgh,
PHOTO BY AL FREY
The Champlain Valley boys’ Division I soccer champs. The program has now won 21 state championships, a state record, and is only matched by the CVU girls’ soccer program.
Girls’ soccer team take unbeaten season to division title
Redhawks’ football heads to title game
LAUREN READ
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Champlain Valley girls’ soccer coach Stan Williams could not have asked for a more out of his team this season.
A tight-knit 23-women roster that played well together? Check. Seven senior leaders that set the tone? Check. An unbeaten regular season? Check.
The program’s 21st Division I state title? Check.
No. 1 Champlain Valley beat No. 10 South Burlington, 2-0, on Saturday at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field to clinch the D-I state championship, their second in three years.
“Just a spectacular group of kids,” Williams, who won his eighth title as head coach, said. “We were pretty steady through the whole year, and it was a great culmination — an awesome match under the lights at Virtue. You couldn’t have asked for a better ending.”
The title game played out much like the rest of the season — exactly as planned for the Redhawks.
The team going in knew that controlling the ball and team defense would be key, giving the offense a chance to find a quick strike to grab the lead.
That’s exactly what happened as the first half progressed, with Rieanna Murray finding the back of the net in the 31st minute. Kate Roberts then doubled the lead early in the first half to essentially seal the win.
“We knew South Burlington would be hard to score on,” Williams said. “In one of our previous games, we felt we’d almost overpassed and kept looking for the perfect goal rather than just a goal or chance. Kate just ripped it from outside the 18 rather than wait and try to slot through and get that perfect one.
“That was a great example of looking to attack a little bit more than we had in the previous game against them.”
The win was a culmination of a year that saw the Redhawks play nearly perfect team ball throughout the season.
CVU pitched 12 shutouts in its 16 wins. The team completed a 16-0-1 unbeaten season. And they did it all as a 23-woman unit on and off the field.
“This group was just all 23 kids seamlessly integrated, and I think that our power came from that connection,” Williams said. “We realized that we were much more powerful as a collective than individuals. This group legitimately was just so tight and so connected
that it was such a joy to coach. I feel lucky to have been on the sideline with them.”
All of that led to the program’s 21st state title, tying the CVU boys for most in program history.
“I could not be happier than to have seen this group succeed like they did,” Williams said. “I really truly felt they deserved it, and it was kind of the honor that they had been working for.”
Redhawks beat Middlebury
Champlain Valley 21, Middlebury 7: The Champlain Valley defense came up big in 21-7 win over Middlebury on Saturday to book the Redhawks a spot in the Division I football state championships.
See FOOTBALL on page 20
Child Find Notice
Champlain Valley School District (including the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, and Williston, Vermont) is required by federal law to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities. The process of locating, identifying and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find.
Champlain Valley School District schools conduct Kindergarten screening each spring; parents may also call to make an appointment to discuss their concerns at any time. As the school district of residence, CVSD has the responsibility to identify and provide services to any child with special needs who may require special education and related services in order to access and benefit from public education.
If you have, or know of any CVSD resident who has a child with a disability under the age of 21 or a child who attends a private school located in Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George, or Williston, Vermont, we would like to hear from you. Sometimes parents are unaware that special education services are available to their children.
Please contact the School Principal Charlotte Central School – 802-425-2771, Hinesburg Community School – 802-482-2106, Shelburne Community School – 802-985-3331, Williston Central/Allen Brook Schools – 802-878-2762) or the Director of Student Support Services, Anna Couperthwait at 802-985-1903.
Be sure to visit our advertisers and tell them: “I saw your name in the Shelburne News.”
PHOTO BY AL FREY
CVU’s girls’ soccer team celebrates its Division I title on Saturday. The No. 1 seed beat South Burlington 2-0 for the program’s 21st championship.
life. Our compassionate staff is devoted to easing the difficulties at this challenging time. Our staff is here for you 24/7 Tiger & Buster
FOOTBALL
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The top-seeded Redhawks will face No. 2 Rutland (8-1) on Saturday at St. Johnsbury Academy at 5 p.m. CVU did not face Rutland in the regular season.
The two teams were tied 7-7 headed into the fourth quarter, the CVU defense providing key stops to give the Redhawks offense a chance to find their footing.
Youth basketball
Youth basketball registration deadline is Nov. 8.
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.
And find it they did. Quarterback Orion Yates hit first Dylan Frere and then George Taylor with long touchdown passes to give CVU the points it needed to clinch a spot in the D-I final.
Yates also hit Frere with an earlier 40-yard TD catch.
•
Yoga flow for strength, flexibility
Find some calm in your body and your mind and join Jane Taylor for an accessible, fun and energizing yoga flow that builds
bone strength and brings students out of their daily grind and into their true nature of goodness.
Taylor has been practicing for more than 20 years and has been assisting the University of Vermont yoga teacher training for 12 years. Sessions are Tuesdays, Nov. 12, to Dec. 17, 9-10 a.m., in the library community room. The fee is $90.
The registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 8.
Toddler open gym
Come play and connect with others. No pre-registration necessary, just sign in at the door. A parent or caregiver must always be present.
Scooters, bikes and ride-on toys are not permitted. There will be balls, hoops and tumbling mats. Wear indoor shoes or socks inside the gym. No food is allowed.
