The Other Paper - 9-7-23

A turtle’s life Inspiring, dangerous life of snappers

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‘Vermont Table’

Gesine Bullock-Prado talks baking at library

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the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

Higher Group to residents: Don’t trespass

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Nearly two dozen residents living in or near Queen City Park who are affiliated with litigation against the relocation of Higher Ground’s music venue were issued no trespass notices by the Burton Corporation this summer.

The notices, sent to at least 22 Burlington and South Burlington residents, bar them from entering the premises at 180 and 266 Queen City Park Road — the headquarters of Burton Corporation and the proposed site for Higher Ground’s new facility.

SB priest named Franklin County prosecutor

MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

The Rev. Bram Kranichfeld, the priest in charge for All Saints Episcopal Church at Spear and Swift streets in South Burlington, announced to his congregation this week that he was stepping down to take over as head of the troubled Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office in St. Albans.

Kranichfeld, a former state prosecutor, also resigned as priest in charge for St. Paul’s Church in Vergennes. The Episcopal Diocese with 42 congregations statewide has been forming “constellations” to link two or more nearby churches to allow for a full-time priest to serve.

Kranichfeld, who remains an ordained priest, said he hopes to remain active in the Episcopal Church.

About an hour after Gov. Phil Scott formally announced the appointment on Labor Day morning, he moved to promptly swear in Kranichfeld on the Statehouse steps in Montpelier as the interim state’s attorney in Franklin County. Kranichfeld replaces embattled prosecutor John Lavoie, who was facing an impeachment inquiry by a special House committee until he resigned last Friday.

Five years ago, Scott passed over Kranichfeld when he was the top recommendation to become Chittenden County State’s Attorney and went with the third-place nominee. This

time Scott picked Kranichfeld to bail out the troubled office in St. Albans.

A couple of office employees filed complaints about Lavoie for comments and actions taken after he was sworn in Feb. 1. The case mushroomed into a full investigation.

One of Kranichfeld’s primary tasks will be restoring peace and civility to the office, which had some employees actively opposing Lavoie’s campaign last year when longtime boss Jim Hughes announced he wouldn’t seek reelection.

“I see my job as a mission — as start-

“You are receiving this notice because you and/or members of your (Citizens for Responsible Zoning) group have come onto Burton’s property multiple times to spread misinformation about Burton and are otherwise interfering with its business operations,” the company’s general counsel, Sonya Sibold, wrote in the notices that were reviewed by The Other Paper.

The letter continues that Burton requested the residents “refrain from such activity” but since they had not responded to their request, “we feel it is necessary to send you this notice.”

Sibold told residents that the no-trespass notices were filed with both the Burlington Police Department and Vermont State Police.

COURTESY PHOTO

Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington emphasized the importance of summer reading by devoting a full day of school to activities related to the nonfiction book “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, which students read over the summer. Here they applied messages from the book to a friendly game of tug-of-war between classes. More on page 2.

Pull!

Rice starts school year with a bang School day centers around summer read of book ‘Unbroken’

On the first day of school last week, Rice Memorial High School emphasized the importance of summer reading by devoting a full day of school to activities related to the nonfiction book “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.

Students, teachers, and staff all read the book over the summer. A true story of grit, determination and survival, it tells the story of Louis Zamperini beating the odds by surviving 47 days on a life raft without supplies and two and a half years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II.

Biology students dissected a shark, history students hid contraband in a prison camp while English students packed into “life rafts” taped out on the floor. Science students calculated how long someone could survive with minimal calories; art students learned about elements of a plane; and foreign language students deciphered Morse code.

Students also gathered for a special assembly showing how the military honors real-life POWs. The event ended with carnival-like games including a shark-themed game of chance — important if

you read the book — a 75-foot inflatable obstacle course, a mile relay race (Zamperini ran the mile in the Olympics), a tug of war between the classes, launching water balloons at targets and a life-size game of battleship.

“Unbroken” is a story of resilience, a quality that is critical to foster in high school students especially after COVID-19. “Building Resilience” is the theme for the school year at Rice, so this year students will face challenges academically, athleticly and socially. Teaching them to overcome obstacles, persevere and bounce back after failure is critical for success outside the classroom.

“This is an incredible opportunity to emphasize the importance of summer reading and engage the entire school community with fun, educational activities,” Rice principal Andrew Nagy said.

This event was made possible through the Student Life Fund established by an anonymous donor. The fund is available to Rice students and teachers to apply for funds for activities related to engaging the student body.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Top: Students dissect a shark.

Right: Art teacher Keough Schmidt during a lesson on the elements of an airplane.

ing the healing process and restoring public trust,” he said in an interview. “It is clearly an office that has gone through a lot over the six months or more. There has been some real harm and trauma.”

He said he wants to create a space for healing within the office, which includes about a dozen employees, mostly women, that serve as prosecutors, victim advocates and administrative assistants.

Scott said it will be an important transition.

“Given the difficult nature of this vacancy at the state’s attorney’s office, I believe it’s important to provide stability and certainty through this transition until a permanent replacement is identified,” Scott said. “Bram has demonstrated his commitment to community, and his significant experience practicing law makes him a good fit to serve in this interim role.”

The interim appointment will last until the Franklin County Democratic Committee can offer nominations this fall for a permanent appointment. That appointment will last until the general election in 2026.

Kranichfeld said he is interested in the permanent appointment.

Full circle

Kranichfeld’s first Vermont job in the legal profession was in Franklin County as a judicial law clerk for the trial court judges in 2006 after moving from New York.

He said serving as a law clerk for the presiding judges, including Ben Joseph, Linda Levitt and Alden Bryan, got him really excited about the law and he decided to become a prosecutor.

