The Other Paper - 4-20-23

the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

Most campaign cash comes from wealthiest areas

SB charter committee sets public forums

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

More than half of all the campaign cash brought in this election cycle came from residents living in one of the wealthiest census tracts in the county that encompasses less than 23 percent of the city’s population.

Of the more than $25,000 raised in this year’s city council election, about $15,000 of that, or 60 percent, was given by residents living in Census Tract 33.01, according to publicly available data. The tract includes all the city’s southeast quadrant and a part of the city’s 12th ward.

The actual amount of money raised from that area is likely higher: more than $4,000 of the cash raised by the five city council candidates were donations of under $100, which do not have associated names or addresses listed on the state secretary’s campaign finance website.

The census tract, one of four encompassing South Burlington, makes up 22 percent of the city’s total population, and has some

of the highest income levels in the county — on par with census tracts in Shelburne and Charlotte.

Residents there make a per capita income of $62,760, and a have a median household income of $142,417, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. By comparison, South Burlington’s per capita income is $49,384 and its median household income is $83,750.

Running for city elections has become an increasingly expensive endeavor, prompting calls from some involved in city politics to change the makeup of the city’s governing model to include ward systems.

Paul Engels, who unsuccessfully ran for city councilor in March’s elections, sits on the charter committee and has been a vocal advocate for addressing the issue of campaign finance.

“It’s not exactly rocket science — it’s right there to see,” he said.

James Marc Leas, another candidate who ran in March,

See CAMPAIGN CASH on page 23

Jenny Bower Knowles captured this glorious sky from her South Burlington home.

Color dance

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. They have 2 to 3 years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

City officials push for electric vehicles, charging stations

DENIZ DUTTON COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

South Burlington officials want to eliminate 60 percent of the city’s carbon footprint by 2030, and with transportation accounting for two-thirds of that figure, the city’s climate action plan finalized last October is pushing for more electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

However, local officials can only do so much to regulate emissions from the more than 17,000 people commuting daily from out of town to work in the city — only 13 percent of residents work in town, making that task even more difficult.

What the city can control, however, is its own physical layout. To discourage driving, officials have proposed ambitious new infrastructure projects that would increase the walkability and the capacity for biking through South Burlington’s public and commercial areas.

Voters approved one such proposal on Town Meeting Day — a tax increment financing bond that will put $15 million toward a pedestrian and bike bridge over Interstate 89 between the University of Vermont and University Mall, bike lanes in the city center and streetscape improvements on Williston Road.

“We probably need to be moving towards more dense development, and South Burlington is kind of a logical place to be concentrating more development,” Ethan Goldman, chair of the city’s energy committee and member of the task force that wrote the

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climate action plan, said.

The plan also calls for preserving open space and natural resources — posing a tradeoff.

Goldman worries that “sometimes the equivalency of trees sequestering carbon with transportation is used as a reason to oppose development,” when in actuality, transportation emissions cannot be balanced out by local greenery alone.

“People like the fields around them,” he said, adding that “we need to make some sacrifices in the short-term in order to have a longterm to worry about.”

Construction may not be pleasant to live near, but in the long term, engineering a more walkable city could be a big step toward mitigating South Burlington’s emissions.

While 42 percent of potential emissions reductions would come from electrifying three-quarters of cars in the city by 2030, an additional 25 percent could be gained just from reducing miles traveled, according to Andrew Chalnick, city councilor and member of the task force.

“You have to build homes in places where people don’t have to get into their cars,” he said.

South Burlington is already doing this to some extent. Paul Connor, director of planning and zoning for the city, said there are minimum requirements in place for both open space and new development. By requiring a minimum density of homes per acre, land is more efficiently used,” he said.

Another reason cited for a minimum required housing density is economic — by ensuring enough people live near small business-

es, those businesses acquire much-needed consistent clientele.

The practice of placing large new developments near destinations like businesses has been termed traditional neighborhood development by the city, and it has served as a guiding principle as South Burlington works toward compact development.

Additionally, natural climate change solutions and compact development goals are being reconciled under an initiative that many can likely get behind: planting more street trees.

According to a report compiled by the University of Vermont’s spatial analysis lab in 2016, only about a third of the city’s tree canopy cover was in residential areas, despite those areas having the highest potential for increased canopy cover.

For example, one new development, the Cider Mill neighborhood, had only 6 percent canopy cover in 2016, but the assessment determined it could attain 85 percent canopy cover –– though the report didn’t give a time period for the hypothetical 14-fold increase.

However, before tree canopy in South Burlington increases, it will likely have to decrease, something noted in the report. As new neighborhoods are built up, existing trees will have to be cut down. However, those new communities would represent an opportunity to plant a new generation of urban trees to shade the city long into the future.

Officials would look at planting trees on meridians, along sidewalks and driveways, in storage areas and across large expanses of lawn. Trees can reduce the “heat island” effect that pavement and buildings have in urban areas, along with absorbing some excess carbon dioxide and slowing down stormwater. Having enough trees might also help serve as habitat for animals — though it would remain a far cry from an intact natural area.

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The SBBA is South Burlington’s only business organization focused solely on strengthening business in South Burlington. We find strength in numbers, and welcome new member businesses, large and small. For more information, visit www.sbbabiz.com. Not a member yet? Join us for networking and dialogue around day-to-day and long-term issues in the South Burlington business community.

Chalnick sees the necessity for difficult decisions to be made in the present for the sake of a more resilient future.

“Ultimately, it’s going to be the will of the people and the will of the council,” he said. “Either we’re going to stay on top of it and we’re going to do it because we care, or we’re going to fail.”

Deniz Dutton is a reporter with the Community News Service, a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.

Group welcomes George Will

National political columnist George F. Will is the featured speaker at the Ethan Allen Institute’s 30th anniversary celebration at the Doubletree by Hilton in South Burlington on Wednesday, May 31.

The topic of his talk is “Why Conservatism is Important in a Place Like Vermont.” A social hour with cash bar begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.

Will is widely regarded as one of the most influential conservative-libertarian commentators in the nation. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1977 and has been awarded 16 honorary doctorate degrees. He continues his half-century long career as a member of the Washington Post Writers Group. His columns are syndicated in more

Youth opera goes to Paris

than 400 newspapers.

“We invited George Will because of his eloquent advocacy for the fundamentals of a free society — individual liberty, private property, competitive free enterprise, limited and frugal government, strong local communities, personal responsibility and expanded opportunity for human endeavor,” Ethan Allen Institute president Myers Mermel said.

Will’s academic background includes Trinity College, Oxford and Princeton. He has taught political philosophy at Michigan State, University of Toronto and Harvard. He has authored 16 books, including “American Happiness and its Discontents.”

More at ethanallen.org.

Gold medalist

Stephen Rogers, a senior at South Burlington High School and Center for Technology in Essex won the gold medal for the SkillsUSA competition this year in the engineering technology and design category. He and two other students built a working prototype for a prosthetic hand. The trio will compete in the national competition in Atlanta in June. Rogers competed and received a gold medal in the additive manufacturing category in Vermont last year and placed ninth in the country at nationals. More at bit.ly/3GFyJhm.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Youth Opera Company of Vermont gave performances of “An American in Paris” at the Waterbury Congregational Church and Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington last weekend, under the direction of Sarah Cullins and music director Mary Jane Austin, who coached students musically, vocally and on French diction so they could sing familiar works by Gluck, Bizet, Bernstein and others. From left, Lili Diemer, Rice Memorial High School, Jane Jensen-Waggoner, Middlebury High School, Jeremiah Stewart, Burlington High School, Connor Trombly, Rice, Ambrose Cusick, Burlington and Neve Bruno, Stowe High School.

George F. Will

COURTESY PHOTO

Alarm: 19

CRIME & COURTS

South Burlington Police Blotter

Agency / public assists: 18

Directed patrol: 16

Welfare check: 16

Disturbance: 15

Suspicious event: 14

Traffic stop: 14

Retail theft: 11

Motor vehicle complaint: 10

Accident: property damage: 7

Noise: 7

Trespass: 7

Animal problem: 6

Unlawful mischief: 5

Larceny from motor vehicle: 2

Total incidents: 230

Arrests:

March 20 at 10:09 p.m., Ryan Williams, 35, of South Burlington, was arrested for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child on Sebring Road.

Vermont State Police Blotter

April 11 at 10:59 p.m., Matthew McFadden, 41, of South Burlington was arrested for driving under the influence, second offense, after police stopped him on Interstate 80 for a lane violation while driving.

Forbidden flames

March 29 at 5:49 p.m., Bradley Daniel Mahoney, 28, of Swanton, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

April 7 at 8:36 p.m., Muhudin Abdi, 19, of Winooski, was arrested for simple assault on Karen Drive.

