Drum roll, please
Hidden history
Un-beat-able Japanese drum show coming to Shelburne this weekend
Meet three Vermonters whose histories may be lesser known
Page 2
Page 3
Volume 55 Number 35
Champlain Valley to study merger with Mount Mansfield
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BRIANA BRADY STAFF WRITER
The Champlain Valley School District is beginning to tackle tasks set out by last year’s statewide education reforms. The district will study the possibility of a merger with another district and collaborate with a larger regional network, called a cooperative education service area, to consider sharing some services and resources. The legislation — Act 170 — has paired Champlain Valley with the Mount Mansfield Union Unified School District to study a merger between the two. The two districts have been named to the broader “Champlain Valley South,” service area, which also includes the majority of Addison County’s school districts, including the Hannaford Technical Center in Middlebury. The merger studies and the creation of the service area groups are mandated by law. Whether or not the districts actually merge, and what services end up being shared, will be decided later by voters. See MERGER on page 15
PHOTO BY LEA ANN SMITH
Odinn, a J/111 captained by Kjell Dahlen of Lake Champlain Yacht Club, heads for the finish line during the final windward leg in the Diamond Island Race, with Camel’s Hump in the background. Odinn was first to finish in the race. See story, page 10.
Town updates ethics policy to meet state guidelines MARI HUGLIN STAFF WRITER
The Shelburne Selectboard has updated its ethics policy to better comply with the state’s new framework. At a July 14 selectboard meeting, Lee
Suskin, a member of the town’s ethics committee, explained that Vermont has changed the framework of its ethics policy, and the town should do the same. Suskin and town moderator Tom Little wrote the original town’s ethics ordinance around 2009. It was updated in 2018 and
2024 after multiple events — including a locally infamous controversy over a Vermont Railway salt storage shed. The ordinance is focused on residents
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Page 2 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
POLICY
continued from page 1
FILE PHOTO
Stuart Paton leads a group in a taiko drumming performance.
Un-beat-able Japanese drum show coming to Shelburne this weekend MARI HUGLIN STAFF WRITER
Stuart Paton has a passion for drumming. Growing up in Japan for 18 years, he was introduced to taiko, a Japanese form
of drumming, in the fourth grade. Since 1986, Paton and Burlington Taiko have shared the art form with the Northeast through education and performances. Paton said taiko is a combination of dance, rhythm and culture.
Performers beat drums, ranging in size from one to five feet in diameter, alongside choreographed moves and shouts. See DRUM on page 12
who volunteer on the quasi-judicial boards in town. These volunteers are not town employees but do have the authority to affect property, hold hearings and levy fees. Selectboard member Mike Ashooh said the most recent policy updates are to make Shelburne’s policy consistent with the state’s and give more clarity to residents about when there is a conflict of interest and how to deal with it. Ashooh said the selectboard commissioned a study from Vermont Legislative Research Services at the University of Vermont to gain more background and information on conflict-of-interest policies. “One thing we learned when we did the study is that most conflict-of-interest issues arise out of people not knowing better,” Ashooh said. He said he wants the new policy to be a system to educate and train town volunteers. Suskin said the new policy will be contained in one document “so it’s easy for everyone to read and understand and be ethical.” Suskin and town manager Matt Lawless said the rules were
updated to comply with the state while keeping it as similar to the previous ordinance as possible. “It brings us into compliance with the state law but preserves as much of the original intent of the town’s ethics ordinance that preceded it,” Lawless said. The ordinance provides a standard code of ethics guiding municipalities on conflicts of interests, ethics violations, enforcement and protection. Selectboard member Chunka Mui was concerned with one part of the updated policy that he said seemed to restrict residents with municipal positions from providing town services. At the Aug. 11 selectboard meeting, a policy revision was added, clarifying that a volunteer serving on a committee can perform contracted work if there is no ethical conflict, fair competition for other companies and the volunteer does not significantly benefit. Chair Matthew Wormser supported the policy and the proposed updates. “It’s nice to see (the ethics policy) in place, but I would welcome it being taken to heart in places beyond our small town and state anyway,” he said.
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An illustration depicting what Charles Bowles’ congregation might have looked like.
Meet three Vermonters whose histories may be lesser known KYLE NEECE COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
This summer marked the 250th anniversary of the United States, and many Vermont towns and cities celebrated residents who played important roles in the fight for independence. But there are many other notable Vermonters who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their names may be lesser known, but their stories reveal the realities of life at the time.
Charles Bowles Charles Bowles was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1761. His father was an African servant, and his mother was the daughter of Revolutionary War hero Col. Morgan, according to a biography by John W. Lewis. At the age of 12, Bowles became a servant in a loyalist household. When the Revolutionary War kicked off, Bowles joined the colonial army as a waiter. In 1776, Bowles served in a New Hampshire regiment as a private. After the war, in 1779, Bowles was honorably discharged in Newburgh, New York. Shortly after, he moved to Warren, New Hampshire, and began preaching in nearby communities. A few years later, Bowles moved to Vermont, where he continued preaching. Author and historian Elise Guyette researched and wrote about Bowles for her book “Discovering Black Vermont.” “This was during the Second Great Awakening, which is a very important movement in our country,” said Guyette, referring to a
major religious revival around the turn of the 19th century. “But usually you don’t read about people like Charles Bowles, even though he was a very important part of it.” Bowles lived in Huntington, where he was a successful preacher with a congregation of about 60 people, according to Guyette’s research. He also preached across central and northern Vermont and upstate New York. He founded Free Will Baptist churches in
Huntington, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Duxbury. “He held huge revivals all over the state, and hardly anybody remembers this man,” Guyette said. Bowles eventually moved to Malone, New York, where he purchased small farmland and settled down with his daughter, Eunice. He died on March 16,
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Page 4 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
CRIME & COURTS Shelburne Police Blotter: Aug. 16-22 Total reported incidents: 72 Welfare check: 6 Suspicious incidents: 10 Vandalism: 1 Service abuse prevention order: 1 Fire alarm: 7 Medical emergency: 24
Special overtime: 1 Mutual aid: 2 Citizen dispute: 1 Theft: 2 Carbon monoxide alarm: 1 Agency assistance: 3 Domestic incident: 1 Motor assist: 1
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Missing person: 1 Crash: 3 Animal problem: 1 Elevator emergency: 1 Alarm: 2 Traffic hazard: 1 Parking problem: 1 Fire hazard: 1 911 Hang-up calls: 1 Traffic stops: 24 Selected incidents: Aug. 18 at 2:55 p.m., someone reported a strange acting racoon at Stokes Lane, which was removed. Aug. 18 at 3:20 p.m., someone requested a welfare check on Shelburne Road and officers found the person to be OK.
