Play ball
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South Burlington’s Beers helps team win Twin State Classic
411 on Independence Day festivities
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South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
the JUNE 30, 2022
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School district picks new superintendent
VOLUME 46, NO. 26
Make way for ducklings
Questions on board conduct, process remain AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER
Today marks South Burlington School District superintendent David Young’s last day in the district. Coming in right behind him is the district’s executive director of learning, Violet Nichols, confirmed just a week ago a few days after the school board’s top candidate backed out. “I think that we had a really tight timeline, and the board has done our best to do what is
best for the district in putting our students first,” said board member Kate Bailey after voting to approve Nichols last Thursday. “I’m really excited to work with Violet. I think she’ll be a wonderful partner with this very new learning board. I’m looking forward to working with her.” Next month will mark a year since Nichols, a Shelburne resident and native Vermonter, officially joined the district, having See SUPERINTENDENT on page 8
Human Rights Watch director eyes Senate seat Five candidates will battle for three slots COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Lewis Mudge describes himself as an optimist, an amazing feat of psychological resilience given the nature of his work in the last decade. He’s been shot at, kidnapped, heard first-hand accounts of villages being burned out and raided and has seen the bodies from the aftermath, and he’s interviewed warlords and rebel leaders accused of committing these acts — coming face to face with horrific war crimes, some of which have resulted in international criminal trials at the Hague. “I’ve been in some sticky situations,” he said. Now Mudge wants to bring that experience to the Statehouse
as he runs for a seat in the newly created Chittenden Southeast Senate district. His work with Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organization that investigates and reports on abuses in dozens of countries across the globe, centers around central Africa, a region that has been mired in violent political conflict for decades. For much of his professional career, his job has been “us with notebooks out in the field, documenting what group perpetrated what act against civilians ... to bear witness, to document and to follow a prescribed methodology in that documentation.” So nowadays, when he has See MUDGE on page 9
SOUTH BURLINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
South Burlington police officers “responded to the report of juveniles causing mayhem around Kimball Avenue and Gregory Drive. Upon arrival it was determined the little balls of fluff were simply trying to cross the road and had not yet consulted with other neighborhood fowl regarding proper reasoning, etiquette or technique,” according to a social media post from the department. Officers and community members assisted the newborns to their final destination, reunited the littles with mama duck and provided some helpful tips and tricks on how to safely cross a street.