April 7 at 8:36 p.m., Zachary J. Cook, 39, of Burlington, was arrested for simple assault on Karen Drive.

April 8 at 9:22 p.m., Jason A. Gabric, 44, of Richmond, was arrested for first degree aggravated domestic assault on Hinesburg Road.

April 12 at 10:30 a.m., Caitlyn N. Wilson, 41, of Shelburne, was arrested for simple assault and operation of a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent at Williston Road and Dorset Street.

April 15 at 2:16 a.m., Owen P. Lucey, 22, of Essex Town, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on College Parkway and Vermont National Guard Road.

April 15 at 7:33 p.m., Donald Joseph Pelletier III, 34, of Burlington, was arrested for domestic assault on Reel Road.

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PHOTO BY SOUTH BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

The South Burlington Fire Marshal reminds residents they need a burn permit for open burning. This scene is from a two-acre fire near Meadowland Drive and Industrial Park on April 7. The Vermont Air National Guard provided mutual aid and Saint Michael’s College Fire and Rescue helped cover the station while crews fought the blaze.

Hinesburg man pleads not guilty in cyclist’s death

Driver released on condition he not operate a motor vehicle

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Richard K. Lewis, the man South Burlington police cited with grossly negligent operation with death resulting after hitting a cyclist with his car, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the Oct. 15 incident.

The 69-year-old from Hinesburg was released following his arraignment on April 6, under the condition that he does not operate a motor vehicle. His arraignment, and court documents associated with the case, bring new details of the incident to light, which resulted in the death of Gerard Malavenda, a cyclist from Williston.

“An accomplished and seasoned bicyclist, Gerry had set out on a glorious Vermont day for a ride that would unfortunately be his last,” Malavenda’s obituary reads.

Lewis hung up when reached by phone. His attorney, Brooks G. McArthur, did not respond to several phone messages and emails.

On Oct. 15, just after noon, South Burlington police officers responded to the scene in the area near 1410 Hinesburg Rd., where they found Malavenda — wearing a neon shirt, as well as neon shoe covers — “breathing, but not speaking,” according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Powell spoke with Lewis at the scene, who was in his truck on a phone call when the officer asked to see his cell phone, according to court documents. Powell examined Lewis’ phone and noted that his call and missed call history folders were both empty, aside from the call he had just been on.

Lewis told the officer he had called his son immediately after the crash, but that call was deleted.

“I found it suspicious Lewis had deleted a phone call he had made immediately after the crash,” the officer said in the complaint. “Lewis advised he always deleted his call history. I did not observe any text messages within 15 minutes before the crash was reported.”

The state police’s investigation of the crash scene showed Lewis’ car had veered nearly three feet over the white fog line into the southbound shoulder where Malavenda was with his bike.

Lewis was then released, and the road shut down so the Vermont State Police crash reconstruction process team could process the scene.

Lewis was the only occupant in his GMC truck and told police that he had been going to visit his son, who lives off Hinesburg Road in South Burlington. While traveling southbound, he recalled slowing down after seeing Malavenda straddling his bike, which was perpendicular to the roadway on the west side of the road.

“Lewis ... worried about the rear tire of the bicycle, which he repeated to me several times,” South Burlington officer Hazen Powell wrote in the affidavit of probable cause. “Lewis was attempting to avoid the male but stated he was suddenly right in front of Lewis’ truck.”

Malavenda’s bike was found with damage to its rear tire, but no damage to the frame or handlebars. There were no witnesses to the crash.

Lewis “denied looking at his cellphone, being distracted by the interior of his vehicle or looking around directly before the crash occurred,” Powell wrote. He stopped his car, asked a nearby resident to call 911 and then called his son.

Malavenda was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center’s emergency department, where he was pronounced dead.

Over the course of several weeks, South Burlington police seized Lewis’ phone and determined his cellphone had been connected to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system minutes before the crash occurred, according to court documents. Powell later sent a subpoena to AT&T, but the company told him that there were no records of phone calls or text messages available made between 11:51 a.m. and 1 p.m. that day.

“I advised the representative (that) I had observed the individual using their phone and making calls between 11:51 a.m. and 1 p.m.,” Powell wrote in court documents. “The representative advised (that) AT&T had provided all of the information they had for the hours of 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Oct. 15.”

The state police’s investigation of the crash scene showed Lewis’ car had veered nearly three feet over the white fog line into the southbound shoulder where Malavenda was with his bike.

Speed was not a contributing factor in this motor vehicle crash “but rather a lane deviation possibly due to an inattentive operator,” the state police crash report reads. He was later cited by the South Burlington Police Department in February.

“Lewis failed to exercise ordinary care by not only failing to avoid a bicyclist on the shoulder of a public highway ... but in fact driving more than two feet to the right of the fog line and striking the bicyclist,” Powell wrote.

No trial date for Lewis has been set at this time.

OPINION

House bill could help reduce suicides by guns

More than 700 Vermont residents died of gunshot wounds in the decade between 2011 and 2020, and 88 percent of those gun deaths were suicides. Of all firearm-related deaths in Vermont in 2021, 89 percent were suicides and 8 percent were homicides.

The 2021 suicide rate by all methods in Vermont was 20.3 per 100,000 people, compared to a national rate of 14.0 per 100,000 people. Suicide among Vermont men and boys is 50 percent higher than the national average. In 2021, there were 142 suicides in Vermont, and 83 of those (58 percent) were completed by firearm. Rand Corporation research estimates that in 2016, firearms were present in 47 percent of Vermont homes and in 32 percent of homes in the United States. Children are 4.4 times more likely to die by suicide in a home with a firearm compared to a home without a firearm.

These were some of the troubling findings that the House Committee on Health Care included in H.230, a bill that would implement measures to reduce suicide. That committee advanced three policies to meet that goal.

First, the bill would create a

secure-storage requirement. It would require a person to securely store firearms in circumstances where a child or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is likely to gain access to them. If a child or prohibited person accesses an improperly secured firearm and commits a crime or causes harm with it, the owner of the firearm would face potential imprisonment or fine or both.

To avoid impinging on a person’s right to self-defense, the provision would not apply if a firearm is carried by the owner or another authorized user or within such close proximity that it can be readily retrieved and used by the owner or authorized user.

Second, the bill would improve access to Vermont’s red-flag law, which allows a court to issue an extreme risk protection order. This is a civil order that temporarily prohibits individuals who pose a danger of injury to self (including suicide) or others from purchasing, possessing or receiving any dangerous weapons, including firearms.

Under current law, only a state’s attorney or the Office of the Attorney General may file an protection order petition. H.230 would allow a family or household member to initiate the process by directly petitioning the court for an emergency order.

If a court issues the emergency order, it must hold a hearing within 14 days to provide the person against whom the order was issued an opportunity to be heard. At that point, the state’s attorney or attorney general would take over the case from the family or household member and become the party to the action. H.230 would make the process for obtaining an order of protection more accessible to those who are in the best position — family or household members — to know if someone is a danger to themselves or others.

Third, the bill adds a waiting period. A person would not be allowed to transfer a firearm to a purchaser until 72 hours after the purchaser passes a background check or after seven days without any result from the background check, whichever occurs first.

After the bill was passed out of the health care committee, the House Committee on Judiciary,

which I chair, took testimony and worked on H.230. Although we considered other issues related to the bill, we focused on the constitutionality of the provisions, in particular whether they would run afoul of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In the judiciary committee, we heard from witnesses who testified that they believe the provisions in H.230 are constitutional and from others who believe that they are unconstitutional. Ultimately, as our legislative counsel testified, courts will have the final say. At this time, it is not clear how the courts will rule on such firearms regulations, and it may not be clear for a while.

The Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark testified that there were concerns about the constitutionality of any gun legislation considering the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. But she

concluded that her office thinks H.230 is constitutional and urged the Legislature to pass the bill.

I have no reason to disagree with the attorney general. Indeed, we heard strong testimony that the provisions in H.230 for safe storage, improving accessibility to the red flag law, and implementing a waiting period are constitutional. As I fully explain in a post at martinlalondevt.com, I believe that the courts will find such provisions to be constitutional. In the interim, implementing these measures will save lives.

H.230 passed the House in March and is currently being taken up in the Senate. If you have any questions or input on this or other issues before the House, contact me at mlalonde@ leg.state.vt.us or 802-863-3086.

Martin LaLonde, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-12 House district.

Lawmakers address challenges facing families, providers of child care

It is a very different feeling in the Legislature now. Crossover, now over, is a frenzy of activity featuring long days and even longer nights on the House floor.

The purpose of crossover is to send bills out of their respective committees to be voted on by the full House and then sent over to the Senate.

In the House Committee on Human Services, we successfully sent H.94, H.171, H.190 and H.222 to the floor where represen-

tatives voted almost unanimously to send them to the Senate.