Aug. 18 at 10:16 a.m., a person at Wake Robin reported her sister missing, but she later returned home safely. Aug. 19 at 10:55 a.m., a person reported items stolen from their property located on South Forty Road. Aug. 19 at 3:05 p.m., officers mediated a fight between family members. Aug. 20 at 10: 18 a.m., someone requested a welfare check on a family member who was OK. Aug. 20 at 3:11 p.m., Sojourn Bicycle reported a theft, but the thief could not be located. Aug. 20 at 9:58 p.m., officers responded to a couple having a dispute and located the
boyfriend but could not locate the female caller. Aug. 21 at 1:46 p.m., someone requested a welfare check on a friend on Shelburne Road, who was found to be OK. Aug. 22 at 8:44 p.m., someone said their car was vandalized near Shelburne Shopping Park. Aug. 22 at 10:59 p.m., a welfare check on a person at T-Bird Motel on Shelburne Road determined the person was OK. Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.
Speeder busted, cops spell out road rules A motorcycle was reported to have traveled at 100 mph in a 40-mph zone heading southbound on Shelburne Road, prompting police to remind people that speeding is dangerous. On Aug. 20 around 4 p.m., Shelburne Police officer Blake Allen was conducting traffic control with radar near Shelburne Road and Bay Road.
Allen observed a Suzuki GSX-8R motorcycle speeding in a 40-mph zone. Allen pulled were able to pull over the driver and ticket him. “The Shelburne Police Department wants to remind residents that that excessive speed in vehicles can substantially increase the risk of collisions and serious injuries to motorists and pedestrians,” police wrote in
a press release. Police also noted that, during evening and nighttime hours, officers have encountered several motorcycles traveling at excessive speeds, at times exceeding 105 mph through the village. The department also reminded residents to slow down and wear seatbelts, especially as the school year begins. — Mari Huglin
Shelburne N ew s
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Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 5
Rising healthcare costs are squeezing Vermonters. Here’s how everyone can make more affordable choices. Vermont has some of the highest healthcare costs in America. This hurts everyone in our community and the well-being of our state. So, it’s the perfect time to learn ways to make care more affordable. Consider these costs comparisons for common procedures: Bone Density Study
Breast Biopsy
Cataract Surgery
CT Chest Scan
Gallbladder Removal
Hip Replacement
Laparoscopic MRI Hernia Repair of Spine
Upper GI Endoscopy
Vaginal Delivery
$913
$16,054
$9,785
$3,495
$35,057
$51,432
$30,361
$4,438
$7,768
$28,912
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
Winsdor Hospital
Dartmouth Hitchcock
Northeastern VT Regional Hospital
Northeastern VT Regional Hospital
Dartmouth Hitchcock
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
North Country Hospital
University of VT Medical Center
$359
$8,262
$4,806
$1,396
$16,262
$24,642
$17,569
$2,560
$3,626
$18,248
Porter Hospital
University of VT Medical Center
University of VT Medical Center
Vermont Open Imaging
Springfield Hospital
Dartmouth Hitchcock
Rutland Regional Medical Center
Northeastern VT Regional Hospital
Central Vermont Medical Center
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
$64
$2,597
$2,712
$1,222
$13,293
$23,558
$10,761
$1,410
$1,928
$10,135
Thomas Chittenden Health Center
Northwestern Medical Center
VT Eye Surgery and Laser Center
Vermont Diagnostic Imaging
Central VT Medical Center
Central VT Medical Center
Central VT Medical Center
Vermont Open Imaging
Green Mountain Surgery Center
Northwestern Medical Center
(Spine or Pelvis)
(with Imaging)
Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Axis Cost Transparency Data Averages, Spring 2026. Costs include facility and provider costs.
There are many reasons for this affordability crisis and no one entity or individual can fix it. That’s why our organizations continue working together to be part of the solution. We invite you to join us, take action, and explore these tips to save on your care.
Compare Where To Get Care & Save
Cut Prescription Drug Costs
• Costs for procedures can vary widely between hospitals, outpatient facilities, surgery and imaging centers. Knowing your options can help you save hundreds or thousands of dollars.
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• See if getting a 30-day, 60-day or 90-day supply of your medications can help you save. • Compare costs and look for discount coupons on websites like ArrayRx, GoodRx, RxSaver, WellRx, SingleCare, Cost Plus Drugs, and the new federal website TrumpRx.
Review Your Health Insurance Benefits
• For routine procedures, there is usually ample time to explore care options, understand costs, and look for savings. • Ask for a written estimate before your procedure, so you have a clear picture of the costs beforehand. Afterward, review your itemized bill to understand the charges and confirm they are accurate.
• This Open Enrollment season is a great time to revisit your health plan’s benefits, premiums, deductibles, and copays to determine what makes sense for your health needs and budget. • When planning your care, check for “in-network” providers, which are more affordable and can help avoid unexpected expenses.
S p o n s o re d B y
Visit our website to get more cost comparisons, helpful tips, and free resources.