Kranichfeld had stepped away from being a lawyer in the past few years to be an Episcopalian priest serving in both South Burlington and Vergennes, but now is coming back to the law.

Kranichfeld, 43, said he is looking forward to the new assignment.

He was hired as a deputy state’s attorney in Chittenden County in July 2007 under T. J. Donovan of South Burlington and left in January 2013 for a two-year stint as executive director of the Department of State’s Attorney’s and Sheriffs in Montpelier.

Kranichfeld returned to Donovan’s office as chief deputy in January 2015. When Donovan was elected Vermont Attorney General in November 2016, the Chittenden County Democratic Committee interviewed possible replacements and made Kranichfeld

its favored choice.

Scott eventually bypassed Kranichfeld — and second-place vote-getter Ted Kenney of Williston. Scott picked Sarah George of Monkton.

Donovan asked Kranichfeld in December 2017 to return to public service and to serve as the chief of the statewide criminal division for the Attorney General’s Office, where he became the point man on many high-profile cases.

Kranichfeld served until June 2019 when he took a different turn in the road to focus full-time on church ministry work.

Switching gears

His parish priest had told him in 2017 that she thought he would make a great priest and Kranichfeld figured it was time to give it a try. After considerable discernment, Kranichfeld enrolled in the seminary in Montreal in September 2019. He said most of his studies were done remotely due to COVID-19 and he eventually graduated in May 2022.

He served as a deacon for six months and was ordained as a priest in December 2022. He turned the two part-time posts into a fulltime job.

Kranichfeld, who has a long history of community service, also did a stint on the Burlington City Council and was an unsuccessful mayoral candidate. His wife, Erin, is an English teacher at Essex High School and they have two children.

After Lavoie was sworn in on Feb. 1, a few office employees in St. Albans began filing complaints against him claiming he had made inappropriate remarks and gestures. It is still unclear what, if any, complaints were filed about Lavoie over the previous two decades when he worked as a deputy with many of the same people in Franklin County.

Earlier he had served as a deputy state’s attorney in Windham and Bennington counties and with the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force.

The Department of State’s Attorney’s and Sheriffs commissioned an outside investigation by Paul, Frank & Collins, a Burlington law firm, which determined there was a basis for some of the employee complaints.

The House committee, which was appointed to investigate, held about a dozen sessions, almost all behind closed doors so the public was not made aware of the basis or the seriousness of the claims.

The committee said it heard from 31 witnesses, including Lavoie. It now plans

to turn its attention to the possible impeachment of Franklin County sheriff John Grismore. The focus is his treatment of a shackled, intoxicated prisoner — a video shows Grismore kicking the prisoner — and some financial concerns when he was the

chief deputy.

Grismore has denied any wrongdoing in the prisoner case and has said investigators have yet to approach him about any questions on finances while serving under former sheriff Roger Langevin.

COURTESY PHOTO

Bram Kranichfeld told his congregation Sunday he was resigning to take over as top prosecutor in the embattled Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Agency / public assists: 29

Traffic stop: 12

Directed patrol: 10

Accident: property damage: 10

Larceny from motor vehicle: 10

Foot patrol: 12

Welfare check: 8

Suspicious event: 8

Trespass: 8

Motor vehicle complaint: 7

Field contact: 7

DUI: 4

Stolen vehicle: 1

Mental health: 3

Animal problem: 2

Retail theft: 1

Juvenile problem: 1

Domestic: 1

Total incidents: 295

Arrests:

Aug. 28 at 6:13 a.m., Benjamin D. Paquette, 31, of Starksboro, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Brand Farm Drive.

Aug. 28 at 3:53 p.m., a 15-yearold juvenile was arrested for domestic assault on Market Street.

Aug. 29 at 9:52 p.m., Dale M. Irish, 48, of Colchester, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license

CRIME & COURTS

and on an in-state warrant on Suburban Square.

Aug. 30 at 6:03 p.m., Michael L. St. Hilaire, 62, of Gloucester, Mass., was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Ethan Allen Highway and Wildwood Drive.

Aug. 30 at 11:30 p.m., Molly Weaver, 36, of South Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence, criminal refusal, and negligent operation, on Interstate 89.

Aug. 31 at 1:14 a.m., Christopher F. Ward, 51, of St. George, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Williston Road.

Aug. 31 at 2:11 p.m., Latasha Nicole Britt, 37, of Orrum, N.C., was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

Aug. 31 at 9:19 p.m., Sidi Abdoulaye, 27, of South Burlington, was arrested for unlawful trespass on Arbor Road.

Sept. 2 at 12:08 p.m., a 12-yearold juvenile was arrested for marijuana possession by a person under 16 years of age,

Hotel-dwelling drug dealer convicted on federal charges

MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

A Chittenden County drug dealer, whose operation was broken up earlier this year during a raid at a South Burlington hotel, has been convicted on five felony drug and gun charges following a trial in U.S. District Court in Rutland.

The jurors also found Hill guilty of two gun charges: illegal possession of both a Taurus .40-caliber pistol on March 10 and a Glock .45-caliber pistol

Melvin K. Hill, 44, no address listed, was arrested in conjunction with court-ordered searches of his car and room at the DoubleTree Hotel on Williston Road in March, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Investigators said Hill was carrying about an ounce of crack cocaine, along with three cellphones and a loaded Taurus .40-caliber pistol with eight rounds in the magazine when arrested.

They said they also seized

hundreds of folds of fentanyl, hundreds of pills containing methamphetamine and some powder cocaine from Hill’s hotel room and his silver Mazda. They also confiscated narcotics paraphernalia and about $13,000 in cash, including funds used by an informant in one drug buy.

The case began in January when an informant told Burlington police she was aware of a man selling drugs in the area, investigators said.