With that part of the legislative calendar over, we now enter a much calmer time.

After our first week, though, I can already see that it is the calm before the storm. In human services, we are working on bills S.56 and H.208, which both deal with early childhood care and education — very difficult and complicated issues facing Vermonters today.

In committee, we have received testimony from many interested parties. Working Vermont families need help with the availability, accessibility, equity and cost of high-quality childhood education and care.

Child care providers and educators need help as well. The importance of early childhood education is widely studied and the benefits of high-quality, early childhood education for kids are well-documented, from success, career and health outcomes to a reduction of negative social outcomes like addiction and arrest.

Many committees are involved in the crafting of the bill that will

From the House Rep. Martin LaLonde

From the House Rep. Noah Hyman

Rep. Martin LaLonde

Rapid growth, more housing could destroy Vermont’s soul

Guest Perspective

Rosanne Greco

Why Vermont?

That’s the question Vermonters almost always ask whenever I tell them we moved here from the Maryland suburbs. My answer is always the same: “Vermont!” I usually follow that up with the fact that neither my husband nor I had any relatives or friends in Vermont, nor did we have any job prospects — we were at retirement age but intended to keep working. At first, Vermonters’ incredulity that we would choose to retire to a cold, costly state with fewer amenities took me by surprise.

For me, and for many others who move to Vermont after living in other states, it was obvious: unmatchable quality of life. I feel fortunate — even blessed — to live in a place like Vermont. Many of us who have lived elsewhere — I’ve lived in eight U.S. states and five foreign countries — fled those places and deliberately chose Vermont because it was unlike the other states. Discovering that there was a place like Vermont was like remembering how to breathe and how to smile again. Sixteen years ago, we choose Vermont for its uniqueness and even its quirkiness, for its natural beauty, because it took care of the environment, because its neighbors know each other, for its caring for others less fortunate, for its sense of safety, for its citizen involvement, and so much more.

I instantly felt a soul connection with this wonderful state. Every time I leave the state — which is very rarely — my heart leaps a bit as soon as I cross back into Vermont.

Much of what I cherish about Vermont now seems in jeopardy. There is a concerted effort to homogenize the state — make it like Anywhere, USA. Some of those in power are vigorously pushing that we

pave over paradise to build 40,000 more houses and add 100,000 more people. They tell us that we need to build, build, build and grow, grow, grow, even if it causes the destruction of the natural environment and changes the look, feel and character of Vermont. They tell us that adding more houses and people is worth the loss of the state’s soul. The mountains, meadows, trees, hillsides, wildlife, waters are part of who we are. You don’t have to imagine what Vermont would look like without them. Just drive south, or east or west to other states.

There is a distinct possibility that the paradise that is Vermont is on the verge of being lost. Legislators in the Statehouse are considering a bill (S.100) that will take away local control over land use, including town’s regulations to preserve open lands. The bill will force dense housing over the rural lands in some areas, and at the same time, remove some of the environmental protections put into place through Act 250 decades ago.

Vermont would look very different were it not for environmental protections. Those of us who cherish these majestic open lands are shamed for not being OK with destroying them for housing. Housing advocates are clamoring that we should be willing to sacrifice just about everything for more housing. They talk as if nothing is more important. All other problems, including the existential threat of climate change, take a back seat, if they get a seat at all. Adding tens of thousands more houses along with the accompanying 100,000 people will destroy a significant amount of the natural world and dramatically change this small state. I am beyond baffled as to why some Vermonters are doing their darndest to destroy the very things that most of us cherish, and which attract tourists and those who love the natural world to Vermont. I sometimes get the impression

Letters to the Editor

S.100 puts profit ahead of equity

To the Editor:

I have already expressed my strong opposition to the Senate housing bill S.100 in its current form and the South Burlington City Council has also communicated its objections publicly.

It is top-down legislation that usurps local control rather than incentivizing towns and cities to increase housing development where it is responsible to build and in a way that ensures fairness.

To provide more detail, one of my primary concerns is that the bill’s purported premise to stimulate the construction of affordable housing does not stand up to scrutiny. Our state representatives held a special legislative forum on April 3 in South Burlington, and we were able to hear directly from members of the development community who support this bill. One of the bill’s supporters said quite tellingly that it is only possible to build capital-A affordable housing in high-rise apartment buildings.

This developer is currently construct-

ing a neighborhood that includes a high rise of 100 affordable units amid 700 market-rate single family homes and duplexes that are currently selling for $800,000 and $600,000, respectively. When the high-rise building was announced, homeowners in the marketrate units sought to block the building’s access to the community swimming pool, arguing that the residents would not be contributing to the upkeep through fees. City administration had to intervene to ensure equal access.

This story speaks to the problem of both local and statewide zoning that does not tend to the practical questions of how equity can be achieved through the elaboration of thoughtful rules.

As much as I support affordable housing, this housing project is not the model we should be following if we wish to achieve housing equity. We need rules that ensure equal access and that prohibit development patterns that provide housing

that Vermonters think the state’s smallness is a negative, and that we are backwards or behind the times, or are country bumpkins because we don’t think, act or look like the rest of the U.S. We possess something far more meaningful. The country needs more of the small town and small state values that focus on taking care of all of us, human and non-human beings alike. One of the main reasons we moved to Vermont was because of its reputation for protecting nature and wildlife. Unlike other places that think it normal to exploit the natural world so that humans can live larger lives and have more stuff, Vermonters respected and cared for the natural world even as they did for one another. The growth and consumption mentality, which has caused the climate crisis, was not part of the Vermont ethic — until this push to grow and build. Eliminating nature to build houses will not only destroy the uniqueness of Vermont, but it will also alter our souls. The incredibly sad thing is that most won’t know what they had until it’s gone. Our children and their children will never know the beauty and peace we now enjoy. We

really are paving over paradise.

I struggled with words to express my feelings and fears for Vermont. Perhaps the words of a child and a stranger on a plane say it better than I.

A few years ago, after a week-long visit with us, family members were flying back to Maryland. As they sat on the plane waiting for it to take off from the Burlington airport, our 8-year-old granddaughter started crying and then turned to her mother and asked, “Why do we have to go back to America?”

A few years before that on a nonstop flight to Vermont, I overheard a stranger make a comment that has stayed with me. Parents with young children boarded the flight and took their seats in the row in front of me. Just as the plane was taking off, the father turned to his children and said: “Next stop … paradise.”

Children and visitors understand “why Vermont?” Do we?

Rosanne Greco is a on the board of directors of the South Burlington Land Trust.

Around SoBu schools this week

Top left: Orchard Elementary School students put on their school play, “The Further Adventures of Peter, Wendy and Hook” on April 14 and 15. Directed by The Very Merry Theatre’s Don Wright, 32 fourth graders, a cast of 27 third graders, 34 fifth graders and a crew of an additional 34 students put on a great show. The show would not have been possible without support from Orchard teachers and staff and the Orchard PTO.

Top right: Principal Mark Trifilio got in the spirit of the play before the curtain went up.

Left: The future class of 2036 took their first steps into South Burlington schools as Rick Marcotte, Orchard and Gertrude Chamberlin hold orientations for kindergartners starting in the fall.

Buying and shopping locally helps independent businesses, which in turn helps all of us shape our community’s distinct flavor, personality and character.

PHOTO BY HOLLY ROUELLE

COURTESY PHOTOS

Budding essayists

COURTESY PHOTO

Vermont Day School 8th grader Oonagh Guyer of South Burlington is the winner of this year’s Lincoln Essay contest. Hosted annually by Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln’s family estate, 8th-grade students from across the state were asked to submit essays focused on civil discourse and difficult subjects. The topic of this year’s essay was censorship and the rise of book bans in the United States. In addition to Oonagh’s top place finish, Vermont Day School students Jesse Kim of Burlington placed third. Margot Dator of Shelburne and Parker Wildey of Charlotte were finalists. A total of 198 essays were submitted. On May 21, Guyer and Kim will travel to Manchester to celebrate their accomplishments. From left, Jesse Kim, Parker Wildey, Oonagh Guyer and Margot Dater. Visit hildene.org to learn more.

Planet of the Humans Film Screening and Q & A!

Live in Person with Writer, Director, Producer

Jeff Gibbs

Join lmmaker Jeff Gibbs (Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11) for a special showing of his ac‐claimed lm Planet of the Humans on the third anniversary of its release, followed by a question and an‐swer hosted by James Ehlers with Vermonters for a Clean Environment. It is certain to be a lively discussion of issues being debated right now all across Vermont solar and wind energy, biomass, and electric ve‐hicles. Several key scenes were lmed in the Green Mountain State and have now been viewed by tens of millions across the world.