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8/5/26 3:52 PM
Page 6 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
OPINION Vermont’s opiate policy is killing us Guest Perspective Matt Wormser I traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, earlier this year for work. Having not been to the state in decades, I didn’t know what to expect, but I anticipated an environment similar to many southern cities I’d been to in recent years: long on MAGA and sprawl and short on local color. Instead, I found a colorful small city that reminded me of Burlington. It’s home to the vibrant University of Arkansas campus. The tourism welcome center sold “Keep Fayetteville Funky” shirts. Pride flags abounded, as did a variety of great restaurants, coffee shops, small parks and well-maintained older homes. I spent a couple of days biking around town, and it seemed like a great place to live. One striking difference in my meanderings was that there was no evidence — zero — of public drug use or addiction. I’ll contrast that with my recent bike ride into my downtown Burlington office this week, where, passing City Hall Park, I saw a nice new pickup doing a tidy business with a long line of customers obviously stuck in the abyss of addiction. Walking to lunch revealed plenty more of the same. While Vermont has made progress on opiate deaths, looking at 2024 data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, it still has the fifth-worst opiate-related death rate in the country at 29 per 100,000 people. By contrast, Arkansas, a state with a significantly higher poverty rate than Vermont, offering far fewer public health and housing assistance resources, saw the fourth-lowest rate nationally, at 6.2 per 100,000. In short, Vermonters die of opiates at
nearly five times the rate of Arkansans. Nationally, seven of the 10 states with the highest rates of opiate-related deaths are so-called blue states, while nine of the 10 states with the lowest rates are “red” ones. It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that whatever we’re doing in blue states to combat drug abuse, it isn’t working. What’s different? While multiple factors drive addiction, states like Vermont in recent years have embraced the strategy of harm reduction, with the goal of minimizing addiction-related deaths. Most days, to many Vermonters, this simply feels like an abandonment of drug law enforcement, with the hope that users will summon the agency to seek treatment and then stay sober. What is evident from the data is that this de facto policy is killing Vermonters at a far higher rate than necessary and impacting the quality of life for everyone else. From a visibility standpoint, Burlington is the poster child for public drug use and addiction, but this is by no means simply a “crazy Burlington progs” issue, as the per capita death rate from opiates is not notably higher in Chittenden County versus other Vermont counties. The issue can also be attributed to the highly decentralized nature of our policing in Vermont, where small local departments with limited resources by necessity spend far more time responding to the byproducts of trafficking and addiction — shoplifting, car break-ins, disorderly conduct, no-trespass orders — than addressing the root cause itself. Few families have been unaffected by the opiate crisis over See WORMSER on page 12
Letters to the Editor ‘Coal rolling’ a metaphor for president’s attitudes To the Editor: Since Trump got elected for the second time, I have been doing a good deal of protesting — largely in Chittenden
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County. There are many honks and waves and thumbs up, as well as the rare thumbs downs — and even more rarely, people flipping the bird. I guess I can imagine flipping the bird to protesters with whom I disagreed, and I can deal with
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that gesture on the receiving end (but I don’t think I would actually ever do that). What bothers me, however, is the loud revving of trucks, the See LETTERS on page 7
Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 7
LETTERS
continued from page 6 speeding through intersections and the occasional blowing of black smoke out their tailpipes. “Coal rolling,” I believe it’s called. It’s jarring and dangerous, and definitely activates a fear response, in myself and in others. Anecdotally, this happens at least once at most protests and sometimes occurs more than that. This past weekend, I was at a protest and three times this coal rolling occurred (perhaps perpetrated by the same person, I am not sure). I got to thinking: What type of a person does this? What type of person wants to scare people and put them in danger? We are peaceful protesters, standing with signs, waving our hands at times to motorists passing by. Then, I realized, this is the type of person Donald Trump is. He does not care that he is putting people in danger. He does not care that he is disruptive and that he is scaring people. I suddenly saw this coal rolling as a metaphor for the current administration. And sadly, I no longer believe the type of person doing the coal rolling is open to facts or reason or compassion. What would stop one of these trucks from doing this? Police? Maybe they would respond to law enforcement. Maybe not. Just like our president. P.S. Are you having doubts about supporting Donald Trump? You are not alone: go to leavingmaga.org for more information. Krista Reincke Shelburne
Harbor Road’s light causes traffic jams To the Editor: Schools recommence at end of August, notably, Shelburne Community School that services 700 students. The vast majority are dropped off and picked up by a parent. That’s a lot of traffic heading west to Route 7 towards a 10 second green light. That’s school traffic along with other traffic from: The Arbors, Shelburne Museum, Thai Path, the dog park,
highway department, water department, wastewater treatment plant, the Little League baseball park, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne Craft School, New Village Farm, Mendy’s Clothing & Accessories, Shelburne Farms, Selin & Selin Architects, Shelburne Field House, Claytons Wine and Coffee, Spillane’s gas and service station, two children’s parks (1 at Davis Park and 1 at the school itself), numerous residential developments of nearly 150 homes, Davis Park for tennis, pickleball, basketball, Depot Road residences and Shelburne Emergency Department, Oh, and the railroad tracks crossing Harbor Road that pass through or stop traffic two to four times per day. My point is that Swift Street & Route 7, Fayette Drive & Route 7, IDX Drive and Route 7, Bay Road & Route 7, Executive Drive & Route 7, Bostwick Road & Route 7 all have two turn lanes to enter Route 7. One 10 second right turn green light onto Route 7 and one 10 or 15 second green light to turn left onto Route 7 or continue straight. Even Shelburne’s municipal offices have a two-lane entry onto Route 7, albeit without a traffic light. None of these intersections above that facilitate entry onto Route 7 have more traffic than Harbor Road during the school year. Unfortunately, many of those travelling west on Harbor Road to the Route 7 traffic light, think that, if they catch the red light, it presents an opportunity to text or re-organize their glove box. More often than not, this results in only two-to-four vehicles ambling thru the green light, and two-to-four more frustrated drivers speeding thru the quick yellow and start of the red light to move ahead. So, I strongly urge the town manager to petition the Agency of Transportation to change Harbor Road’s ridiculously short 10 second green to 15 seconds as they exit Harbor Road onto Route 7. Timothy Dudley Shelburne
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Page 8 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
COMMUNITY Community Notes September Age Well luncheon
Get on your dancing shoes
St. Catherine of Siena and Age Well will offer a luncheon Tuesday, Sept. 8, for anyone 60 or older at St. Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St., Shelburne. Check-in is at 11:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon. The suggested donation is $7. The menu includes baked chicken breast with Hawaiian pineapple sauce, black beans and rice, corn with peppers, an apple and milk. Registration is required by Sept. 3. Contact Pam Niarchos at 802-6625283 or pniarchos@agewellvt.org. Tickets also are available at the Age Well office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester.
Contra Dance presented by Queen City Contras is Aug. 28 at 6:45 p.m. at Shelburne Town Hall, 5374 Shelburne Road. The Spring Chickens Trio (Jenny Monfore, Chris Hollis, and banjo player) will play. Our caller will be Will Mentor. All are welcome; all dances are taught; no partner or experience necessary. $12 adults over 18, $5 kids 12-18/low-income, under 12 free. Please bring a pair of clean, soft-soled shoes to dance in and a water bottle to keep you hydrated.
Gallery to show off ‘Painter of Vermont’
Bread and Puppet Theatre will bring its annual circus tour to the Middlebury College Snow Bowl in Hancock on Saturday, Sept. 5. “The Upside-Down World Circus” begins at 3:30 p.m., following a 3:20 p.m. performance by Bread and Puppet’s brass band. The political puppet show combines paper mâché, dance, music and traditional circus elements to explore contemporary themes. Following the performance, Bread and Puppet will serve its famous sourdough rye bread with aioli, and books, posters and other items from the Bread and Puppet Press will be available for purchase. Tickets are required, with proceeds benefiting Bread and Puppet Theatre and Town Hall Theater. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Bring chairs and picnics. The performance is weather dependent.