The jury deliberated almost an hour before convicting Hill for selling fentanyl and for possession of four kinds of controlled substances, fentanyl, crack cocaine, powder cocaine and methamphetamine, with intent to distribute each.

The jurors also found Hill guilty of two gun charges: illegal posses-

sion of both a Taurus .40-caliber pistol on March 10 and a Glock .45-caliber pistol on March 11. Hill faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a fine of up to $10 million.

Known as ‘Pablo Escobar’

The five-day trial had a series of twists and turns. Hill, who has unsuccessfully represented himself in court in previous years, fired veteran criminal defense lawyer Kevin M. Henry on the eve of the trial and tried to defend himself. Chief Federal Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford, however, ordered Henry to monitor the trial.

Authorities had to jail one witness during the trial when she failed to respond to a subpoena. Lacey Partlow allegedly made drug buys from Hill.

Henry, before his discharge, had filed a motion to block Partlow from referring to Hill as “Pablo Escobar.” Partlow said she did not know Hill’s true name when

See HILL on page 6

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South Burlington Police Blotter: Aug. 28 – Sept. 3

See BLOTTER on page 16

Time is now to address legislative compensation

From the House Rep. Kate Nugent

This summer has been uniquely challenging in many ways for Vermonters and folks around the globe who are experiencing higher temperatures and catastrophic flooding. For each of these crises, we have needed and expected government to step up to help manage and lead us. Businesses and individuals alike have relied significantly on government for resources and direction as they assess and rebuild.

Government is — or should be — the result of the strongest possible processes in which as many people as possible participate. No one person or entity has the whole picture or the whole answer. When things go differently than I think they should, I try to remind myself to trust and invest in the process and not fear the outcome. Each generation in our country’s history has continued to redefine what it means to have an accessible, participatory government.

The Democratic Party this year, nationally and in Vermont, passed monumental legislation that will make lasting, seismic impacts in strengthening the middle class in the future. From the national Inflation Reduction Act to Vermont’s child care investment — something business leaders and families sought for many years — we are utilizing the appropriate power of government to work together and address needs that are hard to address individually.

This brings me to what can sometimes be an uncomfortable topic, legislative compensation, which until recently we have neglected to address in a meaningful way. Though the Legislature passed a bill to increase legislative compensation this year, the governor vetoed the bill and time ran out before we could negotiate a new agreement.

Legislative compensation has not been updated meaningfully since 2005, and the impact of that neglect is starting to have visible consequences for Vermont in finding candidates to run and serve in these offices.

As with the administration and other

sectors, strengthening our communities and increasing participation in government requires us to keep pace in how we compensate people for their work, or risk an increasingly smaller pool of potential future leaders.

Every year the Legislature approves reasonable increases to the administration’s staff, as well as the governor’s salary. Vermont’s administration salaries have kept up with other states. (Go to bit.ly/3qWSFI2)

Vermont legislators are currently paid about $811 per week, roughly $13,000 per year, plus access to a per diem to cover food, lodging and mileage, which amounts to a grand total of about $15,000. This amount covers those expenses for four and half months of work, four days a week, for between 9-12 hours per day. For reference, the median income in Vermont is about $67,000 per year, according to the U.S. Census, or about $1,300 per week.

S.39 proposed to increase these salary amounts for legislators and legislative leaders for the 2025-2026 biennial, not for current legislators. It also would begin a phased-in increase in 2025 from the current rate of $811 to $1,000 per week with an inflation adjuster for all legislators except the Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tempore.

Further, a study committee of external professionals would be created to review the legislative compensation structure in its entirety. For reference, the bill and changes, testimony, and evidence reviewed are all available on the Vermont Legislature’s website at bit.ly/44Dca68.

I hope that our current colleagues in the Senate and House will be able to come to an agreement on this legislation in the upcoming 2024 session. It is our responsibility to ensure, as best as we can, it will be possible for average Vermonters who reflect all the people who live here to serve Vermonters in a responsive and informed way.

Please reach out to me any time with concerns, questions, needs, or just to say hi. I look forward to hearing from you. I will again hold office hours at the South Burlington Public Library on the third Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-noon, starting in Octobers. The dates are Oct. 20, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 16, April 20 and May 18 (tentative).

Kate Nugent, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-10 House district.

Rep. Kate Nugent

Legislative compensation has not been updated meaningfully since 2005, and the impact of that neglect is starting to have visible consequences for Vermont.

Literacy is a universal right, key to success

From the School Board

Kate Bailey

If you are reading this newspaper, thank a teacher. Or maybe thank several teachers who taught you how to read. Learning to read and write are the building blocks to an excellent education and a tenant of academic proficiency in the South Burlington School District’s goals for student achievement.

There are a variety of ways to teach the foundational skills of literacy, and they have evolved over the years. From 2019 to 2021, the district invested in a literacy audit of kindergarten through fifth grade to assess how well the curriculum was working and to identify areas for improvement. I met with Alysia Backman, South Burlington’s executive director of learning, and Jody Vaillancourt, curriculum coordinator of literacy, to discuss how our literacy curriculum has changed and what students and families can expect in the classroom at the start of this new school year.

To meet the needs of all students, Vermont requires schools to use a framework called MTSS, or Multi-tiered Systems of Support. The system provides multiple steps for monitoring progress and decision-making, which builds upon a foundation of universal instruction and support. The first and second layers of literacy for kids in kindergarten to grade five starts with ensuring each grade level and teacher has a comprehensive literacy block — a set amount of classroom time dedicated to age-appropriate reading and writing skills.

For students where more time beyond

the literacy block is needed, the third layer provides guidance for different interventions and support to try to bring a student up to grade level proficiency. Everyone receives the first, universal layer of instruction; some receive additional layers, and it fluctuates based on student need and achievement.