Planet of the Humans, 2020, 99 minutes

When: Tuesday, April 25

Showings at 2:00 and 6:30 each followed by discussion with lmmaker live, in person

Where: Essex Cinemas. Capacity is limited. Tickets $5 suggested donation.

Reserve your seats here

2 pm show: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/early‐screening‐planet‐of‐the‐humans‐tickets‐

599768402437

6:30 pm show: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/evening‐screening‐planet‐of‐the‐humans‐tickets‐

599781511647

“Planet of the Humans” is a documentary that dares to say what no one else will — that we are losing the battle to stop the destruction of the earth because we are following leaders who have taken us down the wrong road — selling out the green movement to wealthy interests and corporate America. This lm is the wake‐up call to the reality we are afraid to face: that in the midst of a human‐caused extinction event, the environmental movement’s answer is to push for techno‐xes and band‐aids. Have we environmentalists fallen for “green” illusions that are anything but green, because we’re scared that this is the end—and we’ve pinned all our hopes on biomass, wind turbines, and electric cars? No amount of batteries is going to save us, warns director Jeff Gibbs (co‐producer with Michael Moore of “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine"). This urgent, must‐see movie, a full‐frontal assault on our sacred cows, is guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see our survival in a new way—before it’s too late.

Director Gibbs will be available for a limited number of advance media interviews. Interested journalists should contact James Ehlers to schedule.

Sponsored by Vermonters for a Clean Environment

COMMUNITY

Community Notes

Student graduations, milestones

The following students from South Burlington were named to Champlain College president’s list for the fall semester: Angela Luman and Michael Magister.

The following students from South Burlington were named to Champlain College trustees’ list for the fall semester: Mohammed Hussein and Carly Laudenslager.

The following students from South Burlington were named to Champlain College dean’s list for the fall semester: Garrett Brayman; Kim Le; Eli Zhou; Jelani Morgan; Anthony Apostol; Alexandra Perras; Tyler Bernadet; Alena Demirovic; Yunier Martinez; Alanna Nguyen-Kenney; Kayden Bushey; and Jaren Brigham.

Ethan Perkinson of South Burlington was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at the Villanova School of Business.

Harysh Magesh of South Burlington made the dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Shelburne hosts ‘Urine My Garden’ workshop

Join the Rich Earth Institute at Shelburne Farms to learn all about why and how to fertilize your garden with urine on Saturday, April 29, 1-2 p.m.

Reclaiming urine as a fertilizer is a safe and simple practice. By pee-cycling, gardeners can reclaim waste as a resource, access an abundance of free fertilizer and prevent nutrient pollution. Pee-cycling kits for home gardeners will be available for interested participants to take home.

Funding for this workshop comes from the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

‘Wild About Wild Habitat’ with Sue Morse

When it comes to wildlife, photographer and wildlife researcher Sue Morse puts it this way: “If you don’t build it, they will come.” In other words, wild animals need intact, interconnected wild habitat to survive and thrive.

Join Morse as she shares her photos and insights about the wildlife that calls Vermont home, the need for wild habitat and the actions individuals and communities can take to promote wildness. In this online talk on Thursday,

April 27, 7-8:30 p.m., Morse will focus on the Champlain Valley — Vermont’s most densely populated region — where opportunities still abound to encourage wild habitats.

To register and receive a Zoom link, go to bit.ly/41edrQe.

Morse has monitored and photographed wildlife since 1977.

The talk is hosted by St. Michael’s College Center for the Environment and is co-sponsored by Vermont Family Forests, The Watershed Center and Lewis Creek Association.

Camp registration opens for kids with disabilities

Summer in Vermont is just around the corner, and Partners In Adventure offers a one-of-akind summer camp experience for young people with disabilities.

Four two-week sessions for kids over 7 years old are packed with adventures, including sailing, kayaking, outdoor education, crafts and music. The first session will begin Monday, June 26. Base camp this year will be at the Williston Federated Church in Williston, anc camp runs Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3p.m.

More at partnersinadventure. org.

Touch base with schools at Donuts and Discussion

The South Burlington School District invites the community for Donuts and Discussion on the third Friday of every month at its central offices, 577 Dorset St., from 9-10 a.m.

Join the superintendent and school board members for conversation, coffee and doughnuts this month on Friday, April 21.

VTrans provides more than $4 million grants

The Vermont Agency of Transportation has handed out $4 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects through its Transportation Alternatives Program.

“These projects will enhance and expand the state’s transportation infrastructure,” transportation secretary Joe Flynn said. “Improvements to sidewalks, bike paths and shared-use paths provide Vermonters more transportation options and improve their quality of life.”

Selected projects this year include:

Gardening with tried-and-true perennials

Hinesburg: Relocation of a sidewalk on the intersection of Route 116 and Charlotte Road.

South Burlington: Construction of a new box culvert near Bartlett Bay Road and a scoping study for a shared use path on Allen Road.

Shelburne: Additional funds for a five-foot-wide sidewalk along an 870-foot portion of Irish Hill Road.

South Burlington Library honors Marje Von Ohlsen

Friends of the South Burlington Library have donated an entire non-circulating collection of Caldecott winners from 1938 to 2022 to honor Marje Von Ohlsen and her dedication to the children of South Burlington.

“Miss Marje” was the children’s librarian at the South Burlington Library from 1994-2010.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of 19th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

There will be a reception for Von Ohlsen on Thursday, April 20, at 11 a.m. in the Marabella Kidspace.

All are welcome to enjoy refreshments and peruse the collection of Caldecott books.

Science Fun Day explores out of this world topics

Are you a student in grades three to five with an interest in exploring how things work?

If so, “Science Fun Day: Out of this World” may be just the event for you. It takes place at the Barre Civic Center in Barre on Sunday, May 21, from 2-4 p.m, and there’s only space for 25 participants.

The afternoon session will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities. Learn what it takes to fly a helicopter on Mars, investigate alien genetics and build an egg-drop lander to protect the “eggstronaut” you create.

The event is free, but registration is required. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, firstserved basis until Monday, May 15 or when the event fills up. To register go to uvm.edu/extension.

Knights of Columbus host pancake breakfast

The Knights of Columbus DeGosbriand Council old-fashioned all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast originally scheduled for

April 16 has been moved to this Sunday, April 23, 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 Vermont maple syrup are included.

Admission is $10 and $25 for a family of four.

Breakfast benefits seminarians or religious aspirants.

Another breakfast will be held on May 14.

Contact David Ely, davidely1986@gmail.com or 802-8625109, for more information.

Be a weed warrior, help remove invasives

South Burlington’s weed warrior program was developed to meet the goal of assisting city staff by creating a new corps of trained volunteers focused on removing invasive plants in parks and natural areas.

This programs trains volunteers in invasive plant identification and removal techniques, and then engages them on hands-on removal days to gain additional

COURTESY PHOTO

Join Silvia Jope and the Burlington Garden Club at the United First Methodist Church in South Burlington on Tuesday, April 25, at 1 p.m., for a discussion on her “close to nature” approach to creating ecologically inspired landscapes. Participants will learn sustainable principles for landscape planning. Jope is the owner of Old World Garden Design, where she has worked to promote no-mow grass patches, mixing edibles with pollinator friendly plants, hand-woven garden gates and native hornbeam arches. Free and open to the public.

“Kobzar’s Prayer for Ukraine: The Lost, Sacred, Traditional Instruments of Ukraine: Bandura, Kobza, and Torban,” featuring Jurij Fedynsky, is a free concert, lecture and presentation at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne on Thursday, May 4, 6:30 p.m.

Fedynsky, a 48-year-old Ukrainian American, was born in the United States and has resided in Ukraine for the past 23 years. He is a musician, researcher and instrument maker who for decades has been reviving the lost music and spiritual tradition of the kobzar. The kobzar were traveling musicians, storytellers and spiritual leaders who for centuries went around Ukraine spreading their art and wisdom.

With the rise of Stalin and Soviet control over Ukraine, the kobzar were killed, their instruments destroyed, and their traditions almost forgotten. Almost. Fedynskiy and his colleagues work to recreate lost traditional instruments, including the kobza, the bandura and the torban.

He has witnessed the current war in Ukraine first-hand. When Russia invaded Ukraine on in 2022, Fedynsky and his fellow musicians performed at checkpoints, barracks and shelters. Wherever possible, his guild performed for civilians and soldiers alike.

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO Jurij

tradition, hoping to enrich the world, sharing the truth about Ukraine through historic songs that have preserved the emotions and national character of Ukraine. Donations will be collectThe Other Paper • April 20, 2023 • Page 11

ed, and proceeds will go to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Poltava Kobzar Guild. For more information, contact Jeanette Bacevius at 802-3638287 or jjbacevius@yahoo.com.