J. Kenneth Fine Art and Atelier Frame & Design will present Painter of Vermont 1900-1955, a group exhibition featuring artists inspired by the Vermont landscape. The exhibition runs Sept. 2 through Oct. 3 at J. Kenneth Fine Art, 145 Pine Haven Shores Road, Suite 1160, Shelburne. The exhibition spans more than five decades of Vermont art, from turn-of-the-century paintings through mid-century works of the 1950s.
Girl Scouts host Stories and Scoops Girls in pre-kindergarten and older and their families are invited to Stories and Scoops on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Fletcher Free Library, 235 College St., Burlington. The free event will include stories, a craft and ice cream, and will offer families an opportunity to learn more about Girl Scouts and meet other families. Participants are encouraged to bring a friend, and walk-ins are welcome. To RSVP, call 888-474-9686 or email customercare@girlscoutsgwm.org. More information is available at girlscoutsgwm. org.
Bread and Puppet brings circus to Snow Bowl
Chamber music comes to the farm The Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival will hold an afternoon of music and discussion Thursday, Aug. 27, at Meach Cove Farms in Shelburne. The program will feature a talk by David Serkin Ludwig, dean of the Juilliard School, followed by a concert of American spirituals and Antonín
COURTESY IMAGE
“Deiana Poppies” by Francesco Igory will be on display at Hexum Gallery’s “Wallflowers” exhibit through Sept. 25.
Dvořák’s E-flat Major Viola Quintet. Tickets are available at lccmf.org.
The hills are alive with food at Trapps The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort will host a farm-to-table dinner Saturday, Sept. 5, featuring ingredients grown and raised on the property and paired with Höpler wines and von Trapp Brewing beers.
The evening begins with a 4 p.m. cocktail reception in the gardens, followed by a multi-course dinner at 5 p.m. Menu highlights include von Trapp Farmstead cheeses, watermelon salad, roasted von Trapp beef tenderloin, garden vegetables and plum galette. The $275 price includes food, beverages, taxes and gratuities. Nonalcoholic options are available. The event is limited to 100 guests. In case of inclement weather, dinner will be held in the event tent.
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Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 9
Obituaries Jean Briggs Jean Millicent Briggs died surrounded by her family on Aug. 21, 2026, in Shelburne, after a period of declining health. Jean was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, in 1927 to Charlotte (Amsden) and Kenneth Sloan. She was raised in Bristol, Connecticut and Reading, Vermont, and graduated from Middlebury College in 1949. At Middlebury, Jean majored in French, thereby enabling her to seek assistance from fellow student and native French speaker, Philip Briggs. They wed a month following her graduation and were married for the next 77 years. Together they raised three children, moving periodically between the New York City area and Ottawa, Canada, for Phil’s work. Throughout, the family returned to Lake Dunmore in the summers and it was always beloved to them all. After Phil’s retire- Jean Briggs ment, the couple split their time between Arizona and Shelburne. This enabled Jean to continue playing golf on a near daily basis into her 90s — that is, except when Jean and Phil weren’t traveling the globe. Golf was, in fact, Jean’s passion, having been club champion at numerous clubs, including Vermont National, and scoring a hole-in-one a remarkable six times over the years. Jean is survived by Diana Carris her husband Philip and their three children and their spouses: Karen and Tony Ng (Brunswick, Ohio), Heather Briggs and Peter Erly (Shelburne) and Peter and Peggy Briggs (Cornwall). She was also the beloved Nana to eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She will be missed by all. A private memorial will be held at a later date. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Wake Robin for the great care they provided to Jean in her final days and throughout Jean and Phil’s nearly twenty years there. Their generous compassion is greatly appreciated by her family.
Diana Carris Diana Marie (Farrar) Carris, 88, of South Burlington, died on Aug. 10, 2026, in Berlin. She was born Sept. 20, 1937, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the only child of Roland “Jerry” Farrar and Dorothy Lynch Farrar. She attended Nativity School in Saint Paul, graduated from Derham Hall High School, and had completed two years at the University of Minnesota when she married Barry Carris in Saint Paul in October 1958. The first dozen years of their marriage moved them often, following Barry’s service in the Navy and then his career
with American Hospital Supply Corporation: Brunswick, Maine; Duluth and Saint Paul, Minnesota; White Plains, New York; and Glenview and Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before they settled in Lake Forest, Illinois. When her son entered high school, Diana announced that she intended to finish college before he did, and she did, earning her bachelor’s degree from Barat College in 1977, at thirty-nine. In those same years she and Barry opened two small businesses in Lake Forest: a clock shop, the Clockworks, and then a bookstore of her own, Farrar & Company, named for her family. She was an avid, lifelong reader who spent much of her life in libraries and used bookstores, and for many years a member of P.E.O., the philanthropic educational organization that helps women return to school — a cause she had lived herself. In 1981 they sold the businesses and moved to Vermont, fulfilling a long-held wish to live in small-town New England. Diana found work almost immediately at Hackett, Valine & MacDonald, and the two of them were welcomed by a community that became lifelong friends. They lived first in South Burlington, then built a home in Charlotte where they stayed for many years, before downsizing to a townhouse and later a cape in South Burlington. Much of their life together was spent outdoors — canoeing, camping, sailing, hiking and cross-country skiing — and after Barry’s retirement they traveled throughout the United States and abroad, to Europe, Central America and as far as New Zealand. More recently she was a member of the Friends of the South Burlington Library. Barry, her husband of fifty-four years, predeceased her in June 2013. She is survived by her son, David Carris of Montpelier; her former daughter-in-law, Anne LaBrusciano of Marshfield; and three grandchildren, Ruby LaBrusciano-Carris and Ella LaBrusciano-Carris, both of Portland, Oregon, and Theo LaBrusciano-Carris of San Francisco. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, at St. John Vianney Church, 160 Hinesburg Road, South Burlington, with the Rev. Timothy Naples officiating, followed by a reception for family and friends in the parish hall. The Rite of Committal will be private. Memorial gifts in support of the Vermont Chapter of P.E.O. and women’s education may be made to the P.E.O. Foundation, See OBITUARIES on page 12
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Page 10 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
PHOTOS BY LEA ANN SMITH
Above: The crew of Slingshot, a J/30 captained by Fritz Martin, had a weekend to remember, winning the Diamond Island Regatta and finishing as runner-up in the Split Rock Race. Below: The crew of In Progress, an Express 34 captained by Benedek Erdos of MBBC, sits on the windward rail to keep the boat flat during Saturday’s Diamond Island Regatta. They finished third in the hotly-competitive Spinnaker B fleet. Right: Lift Ticket, a J/92S captained by Sam Pratt of MBBC, was one of just two double winners for the weekend, taking first in Spinnaker B class in Saturday’s Diamond Island Regatta and Sunday’s Split Rock Race.