One of the major action steps the district has taken since the literacy audit has been a rollout of a comprehensive, district-wide structured literacy curriculum. Structured literacy provides for evidence-based, explicit teaching of skills like phonics, spelling, fluency and reading comprehension while benefiting students at all levels — those not yet at proficiency, those who are proficient and those engaging in extension.

Structured literacy, the multi-tiered support system and the district’s move toward a coordinated curriculum across schools and grade levels emphasize assessment and clear benchmarks as a way to make data-informed decisions on what is best for students. These developments not only allow students to learn new information in ways with proven track records, but it also allows for diagnostics and interventions that will support students for whom the previous models and instructional practices may have left behind.

This is where the fourth layer of Multitiered Systems of Support comes into play. Before, students most often had to be diagnosed with a formal disability and have an Individualized Education Plan to receive direct, frequent support. Under the multi-tiered model, academics and behaviors dictate the support needed, and more students can access one-on-one or small group work with special educators, speech language pathologists and literacy specialists.

Another investment in closing the proficiency gap for students at the middle school level is a coordinated curriculum across English language arts and support of a middle school literacy specialist.

How is all of this happening district-

wide? Educators across the district have engaged in professional learning from the nationally recognized and Vermont-based Stern Center to provide training in structured literacy approaches, including Orton-Gillingham. Efforts like the K-5 District Literacy Team bring together staff from different schools and role groups to develop and put in place a coordinated curriculum as well as discuss new instructional practices.

Vaillancourt, the district curriculum coordinator, reminded me that language leads to freedom. Reading and writing is ultimately how we share stories, learn

HILL continued from page 4

making the buys and said he had been given the nickname because the heroin he sold was frequently stamped with the likeness of the Columbian drug lord and leader of the Medellin Cartel, court papers said. Henry argued it would be prejudicial to use Escobar’s name since he is associated with drugs and violence.

The prosecution argued Partlow had Hill listed in her phone contacts as “Pablo Escobar,” but was not claiming he rivaled the international drug dealer.

Authorities said Hill is a career criminal with various felony convictions in Georgia and Vermont, including a six-year prison sentence imposed in February 2013 after pleading guilty in federal court conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Hill, who was on parole for a drug case in Georgia, arrived in Vermont by bus in December 2011 to work for his brother, but soon became part of an interstate crack cocaine conspiracy that netted six arrests.

He sold drugs from South Burlington hotels, including the Anchorage Inn, the Ho Hum Motel and the Quality Inn, where he was arrested in May 2012, records show.

Once out of federal prison, Hill’s supervised release was transferred to Georgia in 2017, but he was soon back in legal trouble and had another three-year prison term added

about the world and learn about each other. Language and literacy do not look or sound one way.

In South Burlington, the district strives for consistency and cohesion for every learner to both achieve their academic goals and celebrate the strengths of all students’ diverse home cultures. I’m proud to see our staff implementing and monitoring important curriculum improvements toward our shared goal of lifelong learners — and lifelong readers.

to his sentence after admitting he failed to tell his probation officer about an October 2018 arrest by Winooski police on a charge of possession of heroin, records show.

Hill later returned to Vermont when he got out of prison and resumed his drug trafficking, the DEA said.

By January 2022, a confidential source told Burlington Police drug detectives that she could buy drugs from somebody known as “Pablo Escobar.” Police recorded a couple of controlled purchases of fentanyl from the suspect in February and March and eventually learned Hill’s true identity.

The day after the South Burlington raid, investigators found about a pound of pure methamphetamine, 1,650 folds of fentanyl/ heroin and a .45-caliber pistol in a self-storage locker on Flynn Avenue rented to Hill, the DEA said.

Following his arrest at the DoubleTree, Hill also told the DEATask Force and Burlington detectives he had been selling drugs since about September 2021. He stated the firearm he was carrying had been acquired in a trade for cocaine and he got the gun for protection because he had been robbed in the past, Hill, who also is from Tignall, Ga., has been detained since March 2022 and Judge Crawford ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to keep him in custody pending sentencing.

Kate Bailey of chair of the South Burlington School Board.

Kate Bailey, South Burlington School Board

Reading and writing is ultimately how we share stories, learn about the world and learn about each other.

Richard E. Picard

Richard “Dick” Edward Picard, 88, died on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in hospice care surrounded by his loved ones.

He was born March 20, 1935, in Colchester, the son of Edward and Anita (Desautels) Picard.

Dick graduated from Cathedral High School, Class of 1954. On Aug. 20, 1955, Dick married the love of his life, Margaret (Peggy) Smith. They eventually settled in South Burlington where they raised three children.

Dick attended the University of Vermont just before he entered the U.S. Air Force and received an honorable discharge in 1960. In the 1970s he joined the Vermont Army National Guard, attaining the rank of master sergeant, from which he retired. He received many accolades and awards while serving in the military.

Dick cherished spending quality time with his loved ones and

Obituary

creating lasting memories, whether it was engaging in fun activities together, sharing meals or simply enjoying each other’s company. His family was the center of his happiness.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his loving wife, Peggy, and brothers, Thomas Picard and Peter Picard.

He is survived by his children,

son Scott (Katherine) Picard and children, Melissa Picard, Mathew (Kelly) Picard and Denise Picard, son Gregory (Kathy) Picard and children, Heather (Jacob) Myers, Josh Picard, Jacob (Natasha) Picard, Isaiah Picard, Abigail (Patrick) Kardish and Josiah Picard, and his daughter, Lisa (Jeff) Abee and children Lauren (Marco) Abee and Kaitlyn Abee; great-grandchildren, Asher, Zevulon, Itai, Ziva, Eitan, Boaz and Ashira Myers, Lumina and Zuria Picard and Hastin Abee; sister, Patricia Jantomaso; brothers, Donald (Barbara) Picard and Michael (Lori) Picard; sister-inlaw, Jeanette Picard; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A wake will be held Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, from 4-8 p.m. at LaVigne’s Funeral Home in Winooski.