In case of inclement weather, call 802-985-9551 to check for cancellations. The free open gym is for toddlers and preschoolers. Sessions are Sundays, Nov. 10 and 24 and Dec. 15, 9:30-11 a.m. More dates are scheduled for 2025 so check our website for more details.
Volunteer coordinator is Aisha Mueller, and the program is held at Shelburne town gym.
Shelburne Parks & Rec News
PHOTO BY AL FREY
Rieanna Murray and her teammates celebrate her score that put the Redhawks up 1-0.
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
Burlington Civic Symphony holds fall concert
The Burlington Civic Symphony presents its fall concert on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester with guest conductor Cole Marino.
The program will feature Gioachino Rossini’s Semiramide Overture, the Karelia Suite by Jean Sibelius and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major.
Marino, a classically trained conductor, baritone and keyboard-
KITCHEL
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with an infant and preschooler enrolled in full-time child care can save $325 a week on average and over $16,000 a year.
Budget lessons
Vermont’s experience with pension underfunding demonstrates the painful long-term fiscal impacts of resorting to short-term budgetary expediencies. In 2022 the Legislature enacted a pension bill that improved the financial security of public servants in their retirement. The legislation was vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott but overridden unanimously, representing one of the few times in Vermont’s history every Democrat, Republican and Independent voted to override a veto.
By addressing years of underfunding, we are stabilizing pension systems, improving the state’s credit rating and honoring commitments to teachers and state employees.
Raiding reserves and using one-time revenues for ongoing spending obligations is not sound budgeting. The budget committees have strongly held to this principle. Basing decisions on what one hopes will happen is
ist, graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in 2020.
Information and tickets can be found at bcsovt.org.
Honor your pet at remembrance day
Join A.W. Rich Funeral Home for its annual holiday pet remembrance service on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m., at the Elley-Long Music Center at Saint Michael’s College, 223 Ethan Allen Ave., in Colchester.
Honor your cherished pet that
has crossed the rainbow bridge. Free registration includes a personalized memorial ornament with your pet’s picture.
A reception will follow. Donations accepted to benefit Lucy’s House, a local nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of homeless pets, which provides pet food and medical assistance to keep pets in their homes.
To register, scan a picture of your pet with their first and last name and email to diana@awrfh.
com
Registration ends Monday, Dec. 2.
perilous. Priorities must be clear as requests always far exceed available revenues. Making funding decisions is not an easy or popular task.
Last, be very cautious about adding new spending while simultaneously underfunding core government functions.
I am leaving public service after 55 years — 35 years in the executive branch and 20 in the legislative branch. It has been the privilege of a lifetime for me. I know that I have been described
BLOTTER
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unable to locate anyone.
Nov. 2 at 11:11 a.m., a stray dog running loose on Woodbine Road was reunited with its owner.
Nov. 2 at 2:40 p.m., a car was reported stolen on Champlain Drive, but police determined it had been removed at the request of the insurance company.
Nov. 2 at 10:58 p.m., a young woman was reportedly yell-
by some as one of the most powerful legislators in the Statehouse. Nevertheless, like Cincinnatus who left power behind to go back to his farm, it is time for me to do the same.
Jane Kitchel has served as the state senator for Caledonia County for the past 20 years. She has served as chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations since 2011 and as a member of the Senate Committee on Transportation since 2005.
ing profanity in the hallway at Harbor Place. She agreed to return to her room for the night.
Nov. 3 at 6:29 p.m., police mediated a domestic disturbance in front of the T-Bird Motel.
Nov. 3 at 9:37 p.m., police returned items removed from a vehicle on Timber Lane and left on the side of the road.
Nov. 3 at 11:18 a.m., a vehicle stolen on Penny Lane was recovered by Essex Police.
Due Friday, November 15, 2024 SHELBURNE
2ND FY 24-25 PROPERTY TAX
INSTALLMENT
Payments must be POSTMARKED or RECEIVED in the TOWN OFFICES by MIDNIGHT, November 15, 2024. Late payments are subject to penalty and interest. Payments can be left in lock box at Police Department Dispatch until Midnight, November 15, 2024.
PLEASE NOTE: The Police Department cannot provide any information regarding your tax account or receipts for payments.
If any questions please call 985-5120 Office hours for payment in person are Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
JOIN OUR TEAM: The City of South Burlington seeks a strategic and visionary Human Resources Director to lead our HR initiatives and foster a vibrant workplace culture. This dedicated HR professional will champion our workforce, support our leaders, and further our mission of community servant leadership. Come help us make a difference and shape the future!
WHAT YOU WILL DO: As the Human Resources Director, you will be the driving force behind our HR policies, procedures and strategies. You will: (1) Develop/implement policies that promote equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. (2) Oversee recruitment, retention, and professional development programs. (3) Partner with city leadership to align HR practices with strategic goals. (4) Foster a culture of continuous improvement and employee engagement.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field required, plus a minimum of five years of experience in human resources leadership and administration, preferably in a municipal setting. Certification as a Human Resources Professional (SHRM, HRI or similar) preferred.
SALARY RANGE: $100,000-$110,000 (annually)
APPLY NOW: Please submit your on-line application, resume and cover letter by November 25, 2024. Learn more: governmentjobs .com/careers/southburlington. The City of South Burlington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