Weekend winds on the lake favor annual Diamond Island Regatta TIM ETCHELLS CONTRIBUTOR
In Homer’s “The Odyssey,” Aeolus is the ruler of the winds. To ensure a safe passage home for Odysseus and his crew, Aeolus provided them with a bag containing all the winds they would need. When almost home, so close the sailors could smell fresh bread being baked ashore, Odysseus’s men, thinking the bag contained
treasure, opened it, and the winds blew their ship all the way back to Aeolus’s home island of Aeolia. Aeolus sent them on their way, but without any of his precious wind. Aeolus does not make an appearance in the Christopher Nolan film “The Odyssey,” but Aeolus and various other wind gods are in the prayers each year of race director Wendy Friant — and all the sailors — in the days leading up to the Diamond Island Regatta, held on the waters of Lake Champlain off Ferrisburgh and Charlotte. For the 14th edition of the Diamond Island Regatta on Aug. 15, and for the Split Rock Race the next day, all prayers were answered. The DIR featured a strong north wind, with a steady 15 knots and gusts well over 20. And on Sunday, the race began in a moderate southerly, and the wind blew hard throughout the day. The races are organized by the Diamond Island Yacht Club and Point Bay Marina in Charlotte and benefit the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Ferrisburgh. The money raised is still being tallied but is expected to exceed $4,000. On Saturday morning, 27 boats were on the starting line for the Diamond Island Regatta, which took them on a course of about 11 nautical miles, from the start/finish line in Town Farm Bay, north to a mark just south of Sloop Island off Charlotte, south to Diamond Island off Ferrisburgh, and then back north to the finish. The race started in a moderate breeze, which built throughout the race. Gusts over 20 knots were common — as were (mostly minor) equipment issues.
The next day, 18 boats started the sixth annual Split Rock Race, in a south wind, following a course of about 13 nautical miles from the start/finish line in Town Farm Bay south to Diamond Island, north to a mark off Cannon Point just south of Essex, N.Y., back to Diamond Island and then north to the finish. Boats came from all over the lake for the weekend of racing, with sailors from, among other places, the host Diamond Island Yacht Club in Charlotte; the Lake Champlain Yacht Club in Shelburne; the Malletts Bay Boat Club in Colchester; and as far away as Quebec. The races are scored using the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet system, so boats with different speed potentials can compete against each other. Each boat’s elapsed time for the course is turned into a “corrected” time to determine the winners in each class. The first boat to finish in the Diamond Island Regatta on Saturday, in 1 hour, 39 minutes and 56 seconds, was Odinn, a J/111, 36 feet long, captained by Kjell Dahlen. On corrected time, the top three finishers were all J/105s, 34-foot sloops, from LCYC. The winner was MOOvin’ Up sailed by John Harris and Doug Merrill. Second went to Jeff Hill’s Foxy Lady, and the third-place finisher was Rogue, captained by Walt Marti. In Sunday’s Split Rock Race, the win in the Spinnaker A class went to Foxy Lady, followed by MOOvin’ Up. Full results can be found at the DIYC website: diamondislandyc. org/dir-srr-results-for-2026/
Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 11
News from Pierson Library
Shelburne Parks & Rec News Shelburne Parks and Recreation welcomes the community to the following events and activities. • Community Heritage Potluck hosted by the Shelburne Equity and Diversity Committee and Parks and Recreation Department. Sunday, Sept. 20, from 4-6 p.m. in the Shelburne Historic Town Hall. Bring a dish (if you can) with an ingredients list that can serve six to eight people and share stories about the food that matters to you and your family. Along with the shared meal, there will be music, beverages and fun activities for children to enjoy. Food will also be available for those unable to prepare a dish. • Dog park committee opening. Contact Betsy Cieplicki at bcieplicki@shelburnevt.org for more information. • Yoga for Strength, Mobility & Stress Relief: This welcoming, all-levels class blends flowing movement, mindful breathing, thoughtful alignment and relaxation to leave you feeling stronger, calmer and more at home in your body. Expect a moderate-paced practice with modifications as needed. Bring a yoga mat and any props you like to use. Participants should be comfortable sitting on and rising from the floor. $90. Tuesdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Library Community Room. Session 1 registration deadline is Sept. 11, with six classes Sept. 15-Oct. 20. • Fall Prevention Tai Chi: Tai chi’s movements are slow, smooth and low-impact and
can increase flexibility and improve focus. Registration is required through Shelburne Recreation. Contact the instructor, Kim Rainbolt, at knrainbolt66@gmail.com for more information. Maximum: 24 participants. Free. Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.noon, Shelburne Town Gym. Registration deadline is Sept. 11. Classes are Sept. 14-Dec. 16. • Sun 73 Tai Chi: Practice session (without instruction) will begin at noon for those who already know the form. The instructed class will begin at 12:30 p.m. The class builds on movements learned in the Fall Prevention Tai Chi class. Sign up with Shelburne Parks and Recreation Department. Maximum 24 participants. Free. Mondays and Wednesdays, Shelburne Town Gym. Registration deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 11. Classes are Sept. 14-Dec. 16. • Table Tennis: Ages 16-99, and all abilities are welcome to enjoy informal instruction, organized play and competitive matches. Registration required. $40 resident/$50 nonresident. Fridays, 6:30-10 p.m., Shelburne Town Gym. Dates: Sept. 4-May 28. • Adult Volleyball: Format is six versus six, coed pickup play. This is a recreational program open to players of all levels. Ages 16 and up. Minimum six, maximum 18. Registration is required. $45 ($55 nonresident). Wednesdays and Sundays, 7-9 p.m., Shelburne Town Gymnasium. Sept. 9-May 30.