Services and burial will be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in South Burlington on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at 10 a.m.

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.

Richard E. Picard

The inspiring, dangerous life of snapping turtles

The Outside Story

Anna Morris

Until 65 million years ago, huge reptiles dominated our planet and every summer I think they might be making a comeback. The sight of a snapping turtle hauling herself onto a sunny log or lifting her incredible bulk on mud-colored legs always fills me with prehistoric daydreams. Turtles have roamed the Earth for about 200 million years, meaning they were around during the time of the dinosaurs.

Common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) have a reputation for being well, snappish. A snapper’s mouth is a sharp-edged, scissor-like beak which it uses to eat fish, snakes and frogs, and to slice through aquatic plants. Snappers also use these beaks to defend themselves from predators, who might otherwise find a tasty meal by flipping a turtle on its back, exposing its fleshy legs.

It’s fair to be intimidated by a snapper’s size, as wild-living males weigh on average 35 pounds; the largest reported common snapper, a captive-living male, weighed 86 pounds. Adult snapping turtles are solidly at the top of the freshwater food chain, but for eggs and young turtles, it’s a different story.

In early June, a female snapping turtle, having mated in April, will emerge from her pond and crawl to a sandy spot to lay her

eggs. She may walk several miles in this search, and is vulnerable to being hit by vehicles, as she may cross multiple roads on her way to the best nesting sites, and may even choose a sandy roadside as a nest. (If you encounter a snapping turtle in the road, a good way to move it to safety is to use a snow shovel to scoop it up and carry it across in the direction it was traveling.)

Once she’s found the spot and scraped out a deep a hole with her claws, a female snapping turtle will lay roughly 30 eggs. She then covers the hole and abandons the site; her sole parental investment is to select this environment, trusting that the temperature underground remains within the sweet spot of 70 to 72 degrees to produce about half male and half female young.

Because turtles experience temperature-dependent sex determination, if the nest is too warm, the hatchlings will skew female; too cold, and they will be male. If the digging and laying process is successful, the turtle may return to the same general area next year. However, an estimated 90 percent of snapper nests are destroyed by predators such as foxes and raccoons before the eggs hatch. If the nest remains untouched, the eggs incubate for the rest of the summer. The young nose their way out of their leathery eggshell with

OUTSIDE STORY

continued from page 8

an egg tooth, like those found in hatching birds, and dig through the sandy soil with their claws as their mother had months ago. The hatchlings then begin walking downhill — the tried and trusted way for these ancient animals to find a body of water.

With their rough, dark-colored shells and long spiked tails, hatchling snappers resemble adults in every way except size. A freshly-hatch snapping turtle is only about the size of a half dollar. At this stage, young snappers are far, far down the food chain. Their shells are somewhat flexible in their first months of life, and herons, raptors, foxes, mink and even bullfrogs will snap up baby snappers. Hatchlings are also hit by cars as they try to cross roads.

Young snapping turtles may forgo eating during their first fall, as their primary drive is to find a safe place to spend the upcoming winter. Settling into the mud at the bottom of a pond, they will while the winter away, reducing body temperature and heart rate, not eating and breathing only through the

skin around their mouth and cloaca. They don’t need a lot of air during this time because they are not hunting or eating; the small amount of oxygen that passes across these thin areas of skin is plenty to sustain them through the winter. When the snapper reaches about 5 inches in length, which can take from four to seven years, depending on the climate, it is ready to start breeding.

I’ve had the pleasure, on a warm March day, of looking down through the clear ice covering a local pond to see a snapping turtle swimming lazily around, although the surface had not yet thawed. There she waited, ready to begin the cycle again.

Anna Morris is an environmental educator at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. 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: www.nhcf.org.

HME garden design estate real O

Community Notes

Walk to help cure ALS

On Saturday, Sept. 23, people living with ALS, family members, friends, caregivers and others affected by the disease will join the fight to find a cure at the Vermont Walk to Defeat ALS. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. at Oakledge Park, 11 Flynn Ave., Burlington, and the walk kicks off at 11 a.m. followed by music, ice cream, raffles and awards.

ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive motor neuron disease, which gradually robs people of their ability to walk, talk, swallow and eventually breathe. ALS has no known cause or cure, but communities throughout Vermont are rallying together to make change.

To register, donate or learn more visit bit.ly/vermontwalktodefeatals or contact event manag-

er Tara Gottlieb at tara.gottlieb@ als.org or 413-320-2075.

Richmond Art Crawl

Celebrate and support the arts at the free, outdoor Richmond Art Crawl on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., on the town center. With over 45 vendor booths, you’ll find paintings, wood crafts, jewelry, photography, candles, textiles, sculpture, baskets, glass, pottery, posters, metal work and repurposed art. Local food trucks will be on hand, and there’s even a kids’ activities tent. The event raises funds for Radiate Art Space. The nonprofit community art studio provides opportunities to foster social and community-building interactions through the arts for everyone. More at radiateartspace.org.

South Burlington hosts energy festival Sept. 30

You can learn more about how you can do your part by moving away from fossil fuels at the South Burlington Energy Festival, Saturday, Sept. 30, at city hall from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This free event includes more than 20 exhibitors, four food trucks, free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, live music, kids’ activities, induction stove demo, smoothie bike and electric vehicle and electric bike demonstrations.