The cooks of the South Burlington Faith United Methodist Church recently baked hundreds of lasagna dinners and offered them to the public. The proceeds of more than $3,700 were given to the Machia Wilderness Camp, a nonprofit offering outdoor education for youth. Machia!

for

Ukrainian musician revives the spiritual tradition of the kobzar at All Souls

Make your spring garden checklist

Spring may be upon us, but winter is reluctant to let go. In the meantime, we’re all eagerly awaiting the time when we can head back to our gardens and get them into shape for the coming growing season.

If you didn’t do so during garden downtime in January and February, now is the time to order seeds, plants, shrubs and trees

online or make a to-get list for shopping at your local nursery. While you’re at it, sketch out plans for new beds or additions to existing garden plots.

Temptation is all too real when browsing garden catalogs. The old adage that begins with “a place for everything” can help keep random purchases and dreaming too big under control.

Before the ground is workable, take some time to clean out and organize your garden shed or

greenhouse. Make an inventory of garden supplies and tools in particular. If you didn’t do so in the fall when you stored them for the winter, clean tools and perform any needed maintenance. Do you need to replace hoses, or are you planning on putting in new beds? Make a note of anything that needs to be replaced and put those and any new items on your

See CHECKLIST on page 13

Above: Before the start of the growing season, gardeners should take an inventory of tools and other garden supplies, to determine what needs to be cleaned, maintained or replaced.

Right: Starting a backyard compost pile helps keep food scraps and yard waste out of the landfill while providing nutrient-rich matter for the garden.

CHECKLIST

continued from page 12

shopping list.

Now is also a good time to consider what additional gardening supplies you may need. Are you planning on growing crops that require support such as tomatoes? A wide variety of tomato cages and trellises are available. If you decide now, you can put supports in place at the time you plant to avoid disturbing the roots later on.

Once you have access to your garden, prune trees and shrubs as needed, but leave those that bloom in spring alone. If you prune spring-blooming shrubs such as lilacs and azaleas now, you’ll be cutting off this year’s flowers. Wait to prune those shrubs until after they’ve bloomed.

Even though you’ll be tempted to clean up the garden when the snow clears, wait until after daytime temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit for about a week before removing leaves and flower stalks that weren’t dealt with last fall. That will give beneficial insects that have been overwintering in the garden time to emerge.

If you don’t already have a compost pile, now is the time to start one. It’s the perfect

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way to recycle food scraps and yard waste with many options available for container size and type of composting. For more on composting, see bit.ly/3ZTEpff.

While you’re cleaning up the garden, watch for signs of perennial weeds and newly emerged annual weeds popping up in beds and along pathways. Remove them now while they’re young.

They’ll only hold on tighter the longer you wait. A few minutes of weeding now is far easier than spending an afternoon fighting established weeds once warm and sunny spring weather has settled in.

Spring also is a good time to divide or transplant perennials. Take note of which plants need dividing and where you’d like to put them. Prepare any new beds.

Build, repair or replace trellises and other plant supports. Consider using tree and shrub prunings from the garden to build your own.

If you’re planning on starting seeds indoors, check to see if you have all the supplies you’ll need. Seed packets should include information on when to start those seeds. For more on starting seeds indoors, see bit.ly/40gNjDG.

Before you know it, the garden will be awake, and it will be time to venture outside and get down to work.

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Deborah J. Benoit is a UVM Extension master gardener.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Student wildlife art exhibit, annual awards this weekend

The Vermont Wildlife Coalition, a sponsor of the annual Vermont Student Wildlife Art competition, opens an exhibit of student work and holds an awards ceremony on Friday, April 21, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

The “Give Wildlife a Voice” art competition showcases the artistic talents of students from across the state, with the aim of promoting conservation and appreciation for Vermont’s diverse wildlife species. The competition includes Vermont students grades seven to 12, and

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 10

experience. The end goal is to have volunteers from this program independently remove invasive plants from city parks and natural areas in order to improve wildlife habitat and native plant biodiversity.

Upcoming sessions will be held on Friday, April 21, 1-4 p.m., at Wheeler Nature Park and Sunday, April 23, 1-4 p.m., at Hubbard

entries are judged on originality, technique and how well the artwork represents native wildlife species. The art exhibit will be hung from April 21 to April 30 and feature a variety of artwork, including drawings, paintings and mixed media pieces. The awards ceremony will be held on April 21 where the top 10 winners will be announced.

There will also be a special award this year to memorialize and honor Chelsea Wing Sikora, a dedicated wildlife advocate and artist.

“It’s rewarding to see the creativity and passion that these young artists bring to their depictions of Vermont’s wildlife. We hope that this competition inspires more people to appreciate and protect our natural resources,” said Keisha Luce, executive director of the arts center. For more information visit vtwildlifecoalition.org.

The competition is sponsored by the Vermont Wildlife Coalition, Vermont Wildlife Education Fund and the Highland Center for the Arts.

Recreation and Natural Area. See recandparks.sbvt.gov for more information and to register.

Lions Club holds Thanksgiving food drive

The Lions Club offers residents an opportunity to share their blessings by contributing to a commu-

nity food drive on Saturday, April 22, at the Shelburne Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lions will be accepting contributions of non-perishable food items for the Shelburne Food Shelf.

Contributions can be made in the form of food, personal care items or cash. Used eyeglasses

and hearing aids, plus new socks for the homeless, are also being collected.

Most needed items include peanut butter, hot cereal packets, canned tuna and chicken, canned soups, stew, chili, spaghetti, rice and pasta helpers, applesauce, cleaning products and personal care products such as shampoo,

small soaps, feminine hygiene products and toothpaste. Check before you donate at shelburnefoodshelf.org.

The Lions Club serves Shelburne, South Burlington, University of Vermont and Burlington (south). For more information call or text Mark Hanna at 978-7640694.

COURTESY PHOTO

Shakeh Hagopian’s piece won first place in the 2022 in the Vermont Student Wildlife Art competition.

Student Olympians compete in brainy, brawny challenges

Long an annual tradition, The Schoolhouse in South Burlington held its schoolwide Olympics March 24 and March 31. The two-day challenge was organized and led by the school’s middle schoolers, who had spent weeks brainstorming and designing all of the courses.

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade competed across 10 challenges to both brain and body, ranging from a traditional outdoor team relay race to a quirky newspaper costume building competition. Other activities included a brainy trivia challenge, a “puntastic” riddle extravaganza, building the tallest block tower, and a balloon bop where students

tried to keep a balloon in the air for as long as possible.

For Olympic medals, middle schoolers pruned branches from the school’s fruit orchard and cut them into medallions, which they engraved with a wood burning tool. Winners included teams from kindergarten through fifth grade, with sixth to eighth graders leading the events and serving as judges.

“One of my favorites was outside on the playground when we ran around and did a relay race,” said Hunter Mangan, 7, of Winooski. “One of my other favorites was when we built the Legos. I learned when we did Legos to be good partners with people.”

Hinesburg (right), and teammate model their outfits made from newspaper.

Top Right: Eva Kelly, 5, of South Burlington, Leo Benjamin Selick, 7, of Burlington, Gracie Albers, 10, of South Burlington, and Jonah Hard, 9, of Colchester display some of their hard work in the “newspaper outfits” event at The Schoolhouse Winter Olympics.

Right: Donovan Goodwin, 8, of South Burlington, and Elliott Doran, 9, of Hinesburg, show off their Lego creation.

Bottom: Homemade medals, made by Schoolhouse middle-schoolers by pruning branches and engraving them with a woodburning tool. Four teams won medals.

Top Left: Elliott Doran, 9, of

COURTESY PHOTOS

Vermont Symphony picks music director

Andrew Crust is the new music director for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.

Crust was selected out of a pool of seven finalist candidates and succeeds Jaime Laredo, who stepped down in 2021 after a 20-year tenure leading the orchestra.

Crust’s first concert as the orchestra’s music director will take place on Sept. 30 at the Flynn Theater in Burlington.

“I want to also recognize the immense impact of outgoing music director Jamie Laredo, whose artistic vision shaped this orchestra over two decades,” Crust said in a statement.

Crust has developed a versatile international career as a conductor of orchestral, opera, ballet, film, pops and choral programs.

Financial literacy education course open for teachers

Middle and high school educators in Vermont can increase their financial literacy and personal finance teaching skills by attending a free, online, asynchronous graduate level course that will be available from Monday, July 3 through Friday, Aug. 25.

“Teachers who complete the training will have the confidence, skills and curriculum tools to be successful personal finance educators,” says John Pelletier, director of the Center for Financial Literacy, which is offering the course through its Financial Literacy Academy.

Business Notes

have already taken this course, which has been recognized by the White House, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and U.S. Dept. of Treasury.

The three-credit course is a continuation of the Champlain Financial Literacy Academy’s nationally recognized educator training program conducted in-person from 2011-2019 for nearly 300 educators.