Visit the Pierson Library, 5376 Shelburne Road, for the following events and activities: • Pierson Stretches: Let Your Yoga Dance with Heather Preis, Wednesdays (Sept. 9 and 16, Oct. 7 and Nov. 11), 6-7:15 p.m. Three different instructors, three different class types, each free class meets four times total over the next few months. The Let Your Yoga Dance series is a dance-like movement class guided by the chakras (the bodies energy centers). Please bring your own mat. To reserve, call the library at (802) 985-5124. • Shelburne Songwriting Session: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 5-6:30 p.m. You'll receive a songwriting prompt at the top of the session to inspire direction and creativity, along with some tips and tricks from your instructor, Connor, and the rest is up to you. You’ll leave the workshop with a clear song
concept and the beginnings of your next hit. To register, call the library. • Thacher Hurd — Growing Up in a World of Children’s Books: Wednesday, Sept. 9: 6:307:30 p.m. Acclaimed artist and award-winning children’s book author Thacher Hurd returns to Vermont for a presentation on his life and work aimed at adults. Copies of his books will be available for sale. • Remembering 9/11 panel discussion: Wednesday, Sept. 10, 6-7 p.m. In memoriam of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we will sit with former New Yorkers and other folks who had connections to the attacks for a respectful and somber panel discussion, recalling that horrible day and checking in with how we all are now, 25 years later. • Pierson Stretches: Vinya-
sa Yoga Flow with Laura Meyer, Fridays (Sept. 25, Oct. 9 and 23 and Nov. 6): 6-7:15 p.m. Strengthen, lengthen and wind down your week with a grounding flow. This class can be more challenging, but students are encouraged to modify and make the practice their own. Bring your own mat. To reserve a spot, call the library. • Pierson Stretches: Yoga for Healthy Aging with Monika Jaeckle, Wednesdays (Sept. 30, Oct. 14 and 21 and Nov. 18) 6-7:15 p.m. This practice addresses the needs of the aging body and nervous system through safe, gentle and deliberate movement, supporting multidimensional strength, joint health and mobility, fracture prevention, cognitive resilience and a deeper connection to our innate wisdom and intelligence. Please bring your own mat and call to reserve.
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Page 12 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
OBITUARIES
continued from page 9
DRUM
continued from page 2 “Taiko is nutrition, taiko feels good,” Paton said. On Saturday, Aug. 29 Paton will lead two free taiko performances at Shelburne Farms in the Coach Barn located at 1611 Harbor Road. It will be a celebration of 40 years of Burlington Taiko. The first performance is at 1 p.m., followed by a 2:30 p.m. workshop where guests can ask questions, learn about taiko and even do some taiko drumming themselves. Paton will also instruct volunteers on how to stretch a cowhide skin over a
taiko drum. The second performance is at 4 p.m. Each performance is one-hour long and the entire event is free. Paton said both performances will be very different, even though they might play similar selections. Different energy and style will come as various students and alumni of Burlington Taiko join each show. He said his favorite part of taiko is the community and being able to share this art form and culture.
“For those of us who play together, taiko is community, and for the people who are part of the audience, they’re also part of the shared experience, part of community,” he said. Burlington Taiko had a residency at the Shelburne Community School last fall where Paton taught students about the art, culminating in a final recital. Throughout the year, Paton takes his business across the Northeast, sharing community and culture through classes and concerts.
all stripes in preference to the current policy in Burlington and beyond. We need Vermont’s leaders to work far more actively, and in a far more coordinated way, on enforcement of laws for our most life-destroying drugs: opiates and methamphetamines. This includes aggressive targeting of dealer networks from low to high, while holding out a hand for addicts seeking treatment. It also includes addressing some of the known issues enabling trafficking in Vermont, such as the drugs-for-guns trade resulting from our very lais-
sez-faire gun laws. Well over 1,000 Vermonters have died due to opiates since Covid-19. Our current enforcement policy is a choice, resulting in tremendous costs to affected individuals, families and communities. Many other blue states have successfully changed course in their tolerance and policies for drug distribution and public use, without losing their humanity in treating addiction. We need leaders from all our parties to do likewise.
WORMSER
continued from page 6 the past decade; mine is certainly not on the exception list. Families supporting their loved ones struggling with addiction know that there is a fine line between support and enablement, and statewide we’ve dipped far too strongly into the latter category. Advocates of harm reduction say the policy is working and we only need time, ever more time. To me, the numbers tell the exact opposite story. While some leaders decry the whack-a-mole nature of scooping up low-level dealers, I think most Vermonters would enthusiastically welcome more incarceration of dealers of
Matt Wormser is the chair of the Shelburne Selectboard.
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Emile Fournier Emile R. Fournier, 79, of Shelburne, passed away on Aug. 20, 2026, having received Last Rites from Bishop John McDermott three days before. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Diane LeCours Fournier, his faithful companion in the life they built together; sons Brian (Lauren) Fournier and Eric Fournier; stepchildren Kevin Ingraham and Lori (Mark) Ingraham-Branda; grandsons Grant Fournier and Nathaniel Branda; sister Vanessa Fournier; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Marguerite and Emile J. Fournier; brothers Claremont and Phil Fournier; and sister Mariette Fournier. Born on Sept. 29, 1946, in Hardwick, Emile grew up running newspaper routes and mowing lawns alongside his brother Phil. Warm and approachable, he served as class president each of his four years at Hardwick Academy, where he and Diane were classmates. Emile graduated from Champlain College in 1966 and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam with the 131st Engineer Company of the Vermont National Guard, before devoting 42 years as lead estimator at Pizzagalli Construction. Pragmatic and precise, he
Emile Fournier
thrived in the role, earning respect as a trusted voice when decisions mattered most. At home, Emile nurtured a lifelong passion for classic cars, tinkered in his workshop, and taught his children that a house, like life, is maintained one project at a time. From Friday-night “board meetings” with his friends, to Saturday car washes in the yard, to Sunday dinners with his family, Emile's laugh, loud and contagious, drew people in and made them feel welcome. Visiting hours will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 at Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington, with a funeral Mass celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Shelburne, Vt. The immediate family will gather privately for burial. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. To share memories, photos and to send online condolences to the family, please visit readyfuneral.com.
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Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 13
Horoscope August 27, 2026
ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE
Weekly Puzzles
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saliva. If left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, Page 14 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News treatment with the rabies vaccine is nearly The week-long bait drop is a coopera- 100 percent effective when given soon after tive effort between Vermont and the U.S. a person is bitten by a rabid animal. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services So far this year, 23 animals in Vermont to stop the spread of the potentially fatal have tested positive for rabies, and 14 of disease. those have been raccoons. Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the According to wildlife officials, rabid brain that infects mammals. It is most often animals often show a change in their norseen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, mal behavior, but you cannot tell whether but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also an animal has rabies simply by looking at get rabies. The virus is spread through the it. People should not touch or pick up wild bite of an infected animal or contact with or its call To advertise email wendy@shelburnenews.com 802-238-4980 animals or strays – even baby animals. continued from page 2
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Shelburne News • August 27, 2026 • Page 15
MERGER
Signals of harvest
continued from page 1 “To me, it seems like we are moving down a continuum of voluntary consolidation, voluntary mergers to less voluntary consolidation to address rising costs across the state,” CVSD Superintendent Adam Bunting said, referencing not only Act 170, but also laws passed in 2015 and 2010 that pushed district and administrative mergers. While the board has stated it will enter into the study in good faith with MMU, the tone from board members, in general, to the idea of a full merger was resistance. “We were by ourselves until two days before the end of the session, and at the very end, they decided that they did not want us to be by ourselves, and they paired us with MMU with no rationale whatsoever,” board chair Meghan Metzler said of the Legislature, adding that she was still happy to talk with MMU. Keither Roberts, a director from Hinesburg, said plainly that he personally had no interest in merging with any other district. Both Mount Mansfield and Champlain Valley have more than the 2,000 students the state has identified as the goal for a baseline district population. Additionally, Metzler said, the districts combined cover 405 square miles. For example, the drive between the two high schools — Mount Mansfield Union is in Jericho — is about 30 minutes. The board named Metzler (Charlotte), its vice-chair Dave Connery (Shelburne) and Erin Henderson (Williston) to the merger committee. Mount Mans-
PHOTO BY SOPHIA BALUNEK
Huge canna lilies in the Shelburne Community Gardens at LaPlatte River Nature Park.