There will be a full schedule of short informative workshops and demos. There will be three raffles with 65 prizes worth $3,000 worth of prizes.

For more details visit bit. ly/3YS4lIG.

PHOTO BY RADIATE ART SPACE

The Richmond Art Crawl.

The best local guide to home, design, real estate and gardening

continued

Former social worker named to medical board

Dawn Philibert of South Burlington has been named to the State Board of Medical Practice.

The board protects and promotes the health and safety of Vermonters by ensuring professional integrity through licensure of health care practitioners and investigation of complaints in a fair manner that is respectful of all parties. It licenses allopathic physicians, physician assistants and podiatrists, and certifies anesthesiologist assistants and radiologist assistants.

Philibert, a resident of South Burlington for five years, is a retired social worker who spent much of her career working on

Back to school

Noted baker shares her Vermont table

health and public health policy issues in Vermont. She is chair of the South Burlington Development Review Board and serves on the board of Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity. Her term began Sept. 1.

First Congregational offers community concerts

Community Concerts @ First will present Bethany Blake on harpsichord and organ on Sunday, Sept. 24, 7-9 p.m., First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 39 Main St. Concert proceeds support the Committee on Temporary Shelter and the church. Tickets are available online at bit.ly/3qYKXNC.

When Gesine Bullock-Prado left her Hollywood life in 2004 and moved to Vermont, she fell in love with the Green Mountain State’s flavors and six unique seasons. Spring, summer, fall and winter all claim their place at this table, but a true Vermonter holds extra space for maple-forward mud season — that time of year before spring when thawing ice makes way for mucky roads — and stick season, a notable period of bare trees and gourds galore prior to winter. “In My Vermont Table,” Bullock-Prado takes readers on a sweet and savory journey through each of

these special seasons. Her recipes utilize local produce, dairy, wine and flour, and are adorned with Vermont flavors that are upgraded with ingredients and spices from Bullock-Prado’s own backyard. With photography by her husband, Ray Prado, Vermonters and visitors alike will revel in a seat at this table. Bullock-Prado, a pastry chef, instructor, host of Food Network’s “Baked in Vermont” and author of six books, will speak and sign copies of her book on Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the South Burlington Public Library auditorium.

Fall Safety Tips

Finishing up digging projects before the snow flies?

Before you dig, you or your contractor must contact Dig Safe™ at 811 at least 48 hours prior to digging.

Before the work begins, Dig Safe will notify member utilities, who will then ensure the locations of buried facilities they own are clearly marked. Please insist that any work within 18 inches of the marked lines be done by hand.

How to Detect a Gas Leak

Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. A distinctive, pungent odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that you will recognize it quickly.

Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.

Sound: You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.

If you suspect a leak:

Move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-639-8081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition.

Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

COURTESY PHOTO

Students at Orchard School in South Burlington eat lunch on the first day of school.

COURTESY PHOTO

News from South Burlington Library

180 Market St., S Burlington 802-846-4140, southburlington library.org for information about any programming, cancellations or in-person changes. Some events may change from in-person to virtual. Some events require preregistration.

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Email sbplinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov.

KIDS & TEENS

Lego builders

Fridays in September, 3-4:30 p.m.

For kids ages 8 and up, or 6 and up with an adult helper. Builders explore, create and participate in challenges.

Music & movement

Thursday, Sept. 7, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Miss Emma leads singing, movement and jam sessions for kids from birth to age 5.

Kids’ book club for K-2

Thursday, Sept. 7, 4-5 p.m.

A book club for young readers and their parents. Read, share and explore the book of the month. Preregistration is required.

Council of Teens meeting

Thursday, Sept. 14, 5-6 p.m.

Want to have a say in what happens at the library? Help plan events and programs centered around making the library a teen friendly space in the community.

Free play art

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 3-4:30 p.m. Projects are geared to kids ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult. Sept. 19: painting with salad spinners.

Toddlertime

Tuesdays, Sept. 19 and 26, 10:30-11 a.m.

Weekly storytime for toddlers and their caregivers.

Middle school makers: cooking

Wednesday, Sept. 20 and 27, 4-5:30 p.m.

For students in grades five to eight. Sept. 20: s’mores skillet.

Baby social time

Wednesdays, Sept. 20 and 27, 9:30-10:15 a.m.

For infants to 12 months and their caregivers.

Kids’ Friday movie

Fridays, Sept. 22, 1-3 p.m. “Tale of Despereaux” is set in the once thriving Kingdom of Dor. Into this world is born

Despereaux, a book-loving mouse and friend to Princess Pea. When Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux must find a knight’s brave heart within his tiny body and rescue his friend.

Craftytown

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 3-4:30 p.m. Projects are geared to kids ages 8 and up, or ages 6 and up with an adult helper. From painting to print-making and from collage to sculpture, explore different projects and mediums. Sept. 26: hand sewing a string of fish.

Block and bird

Thursday, Sept. 28, 3-4:30 p.m.

Look at the basic shapes of birds and practice drawing them, while learning a little bird biology at the same time. For ages 6 and up; all welcome. Materials supplied.

ADULTS

Knit for your neighbor

Thursdays in September, noon-3 p.m.

Yarn, needles and crochet hooks supplied. Knit or crochet hats and scarves to help keep your neighbors warm. All finished projects will be donated to the South Burlington Food Shelf.

Quartet Pride concert

Friday, Sept. 8, 6-7 p.m.

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra string quartet comes to South Burlington with a free, one-hour concert celebrating the music of LGBTQ+ composers, their stories, and their contributions to the world of music. With violinists Laura Markowitz and Jane Kittredge, violist Stefanie Taylor and cellist John Dunlop with music by Tchaikovsky, Bernstein and Vermonters Mary Rowell and Aiyana Baldasty. Tickets are free but attendees must preregister.