Qian joins Pathways board of directors

He is currently in his third year as music director of the Lima Symphony where he conducts grand series, pops and education programs.

Pelletier says the financial literacy boot camp will cover saving and investing, credit reports and scores, credit cards and debt, managing risk, income and careers.

All of the available spots for this session are open to Vermont educators. Applicants will be notified of acceptance no later than June 2.

Nearly 200 Vermont educators

FROM THE HOUSE

continued from page 6

hopefully become a new tool to support families and providers. Besides human services, the education and ways and means committees, as well as the House Committee on Appropriations will all work on crafting this bill. The complexities involved are daunting. I am very proud to be working with such dedicated, intelligent, hard-working people who are so passionate about helping Vermont’s families.

Other committees are working on many other important bills, including S.100 (housing), S.4

LETTERS

continued from page 7

but have been shown to further stigmatize populations.

Since the application for the above-cited development was approved, South Burlington passed new rules requiring that market-rate and affordable units be indistinguishable. Ironically, the developer in question was a consultant when our new rules were being drafted. Apparently, our rules did pass the test of being “doable” then.

In addition to requiring inclusionary zoning, such as mixed-income housing throughout the city, including its greenest areas, our rules advance the goal of housing equity, seeking to undo economic segregation. Sadly, they now risk being overridden

ways as a landlord partner for almost eight years and have seen and admired the organization’s growth,” Qian said. “My family and I immigrated to this country with very little, and we struggled with housing issues firsthand. Being a proud Vermonter and having grown up here, I am happy to be part of the team that helps our community solve the homelessness issue.”

Vermont Realty agents earn top honors

With a background in finance, real estate investing and as a landlord, David Qian is now a new board member of Pathways Vermont.

Qian has served on the board of nonprofits in New York City and enjoys giving back when possible. Pathways Vermont’s board of directors works to end homelessness and provide innovative mental health alternatives in Vermont.

“I’ve been working with Path-

Robbi Handy Holmes and Warren Palm of South Burlington have been awarded the Chairman’s Circle Platinum honors from parent company Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Platinum awards recognize those in the network’s top 1 percent.

In addition to Palm, two other Vermont Realty Group teams were also platinum award winners, Landmark Group of Vergennes and the Trombley Day Group of Morrisville and Stowe.

(gun control), H.66 (paid family medical leave), H.165 (universal school meals) and S.37, a bill protecting providers of women’s reproductive procedures such as abortion, and many others. The bills listed seem to be the most difficult and politically controversial.

The result of this process will be to pass bills before the end of the session to become law. To help the Legislature and the Senate, citizen involvement is very important to me and your South Burlington delegation.

I invite everyone to contact your representatives and let them know how you feel about the bills that are important to you. Your lived experience and knowledge can help us shape better bills, which, in turn, will become better laws.

I look forward to being able to report back to you all that we have accomplished this session in upcoming columns.

Noah Hyman, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-8 House district.

by this bill. Yes, we all need a home, but this bill puts profit ahead of equity.

Meaghan Emery South Burlington

Emery is a South Burlington city councilor.

Republican hopes for Democratic wins

To the Editor:

I am Republican who voted Democrat in both 2020 and 2022 to stop Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans from making bad decisions with control of the White House and Congress.

Trump caused the Jan. 6

insurrection, which was a major crime. His phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger to find more than 11,000 votes is also a crime. Lying about the hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and posting threats to New York district attorney Alvin Bragg are all crimes.

It is quite clear that Trump should be barred from running for president. Trump is national security threat and needs to be indicted, prosecuted, convicted and sent to prison. For safety of this country, Democrats need to get the House and Senate back and keep the presidency in 2024.

Scott Miller South Burlington

PHOTO BY RICHIE LUBATON Andrew Crust

Legislature’s housing bill advances, hopes for Act 250 reform wane

LOLA DUFFORT VTDIGGER

The session’s omnibus housing bill advanced again with Act 250 provisions untouched, and those beating the drum of state-level deregulation are beginning to lose hope that they will win any concessions this year.

On an 8 to 4 vote, the House Committee on General and Housing advanced S.100 with few changes, save for restoring funding for programs that were removed from the bill when it passed out of the Senate, and adding some additional money.

The split vote — and the tense and at times emotional debate that preceded it — did not concern what the legislation includes, but rather what it does not. Panel members generally expressed widespread consensus about the bill, which would require municipalities to allow moderately denser development, particularly in areas with water and sewer infrastructure, and spend roughly $114 million on a variety of housing programs.

But, as they have all session, lawmakers bitterly disagreed about Act 250, the state’s more than 50-year-old land-use law. This time, they even disagreed about whether to discuss the matter at all.

The day before Thursday’s vote, Rep. Caleb Elder, D-Starksboro, offered the committee an amendment to introduce three new Act 250 exemptions — one which he said had the votes to pass. But after an hourlong discussion, committee members went into a recess. When they returned, the chair,

Rep. Tom Stevens, D-Waterbury, made clear that Elder’s amendment would not be voted upon.

“The portfolio of our committee, at this point in time, does not include Act 250,” Stevens said, adding that the panel had not taken the testimony it needed to responsibly weigh in.

“Regardless of what you may think of it, (Act 250) is the most important environmental law that we have on our books,” he said.

“I’m not comfortable with inserting language that I feel — that I feel — uninformed on.”

Those lobbying for additional Act 250 reforms say they’ll keep doing so. But the House Committee on General and Housing was believed to be the last major opportunity for introducing such measures in a receptive venue.

The housing bill is expected to go through three other committees before it hits the House floor. But its next destination, the energy and environment committee, is widely viewed as highly protective of Vermont’s landmark environmental and land-use law, and the other two panels are budget- and tax-writing committees that are only supposed to deal with the legislation’s financial implications.

Stevens and others made clear in their comments that his directive to steer clear of Act 250 came from House leadership. In an interview Thursday, Conor Kennedy, chief of staff to House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, pointed to the House’s rules, which state that the energy and environment committee is charged with “conservation and development,” while the housing committee

is tasked with issues related to “housing.”

But critics have suggested that leadership’s interpretation of the panel’s jurisdiction — and the single week they were given to work on the bill — rendered the committee little more than a rubber stamp.

“How much work have we really done with this? This morning was our first committee discussion on this bill that wasn’t a walkthrough. Today. We’re being told we have to move it tomorrow. And we’re the housing committee,” Elder said to his fellow committee members Wednesday.

Rep. Ashley Bartley, R-Fairfax, told her colleagues Thursday evening that she was proud of the housing programs their version of the bill, if passed, would fund. But she expressed frustration with the notion that the chamber’s housing committee could not discuss regulations that dictate where and how housing is built.

“It’s something that’s absolutely in our jurisdiction, whether it’s written anywhere or not that we can or cannot talk about it,” she said. “As (Vermont Housing) Commissioner (Josh) Hanford said: You cannot build housing in the clouds.”

Rep. Kathleen James, D-Manchester, replied to Bartley, who is in her first term, that perhaps James was “more accustomed, I guess, to the concept of committee jurisdiction, just because I’ve been around a little bit longer.” (James was first elected in 2018.)

“It happens that way every day around here. It’s not nefarious, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong — it means that a bill’s moving committees. I guess I’m sorry

that that part of the conversation has become such a big part of our conversation here because I feel like we’ve got a great bill,” James said.

But her voice at times breaking, Rep. Saudia LaMont, D-Morristown, told her colleagues on Thursday that she felt the process before her made no sense and was deeply upsetting.

“As a person who has experienced homelessness — chronic homelessness — as a renter and a person who serves in the community, the people who we’re trying to help here, to falsely vote on something and not know where it’s going to go in the other half puts me in a really gross position,” she said.

“I thought as an elected official that I was here to serve people in a way that was going to do things, and I didn’t realize how splintered it was. So, I guess this is the job, is what I’m being told,” she continued. “This is what it is. This is how it’s been done. That was unbeknownst to me. It makes sense now that our country and our nation and our state and our systems are the way they are and that so many people are underserved.”

Stevens said at the conclusion of the committee’s discussion Thursday evening that he was “sorry if elements of this process” had “felt harmful or hurtful.”

“I don’t have more to say in terms of what the process is,” he said. “I’ve been very clear since the beginning how this bill was going to be worked on and how it was going to be split, and I don’t necessarily agree with it either.”

South Burlington softballers start season strong

Softball

South Burlington 12, Champlain Valley 2

South Burlington 23, Mount Mansfield 1 (5)

The South Burlington softball team continued its hot start to the spring season, winning two games Saturday, April 15.

Emily Borrazzo spun two complete games on Saturday, allowing just three hits in a 12-2 win over Champlain Valley and then giving up just one run in a 23-1 win over Mount Mansfield.