Board members were much named Bunting as its representa- services in order to determine field, the smaller of the two districts, will have two members more positive about the possibil- tive to the cooperative board. He how to cooperate — and eventuities of the cooperative education told the board at its Aug. 18 meet- ally will develop a financial model on the committee. service area. Metzler noted that ing that, on top of organizing some through which it could operate. “We’re engaging communi4/29/2019 It’s a lot of work, Bunting said. ties. We’re determining a merger the cooperation could be useful leadership structure, the group is “A lot keeps getting added to advisability and then developing for sharing specialized services currently researching how other 3.5 x 2 AD for Shelburne News & The Citizen a proposal. If it’s recommend- that are utilized by high numbers similar boards operate in New public schools and public educaed, that proposal then goes to the of students and back-end adminis- York, working toward resource tion, and our administrators and 24 Consecutive Weeks $18.00/week for out both $432.00 trative tasks. mapping — figuring whatpapers all our boards, and nothing is being secretary of education,” Bunting Earlier this summer, the board of the districts already offer for taken away,” Metzler said. said.
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Page 16 • August 27, 2026 • Shelburne News
VERMONTERS
HONORING OUR
VETERANS
On Nov. 5, Shelburne News will be honored to publish photos of the men and women who have unselfishly served our country. Shelburne News
G ORmIoN HOVeN Us terans A ng
Feb. 1962–Jan. 1969
WALTER J. LUCHINI United States Army, SP 4 Years of service: 1963 - 1966 United States and South Korea
ROBERT A. MILLETTE United States Navy; WW II Seaman 1st Class
GEORGE R. NATTRESS United States Marine Corps Pacific Theater
1944-1946
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ELEANOR ALEXANDER Jacobson (In Memoriam) United States Navy, WAVE Yeoman Third Class September 1944–June 1946
BILL OAKES United States Army Corporal 1952-1954
DEBBIE OAKES United States Army Sergeant 1977-1980
FLORENCE M. MACALISTER United States Marine Corps Sergeant | WWI 1918-19 HQS, US Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
EDWARD GARVEY United States Air Force
WM DAVID GERNS, JR S/Sgt, Communications PETER PAUL ZUK ICC(SW) Specialist U.S. Marine Corps United States Navy (Ret.) 764th Radar Squadron, and St. Albans 1st Lieutenant1st Class Petty Officer Henri de Marne , Headquarters, 1955-57 his brother Claude 1944 31st Air Division, MN Served WW2, Japan and Korea Patton’s 3rd army, resistance following French on. before liberati
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JUDITH A. COHEN Captain, Nurse Corps, USNR-R Reserve service 1973-2004
Active duty 1975-1978 National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
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FELIX F. COWEY, JR. Col. Ret. United States Army Korea 1949, 1951-52 West Point 1946
KYLE GRAY MARNE & United States Army PVT. HENRI DE E Private First ClassPVT. CLAUDE DE MARN
WSKI ROBERT S. BORKO Medic Sergeant (SFC) al Guard VT Army Nation 1982-2005
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MCSWEENEY United States Air Force 1st Lieutenant 4750th Air Defense Wing Yuma, Ariz. 1953 - 1956
AY, SR. LORENZO P. BUSHW April 28, 1960 Active Duty: 1955 Feb. 1953-Feb.
W. DONALD DALTON, SR. United States Navy 1942–1946
C. LOUIS “LOU” DEFORGE United States Army Captain 1967 - 1971
TIMOTHY J KEEFE United States Marine Corps Corporal May 1976 - May 1980
CHRISTOPHER GIRARD United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel 1965-1985
HENRY JOSEPH GIROUX III United States Navy Chief Petty Officer
RICHARD GARROW United States Navy Torpedo Man
DAVID W. GARVEY USMC, Sargent EOD Specialist 1985-1993
JAMES M. KEHOE VT Air National Guard Chief Master Sergeant 158th FW DET 1 at Langley AFB
TRAVIS J. KEHOE VT Air National Guard Technical Sergeant
PIERRE LEMIEUX United States Marine Corps 4th Marine Infantry Regiment Sergeant, Vietnam Veteran July 23, 1963–October 14, 1966
LOU LERTOLA US Army, US Army Reserve & VTANG 1960–1994 Command Sergeant Major 40 years military service
CHAD LEWBER (w/daughter Leanne) VTANT/US Marine Corps Sargeant, Flight Medic Served in Iraq
LAURIE JACQUES USCG and ARNG 1994-2005
R ROLAND W. WILBU United States Army d Division T/4, 14th Armore WW II 1942-46
D DAVID F. LELAN United States Navy Lieutenant WWII 1944-1955
ROBERT ALLSTON LACLAIR United States Navy Quartermaster April 1943- April 1946
ROGER L. BOURGEA United States Navy Armed Guard Gunners Mate Third Class Served on Tankers and Liberty Cargo ships Dec. 1942 - Jan. 1946
DENNIS JOHNSON A2C USAF 1959 -1963
WILLIAM F. LADD United States Air Force Airman 1st Class 1955-1959
ROBERT K. LAMONDA United States Army PFC 43rd Division 1941-1945
MICHAEL W. LYNCH U.S. Navy, Lt.J.G. 1967-1975 Civil Engineer Corp 79 VT Air Guard 1976-19
THOMAS R. KLEH US Merchant Marines United States Navy Captain 1943-1977
N PERRY D. MELVI 3 U.S. Navy, HM nt 3rd Marine Regime Vietnam War
RAYMOND ‘RAY’ LEBLANC United State Air Force Strategic Air Command Alert Force Feb 1960 - Mar 1968
PETER GADUE G US Army and VTARN 1970-2009
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ROSANNE M. GRECO United States Air Force (Ret.) Colonel | 1973 - 2003 Strategic Intelligence Officer & Nuclear Arms Control Negotiator Postings across the US, Europe and Far East
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MAN, SR. ROBERT F. WHITE U.S. Air Force E6 1959-1979
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MSGR. JOHN R.