Botany for gardeners

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10-11:30 a.m.

Understanding plant reproduction is essential for seed-savers, so join gardener and seed saver Anne Miller in a detailed look at the anatomy of vegetable flowers and some of their wild relatives.

Vermont Pride celebration

Sunday, Sept. 10, noon

Join library trustees in the 2023 Pride Parade. Meet at the Hood Plant on King Street. Join the library as it helps spread a powerful message of love, diversity, unity and inclusivity. Questions? Email Jennifer at jmurray@ southburlingtonvt.gov.

Celebrating suffrage

Chess club

Saturdays in September, 11 a.m.-2:45 p.m.

The Chittenden County Chess Club hosts games in the Community Room. Pawn pushers strategize to better their games. Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult.

English conversation circle

Mondays, Sept. 11 and 25, noon-1 p.m.

English as a Second Language discussion group, facilitated by staff.

Poetry group

Tuesdays, Sept. 12 and 26, 11 a.m.-noon

Come share your poetry in a supportive, comfortable setting. Second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

What is AI?

Tuesday, Sept. 12, or Wednesday, Sept. 12-13, 6-7:30 p.m. Learn about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT from Dick Mills, a retired engineer and software developer. Since January, Mills has been devoted to the study of modern AI, how it works and what it is good for.

Book group: ‘American Spy’

Thursdays, Sept. 14,

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Lauren Wilkinson’s book follows Marie Mitchell, an FBI intelligence officer during the Cold War. She’s brilliant, but she’s also a young Black woman working in an old boys’ club. So, when she’s given the opportunity to join a shadowy task force, she jumps at the opportunity

Tech help

Friday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1-4 p.m.

Sign up for a free 40-minute appointment to get some one-onone help and learn new skills.

Board game brunch

Saturday, Sept. 16, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Join Friendly Tabletop Gamers of Essex and Beyond in the digital lab and play some awesome games while meeting new people. This event is best suited for teens and adults over 18.

Puzzle swap

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2:30-5 p.m.

Bring a puzzle you’ve already completed and leave with a new puzzle to put together.

See it, sketch it

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 6-7:30 p.m.

In this interactive program,

Birds of Vermont Museum staff will use bird carvings and other items to teach you techniques for sketching birds that will ultimately help you become a better birder. For any level of sketcher or birder.

Financial futures series

Thursday, Sept. 21, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Need free, in-person, business development and money management advice? South Burlington Public Library has teamed up with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity to for series of three classes. Meet three different finance and business experts and take the next steps on your road to financial and small business development. Financials 101, Thursday, Sept. 21; money management, Thursday, Oct. 19; and small business development, Thursday, Nov. 9.

Italian book club: ‘Come D’Aria’

Monday, Sept 25, 10:15-11:15 a.m.

Book club that reads and discusses books in Italian. The September book is “Come D’Aria” by Ada D’Adamo.

Evening book group

Thursday, Sept. 28, 6-7 p.m.

The book for September is “Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over” by Nell Painter.

Join Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., to celebrate the placement of a painting by South Burlington artist Cynthia Cagle. The painting, “The Light of Truth Upon Them,” is an original suffrage-focused painting commissioned by the Vermont Suffrage Centennial Alliance as part of its commemoration of the 19th Amendment’s centennial. Cagle combines the struggles of Indigenous, Black, Latina and Asian people and the history of the fight for the vote and her painting showcases the perseverance of those who stood up — who stand up — in the face of injustice in Vermont and across the country. As an artist with indigenous ancestry, Cagle’s art confronts notions of progress. When one group moves forward towards independence and autonomy, often another is left behind, such as Native Americans. The painting depicts Zitkala-Ša, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Stacey Abrams, Ida B. Wells, Lucy J.C. Daniels and Louvenia Dorsey Bright. It will hang in the office of the Vermont Secretary of State. RSVP at bit.ly/3EsZnbK.

SB girls’ soccer team blanks cross-town rival Rice

Boys’ soccer

South Burlington 2, Harwood 1: A late goal from Omar Daoudi lifted South Burlington boys’ soccer over Harwood Saturday, Sept. 2 to open the fall season.

Hammad Ali opened the scoring for the Wolves, while Daoudi scored off a free kick with 36 minutes remaining to give South Burlington the 1-0 win.

Oliver Payson stopped two shots in goal.

Boys’ volleyball

Burlington 3, South Burlington 0: The boys dropped their opener Saturday, falling to Burlington 3-0.

Football

North Country 34, South Burlington-Burlington 22: With both teams tied in the third quarter, North Country scored twice in the frame to pull away from South Burlington-Burlington in high school football Friday, Sept. 1.

Ahmed Diawara ran the ball 13 times and 153 yards, including a 24-yard TD rush and 73-yard touchdown run. Brennan Crete recovered a fumble for a touchdown for the SeaWolves.

Sam Parris and Brady Barrett both completed two-point conversions for the combined team.

Cross country

The South Burlington cross country team competed in the Essex Invitational Saturday, with the girls placing fifth overall and the boys finishing seventh.

Paige Poirier was the top finisher for the Wolves, coming in 10th. Maggie Clark was next in 18th place, while Callie Beyor

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was 26th for South Burlington. On the boys’ side, Austin Simone was eighth for the Wolves, Sky Valin came in 23rd and Odin Cloutier came in 28th.