Jordan Larose and Sana AL Namee each went 3-for-4 with a double in the win over CVU. Larose was 1-for-3 with a double in the second game, while Annika Erickson went 2-for-3 at the plate.

South Burlington moves to 3-0.

Baseball

South Burlington 6, Mount Anthony 3: South Burlington jumped out to a lead in the first two innings then held off Mount Anthony in a win on Saturday.

Nick Kelly earned the win on the mound, striking out 10 in five scoreless innings of work. James

Chagnon drove in two runs and Evan LaMothe added two hits and scored a run.

The Wolves are now 2-0.

Girls’ Lacrosse

South Burlington 14, Woodstock 5: The lacrosse team rebounded from an early season loss on the road with two quick

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wins this week.

The Wolves beat Woodstock on Saturday, 14-5, off two fourgoal efforts from Rachel Kelley and Mia Kaczmarek. Kelley also dished out two assists.

Miranda Hayes, Elise Smith, Oli Roy, Izzy Redzic, Sabrina Brunet and Kayle Kim all added a goal for South Burlington, while Victoria Bohlman had five saves.

The Wolves also got a win on Thursday, April 13, beating Essex 12-9.

Kelley had four goals, while Kaczmarek chipped in a hat trick. Miranda Hayes tallied twice and Ava Goyette, Brunet and Smith each scored.

South Burlington’s record now sits at 3-1.

Boys’ lacrosse

South Burlington 20, Mount Mansfield 4: South Burlington moved to 3-0 in boys’ lacrosse on Friday, April 14, with a win over Mount Mansfield.

Brady Sweet led the way with six goals, while Will Goyette, Will Anderson and Rex Jewell all had three goals for the Wolves. Ryan Sweet added two and an assist, while Taysean Metz, Ollie Vogt, Will Rosenberger and Jack Kelly all scored.

Evan Knoth stopped seven shots to get the win in goal.

Girls’ ultimate Frisbee

Burlington 10, South Burlington 5: The girls’ ultimate Frisbee team moved to 1-1 with a loss to Burlington on Thursday.

The loss came after the Wolves opened the season with a 15-4 win over Middlebury on April 11.

Lucy Flemer had two goals and two assists to lead South Burlington in the win, while Moriya Gelfenbein also scored two goals. Eleven other South Burlington players scored, while Clare Margulius chipped in five assists.

Boys’ ultimate Frisbee

South Burlington 12, Rice 10: The boys’ team earned a narrow victory over Rice on Friday.

Boys’ tennis

Stowe 6, South Burlington

1: Jules Butler got the lone win for South Burlington in a loss to Stowe on Friday.

Butler beat Ethan Pastella 6-2, 6-1 to win in singles.

Girls’ tennis

Stowe 7, South Burlington

0: Stowe swept South Burlington in girls’ tennis on Friday, beating the Wolves in straight sets in six of seven matches.

South Burlington Dolphins hold free summer youth clinics

Summer clinics for the South Burlington Dolphins youth football team return for 2023.

The clinic, also known as speed school, is a free monthlong program designed to help train young athletes from first to twelfth grade to become fitter, faster and stronger.

The clinic consists of two programs each running two days a week. The enhanced athletic development program will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 13 to July 13, 4-6 p.m., and the football skills development program is held on Mondays and

Wednesdays, June 12 to July 12, 4-6 p.m.

Each is designed to build a strong foundation for individual participants. The clinic offers a variety of activities, including strength training, speed and agility drills, flag football and handeye coordination drills using tennis ball machines, power sleds, parachutes and more.

“I’m excited for kids to have access to more opportunities and be able to really work on their

COURTESY PHOTO

The South Burlington girls’ ultimate Frisbee team after beating Middlebury in the season opener 15-4 on April 11.

Baby opossum lessons: importance of wildness

The Outside Story

Susan Shea

Years ago, when I worked at a nature center in Connecticut licensed to care for injured and orphaned wildlife, a baby opossum was brought to us. It was found lying on a golf course, and was too young to be on its own. We named the opossum Alice and estimated it was nine weeks old. Although we later determined the opossum was a male, the name stuck.

Virginia opossums are North America’s only native marsupials, or pouched mammals, and are related to kangaroos and wallabies. Marsupials have a short gestation period, and the young are born underdeveloped and finish growing in the female’s abdominal pouch. Alice arrived at our center in September and was likely born in early July, just 13 days after his mother had mated and conceived. In southern New England, opossums often have two annual litters, and he was probably part of a second litter of five to 13 young. In northern states, opossums bear one litter per year. At birth, Alice and his siblings were less than 1/2 inch long, the size of honeybees. They were pink, hairless, had no visible ears and their eyes were just dark spots beneath the skin. Their hind feet and tails were stubs, but their front paws were fully developed with claws.

Immediately after birth, baby opossums climb upwards and into their mother’s pouch and attach to one of her 13 nipples. The nipple expands to fill the baby’s mouth, holding it in place. Young opossums remain in this warm, protective incubator lined with soft fur, fastened to a nipple, for 6 to seven weeks. They grow coarse gray fur; soft, leathery ears; a long, scaly tail; and their hind feet finish developing. As the babies become larger, the mother’s pouch stretches to accommodate them.

Baby opossums open their eyes at eight weeks and begin to leave the pouch for short periods and crawl around the den, often an old woodchuck burrow. Some ride on their mother’s back, clinging to her fur with their feet and tails, as she wanders about searching for food at night. Perhaps Alice fell off this baby carriage as his mother bolted to escape a predator.

When the young opossum arrived at the nature center, he needed to be fed formula from an eyedropper every few hours, so I

took him home at night and on weekends. At first, he lived in a covered cardboard box with a heating pad underneath, as he could not yet thermoregulate.

While raising Alice, I observed many interesting behaviors. After he was able to climb out of the box and wander around my apartment, I would sometimes feel a tug on my nightgown as he crawled up and nestled against my side underneath my bathrobe. This must have felt similar to a pouch, which he still would have been using if he had not lost his mother.

Alice dug in the box of facial tissue on the floor beside my bed, crumpling up the tissue. He then wrapped his tail around the tissue and carried it around. In the wild, opossums carry nesting material such as leaves this way. Alice was also an adept

climber, and one day I came home to find him on the top shelf of my closet. He had crawled up via the leaning guitar, hanging clothes, and coat hangers, using his paws and prehensile tail, as he would ascend a tree in the wild. Alice regularly played with the bathroom wastebasket, knocking it over and clinging to the inside or outside as it rolled back and forth. He made several sounds: one a screech when he was startled or wanted my attention, another a soft whistling when he was excited.

At 14 weeks of age, Alice was weaned and eating solid food. By then it was late October, and he wouldn’t have stood much chance of surviving the winter in the wild. We kept him in a cage at the nature center, letting him out in the building for daily exercise. In springtime, I began taking

Alice for walks in the woods and acclimated him to wild foods such as fruit, raw eggs and dead mice. Eventually we released him on the center’s property, which had the diverse mix of habitat opossums thrive in. He disappeared into a hole under a rock without a backward glance. I was glad to return him to the wild where he belonged and grateful for the window into an opossum’s world that he gave me.

Susan Shea is a naturalist, writer, and conservationist based in Vermont. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.

Save on fossil fuel, flip switch of a heat pump

Clean & Green

Donna J. Leban

Did you know that a modern wall-hung heat-pump, also known as a mini-split, installed as a super-efficient, quiet air-conditioner is also a great way to reduce your gas or oil heating use? I’ve heard from several friends who put in a heat pump for air conditioning but thought it would be too expensive to heat with the same unit. Au contraire.

There are many different types of cold climate heat pump systems using both air and water as their heat source, and all can be used for both heating and air conditioning. Geothermal and central heat pump systems can operate either a forced air or baseboard water heating systems and are beyond the scope of this article that focuses on adding a mini-split heat pump to an existing home.

As I’ve learned over two winters, it costs roughly the same or slightly less to use my heat pump for heating as it does my

highly efficient gas boiler. Others report more savings of course. Since Vermont’s electricity now comes from cleaner sources, this also reduces your home’s carbon footprint.

While a mini-split does not completely match the capacity of a fossil-fuel boiler on the coldest days, heat pumps can supply a very high percentage of your total heating needs. This is especially true for the milder winters we have been experiencing but is also a result of significant improvements to the technology. Air-source heat pumps of the past were not capable of extracting heat at lower temperatures, as do the high performance cold-climate models now being sold.

If you’re already using a minisplit heat pump for air conditioning, switching is as simple as changing the remote control from cooling to heating mode and setting its thermostat to a comfortable winter room temperature. The heat pump will quietly run almost continuously and emit air at the desired room temperature.

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A practice of the Dolphins youth football program.