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RICHARD ARVID
JACOBSON United States Navy
Yeoman 2nd Class October 1943–June 1946
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MORTON A. LORD United States Air Force Captain
The Other Paper • November 7, 2024 • Page 11
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ROBERT ‘BOB’ LEBLANC United States Air Force 1st Lieutenant, F-100D Pilot Mar 1956 - Dec 1958 Lost on classified mission Posthumous burial Arlington National Cemetary
BLAKE SHANNON B. U.S. Army, Major 1986-2006 Veteran Afghanistan War
ROBERT ERNEST KAIGLE United States Navy World War II, 1943-1945 Korean War, 1950-1951
GORDON KEARNS United States Army WWII
N THOMAS C. GIBSO Royal Air Force Squadron Leader 1947-1952, Malaya
IATA BRUCE NUNZ 1st Infantry Vietnam 1967-68
DEAN KIRBY United States Air Force A1C Viet Nam 1970
DAVID WINER Corps Corporal, Marine 1946 March 1944-July Peleliu Campaign
DAVID R. LECLAIR United States Marine Corps Corporal 1976-1980
JR. WILLIAM A. READ ander U.S. Navy Comm or Patrol Gunnery Instruct Squadron 101 Southwest Pacific
If you have a veteran you would like us to honor, please mail or email your photo and the following information by
THURSDAY, OCT. 29 Please include: • Name of veteran • Branch of service • Rank • Years of service • Town of residence
EMAIL PHOTOS AND TEXT TO: stephanie@shelburnenews.com OR MAIL TO: Shelburne News, P.O. Box 489, Stowe, VT 05672
continued from page 3 1843, at age 81. The church Bowles built in Huntington still stands today. The building became the town hall, then the first volunteer fire department. According to Guyette, the town has been working to preserve the building.
it’s more complicated than that, then these stories get erased.”
Martha Powell
Martha Winslow Powell was born in 1724 in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In 1748, at age 24, she married John Felix Powell. Shortly after their marriage, they Joseph Susap had their first child, who died as an infant. Joseph Susap was born circa 1739 in In 1761, she gave birth to a son, Felix Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island in Nova Powell Jr. Scotia, a member of the Mi’kmaq people. In 1768, the family moved to Dorset, When Joe was only 6 years old, the British Vermont, where Felix Powell is credited sieged Louisbourg and killed his family, as the first settler; Martha Powell was left according to Jill Mudgett, an independent unmentioned in the land deeds, accordhistorian who has researched Susap’s life. ing to Angie Grove, executive director Susap, along with other Indigenous of the Ethan Allen Homestead, who has people, fled to Odanak, Quebec, where he researched Martha Powell’s life. was taken in by a group of Abenaki. This In 1770, the Powells moved to Pittsis where Susap grew up and met Molly, an ford, where Martha Powell gave birth to a Abenaki woman with two sons, whom he second daughter, only for her to die as an would eventually marry. infant as well. However, trouble followed Susap as Martha Powell’s life “reflects the hardhe escaped death a second time. In 1759, ships, displacement and active contribuBritish Army Officer Robert Rogers and tions of working-class women who helped his rangers attacked the Odanak village. settle the frontier and establish the state of Susap and Molly fled south and lived in Vermont during the Revolutionary period,” a variety of places ranging Grove said during a panel from Derby at the northdiscussion in April. “The settlers used ern Vermont border down The Powells evento Cabot, Morristown and tually settled in Burlhis actions as one as far south as Newbury. ington, where the When the Revolutionfamily purchased propguy as a stand-in for ary War started in 1775, erty in 1774. Martha Susap enlisted to fight for Powell helped with her Indigenous people.” America. husband’s trade activi“He had strong opinties, managed household — Jill Mudgett financial accounts and ions about the British,” Mudgett said. spending, and performed Susap served as a scout for Gen. Jacob various tasks like cleaning, cooking and Bayley and helped map out the Bayley-Ha- maintaining gardens. zen Road, which was ordered by George When the American Revolution began, Washington to connect the Connecticut both Felix Powell Sr. and Felix Powell Jr. River Valley with Canada. left to serve in the war. In September 1777, After the war, Susap traveled far and forces aligned with the British attacked and wide within northern Vermont. He had a burned down the Powells’ home during a reputation for being kind to settlers and raid. was known as “Indian Joe.” “The American Revolution was expeIn one story, Susap shared moose meat rienced by everybody. It was not just with a family before feeding himself. In soldiers on battlefields; the chaos, fear, and another, he killed a catamount to protect drama were experienced by everyone on a group of settlers. Mudgett says that every piece of land. People’s experiences Susap’s friendly actions left a complex differed vastly and were heavily influenced legacy. by their demographics and personal rela“He unintentionally and cultural- tionships,” Grove said. ly gave the sense that (settlers) have the According to Grove, Martha Powell, go-ahead to colonize due to his friendly who was pregnant at the time, escaped nature,” Mudgett said. “It’s not so much into the surrounding woods. While she that he is literally doing that, but he is was hiding from the raid, Powell went into symbolically used to do this. The settlers labor and delivered her baby alone in the used his actions as one guy as a stand-in forest. This baby, too, didn’t survive. for Indigenous people.” Martha Powell did not live to see the As he grew older, Susap was taken care conclusion of the war, as she died someof by a group of Vermonters. He died in time between 1777 and 1780 in her early 1819 and is buried in Oxbow Cemetery in to mid 50s. In October 1780, her father authored a revised will leaving portions Newbury. Joe’s Pond, which straddles Caledonia of his estate to his surviving daughters and Washington counties, is named after and “to my grandchildren born of Martha Powell, deceased.” Susap. Grove says that researching stories like According to Mudgett, Joe’s story has persisted with Vermonters because of his Powell’s takes a lot of time and resources “friendly” attitude towards white settlers. but that the histories of everyday people But she says that Susap’s tale is a reminder are essential. “The majority of people throughout that other Indigenous peoples’ stories are history have been common people whose not as popular. “The communities that claim him stories have not been highlighted,” she as their own have always historical- said. “Most people today would relate more ly embraced him because he’s Joe the to these untold stories than to the political ‘friendly Indian,’” Mudgett said. “And if leaders whose stories are commonly told.”