DOLPHINS continued from page 18

core fundamental skills with the most experienced coaches, something I wish I had when I was their age during those long but short summers,” said Javen Sears, 21, a Dolphins positional coach and upcoming president for the University of Vermont’s club football team. “Besides providing kids with transferable

For the best performance, set it to a comfortable temperature and don’t adjust it up and down unless you’re going away for multiple days. The air coming from the unit may feel cool, so you’ll want to place it where it doesn’t blow on your favorite comfy chair location. Setting the temperature higher will not raise the room temperature any faster, so resist the urge.

My single mini-split has been working well for two winters in my own home, after I didn’t use it for heating over the first winter. Yep, I had the same mistaken assumption as many of you. Now I know better.

My home may be set up better than most to benefit from a single heat pump, as rooms on both levels open to a common living space. Although the house is over 30 years old, tight construction keeps air infiltration to a minimum. Fewer dividing walls allow heat to be easily distributed by a ceiling fan. The interior wall-hung heat pump is about 10 feet above the floor in this high ceiling space, and the outdoor component sits on the ground just outside.

To keep the baseboard system from needing to run, I set the original thermostats two to three degrees lower than the heat pump temperature in the winter. Except on the coldest days when I turn off the heat pump control, and for a separate room above the garage that sometimes needs a quick

athletic skills, self-discipline, physical fitness, our goal in the end has always been to help kids believe in themselves and I think the clinics are a great opportunity to do so.”

The summer clinics are an annual event hosted by the South Burlington Dolphins. It is open to all local Vermont

boost when in use, the baseboard system rarely runs.

Here are some tips for operating a mini-split heat pump in a more typical home that is divided into separate rooms and levels:

• Locate the interior equipment about a foot below the ceiling in the largest room near where the exterior unit can be placed out of sight.

• Use a ceiling fan to help circulate heat to adjacent rooms or add small through-wall fans to nearby rooms.

• For separate second floor bedrooms, contractors may install a separate mini-split that can serve more than one room with an additional interior unit.

Some heating contractors assume all customers looking to replace their fossil fuel system want central heating and cooling that can fully replace their existing system. While this is ideal for a new home, this is quite expensive to retrofit into most homes with baseboard heating.

Central heat pumps are also easier and less expensive to install in existing homes with forced hot air. However, if you have baseboard hot water heat, adding a heat pump or two and keeping your fossil fuel system as a backup is a cost-effective way to go.

A single mini-split costs between $3,500-$5,000 installed after rebate, although this can vary quite a lot based on unit size

youth athletes who are inspired to become better athletes. Registration for the clinic is open online or in person. The Dolphins host their annual Meet the Coaches Night on Thursday, May 25, 4-6 p.m., 1234 Williston Road.

For more information or to register go to sbdolphins.com.

and application. Low-income homeowners can contact Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity to qualify for free heat pump installations and home weatherization, although waiting times may be long.

A way to get an even better deal is to install new photovoltaic panels at the same time as your heat pump. Tax credits or lease programs help make this more affordable. It’s an investment just like a 401k and offers better returns than the stock market these days. Solar kilowatt-hour credits gained through the sunny summer months can offset your winter use entirely.

But, if you already have a heat pump, learn your modes and temperature settings, flip the switch and start reducing your carbon footprint right away.

Donna J. Leban, a licensed architect and lighting design consultant and member of South Burlington Planning Commission, has owned a home in South Burlington for 30 years. For more information on cold climate heat pumps, check out efficiencyvermont.com. Clean & Green is a regular feature, initiated and managed by the South Burlington Energy Committee, and will feature a variety of perspectives from members of city committees and commissions, city staff and outside organizations on environmental issues facing the city.

COURTESY PHOTO

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

You don’t want to have mundane tasks hanging over your head, Aries. Try to check as many of them off your to-do list this week as you can. This will free up a lot of free time.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, you may be planning a much-needed vacation at the present time. Figure out a place you’ve never been and then ll your itinerary with plenty of fun things.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

You likely will have to devote a lot of attention to practical matters in the days to come, Gemini. This includes taking a hard look at your spending and making cuts.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, the coming week will be a busy time for social opportunities. Other people will want to be around you as you can be the life of the party when you come out of your shell.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Don’t be surprised if your energy level is high this week, Leo. This leads to you feeling restless at home and even at work. This could be a ne time to take up a hobby.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, you may be looking forward to an evening out with a romantic partner or close friends. Try to narrow down a day this week or next. Have a few restaurants at the ready.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Take advantage of some free time to get things done around the house, Libra. Cleaning or other home improvements should be a priority.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

There’s a lot of activity expected close to home, Scorpio. A new business may open or there could be a movie star who is spotted in town. Maybe you’ll get new neighbors.

SUDOKU

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Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

The thought of nancial prosperity has you scouring the recruitment sites this week, Sagittarius. Speak to others about the pros and cons of leaving your current job.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Capricorn, you are surrounded by positive energy and eager to be out and about with friends this week. Start exploring all of the possibilities around you.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

This may be a good week to devote a large chunk of time to being alone Some time with just your thoughts and a little silence could be everything you need.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20 Pisces, discussions at work could get a bit heated. It’s best to distance yourself from these situations as best as you can.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Dylan and Marley are two

5. Makes healthy

10 The Who’s “O’Riley”

14. Side sheltered from wind

15. Flat-bottomed sailboats

16. Egyptian supreme god

17. Advice

18. Mass of small, loose stones

19. Online learning services provider

20. “Lords” in Northwest Semitic languages

22. Of she

23. A place to relax

24. Critical and mocking

27. Consumed

30. You get one in summer

31. Bath

32. Luxury automaker

35. Spiders spin one

37. Guy (slang)

38. Greek personi cation of Earth

39. Large instruments

40. Domestic cattle genus

41. Appetizer

42. Oil group

43. Where to put groceries

44. Speak incessantly 45. Popular color

46. A place to sleep

47. Make fun of

48. Former CIA

49. Salts

52. Bleated

55. Never sleeps

56. Sword

60. Water (Spanish)

61. Cyprinids

63. “Dark Knight” actor Christian

64. Fictional demon

65. Old World lizard

66. The content of cognition

67. Makes a mistake

68. A way to make wet

69. Tide

CLUES DOWN

1. One-liner

2. Evergreen genus

3. College in Rome

4. Prevents from seeing

5. Cycles/second

6. Mischievous child

7. Less common

8. Honorably retired

9. Midway between south and southeast

10. A confusion of voices and other sounds

11. Bony sh genus

12. Type of pear

13. Egyptian cross

ANSWERS

21. Satis es

23. Founder of Babism

25. Bar bill

26. Chicago ballplayer

27. Performer

28. Hairpiece

29. Partner to owed

32. Aircraft formation

33. You have 3 per day

34. Goes into

36. College athletic organization

37. Wet, muddy ground

38. Talk

40. Witty conversation

41. Gurus

43. “French Price of __ Air”

44. Sports equipment

46. Try to get

47. Flower cluster

49. Sea dwellers

50.

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The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

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called it “a real issue even on the local level. In terms of finance for the election ... and in terms of the composition of the city council, it’s non-representative of the majority of people in the city,” he said. “To finance for these elections — it’s very difficult to run. I think this is definitely an issue.”

Five people, including Engels, Leas and Lydia Diamond, ran to fill two open seats in a March election that saw only 20 percent of registered voters cast a ballot.

Andrew Chalnick and Tyler Barnes were both elected to threeand two-year terms on the board, respectively, replacing Vermont Sen. Thomas Chittenden and Matt Cota, and joining sitting councilors Tim Barritt, Meaghan Emery and Helen Riehle.

Four of the five sitting councilors live in the southeast quadrant, including the two newly elected council members, as well as both departing council members Cota and Chittenden. Emery lives in the Chamberlin neighborhood.

A fair portion of the campaign funding came from candidates themselves in the form of loans and personal contributions.

The city’s charter committee, on charge of the city council, has been exploring new governing models for the city, such as expanding the number of council seats, adding a mayoral seat and creating a local ward system to create what some feel would be a

more equitable geographic representation for the city of more than 20,000.

Engels has been an advocate on the charter committee for a ward system, which he said would mitigate the influence of campaign cash on South Burlington’s elections.

“I still adhere to my belief that we have to have wards and we have to change the structure of our five-person council so that we represent everybody,” he said. “Right now, you’re never going to get anybody

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The charter committee plans on holding two public forums next month — on Wednesday, May 10, and Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. in city hall, according to Peter Taylor, the chair of the charter committee.

The body hopes to formulate a recommendation for the city council later this year. Any recommendation would have to be approved by the city council and voters.

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“I still adhere to my belief that we have to have wards and we have to change the structure of our five-person council so that we represent everybody.”

— Paul Engels

If it’s important to you or your community look for it in The Other Paper.