Girls’ soccer

South Burlington 4, Rice 0: The Wolves scored three goals in quick succession in the second

SALES EXECUTIVE

Award-winning group of community weeklies with offices in Stowe, Morrisville and South Burlington seeks a sales person. Ideal candidate should have a basic knowledge of the local towns, business and communities we serve. A proven track record in sales and an ability to offer topnotch customer service is a required. In addition to servicing established accounts, candidate must be able to generate sales from qualified leads as well as establish new ones. Our company offers health benefits, vacation time, and provides on the job training in newspapers sales. Generous base salary during training and ideal hours (few nights or weekends). If you possess these qualifications and would like to be considered, please send your resume and cover letter to:

Bryan Meszkat at bryan@newsandcitizen.com.

half to take down Rice on Friday to open the season. Lyla Hamme opened the scoring in the first half for the Wolves (1-0), while Rachel Kelley scored

twice, and Oakley Machanic tallied once in the second half. Reese Gordon added an assist for South Burlington.

PHOTO BY AL FREY

South Burlington’s Rachel Kelley and Rice’s Becky Penney battle for the ball during the Wolves’ 4-0 win over the Green Knights in the Knights’ home opener on Sept. 1 at Rice Memorial High School.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

Eat

Be

Piano Lessons

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.

802-343-4820

www.pleasantvalleyvt.com

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

Buying Sports and Collectible Cards

Hyper Relic Sports Cards

Bob & Jessica Trautwine

Cell/Txt: 802-233-1451 • Office: 802-497-1681 Hyperreliccards@gmail.com • hyperrelic.com

Build / Remodel

PLEASANT VALLEY, INC.

Siding & Trim Work

Carpentry Repairs

Painting & Staining

Decks & Porches

Outdoor Structures

802-343-4820

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Funeral / Cremation

CORBIN & PALMER

FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES

SHELBURNE FUNERAL CHAPEL

Family owned and operated since 1921

Pre-planning services available 209 Falls Road, Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3370

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Get outside and enjoy as much fresh air and exercise as possible this week, Aries. A weekly outdoors excursion can recharge the batteries and provide some time to re ect.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, it’s not possible to have everyone like you all of the time. Emotionally it can be dif cult to accept that not everyone agrees with your point of view. Be who you are.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Someone from your past might come back into your life, Gemini. Keep a lookout for someone who seems familiar, as it can be a way to reminisce for a bit.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, start conversations with all of the people you meet so you can learn about different backgrounds or cultures. You might learn something you didn’t know or try a new food.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, try to work the room when you are thrust into a social situation. You need to be a diplomat or politician if you want to be in good standing with as many people as possible. Put your best face forward.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

You know who you can trust, Virgo. Stay close to those people for the time being. Some dif culties with family members will arise and you may need to pick sides.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Libra, after a whirlwind adventure, you may be glad to be back home. Vacations are nice and relaxing, but soon enough you may crave the familiarity of your own space.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, you a calm energy around you this week. You can rest assured that the people you are dealing with have everything handled. They take care of business.

SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works:

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!

CROSSWORD

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

There is a great opportunity knocking at your door, Sagittarius, so why not seize it? New things can be scary, but you have to dive in right now.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Take stock of where you want to go in the future and start putting those plans together, Capricorn. You don’t have to gure everything out, but try to map out a rough outline.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

You can quickly see when someone is putting on an act, Aquarius. They may say one thing but mean another. This duplicity can be offputting, but try to get along with others right now.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Pisces, you are in no danger of not being popular right now, so continue to enjoy all of the invitations you receive. You also can be proactive and throw your own party for friends.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Second sight

4. Standard electrode potential

7. Type of gibbon

8. John Joseph __: American industrialist

10. Manning and Whitney are two

12. Abrupt

13. Baroque musical instrument

14. Post-burning residue

16. When you hope to arrive

17. Sign up (Brit. Eng.)

19. Sun up in New York

20. Employee stock ownership plan

21. Where people live

25. Method to record an electrogram

26. Angry 27. No longer living

29. Simple 30. Swiss river

31. Portion of a play

32. It’s under the tree 39. Wood sorrels

41. No (Scottish)

42. Dialect of English

43. Former Steelers’ QB

44. Popular beer

45. It can make you sick

46. Tropical tree and fruit

48. Company of cer

49. Contact lens term

50. Your consciousness of your own identity

51. “Ghetto Superstar” singer

52. Piece of turf

CLUES DOWN

1. Number of players on each side in a football game

2. Containing salt

3. Reasoning or knowledge: a __

4. Car mechanics group

5. Leave a place

6. Southern Colombian capital

8. Old English letter

9. Tide

11. Walk heavily

14. Chemical

ANSWERS

compound (abbr.)

15. Arti cial openings

18. Luteinizing hormone

19. Unit of energy

20. Circular movement of water

22. A way of holding

23. Popular book of words (abbr.) 24. States’ group 27. Dashes 28. Body part 29. Electronic countermeasures 31. Consumed

32. Small bird 33. Unhappy 34. Football’s big game (abbr.) 35. Valued object offered in good faith 36. Wild goats 37. Precede in place 38. Small edible sh 39. Notice of death 40. Body cavity of a metazoan 44. Partner to cheese 47. Not around

HIGHER GROUND continued from page 1

The recipients of the notice, however, refute that they were ever on Burton’s property, and called the company’s move a bullying tactic.

“Are they trying to put their thumb in the eye of the small guy?” said Wendy Bratt, a nearby South Burlington resident who received a notice. “It seems incredibly childish to me. It feels like bullying, too — are they trying a scare tactic to bully us?”

In a statement, Sibold said the company has “reason to believe that members of the Citizens for Responsible Zoning group have come onto Burton’s property to place signs and put flyers on employees’ and guests’ vehicles in our parking lot without our permission.”

“Through their attorney, we requested they cease and desist from similar activity in the future,” Sibold said. “They would not commit to stop the activity and therefore we notified members of the group that they were no longer legally allowed on our property.”

For nearly four years, Burton and Higher Ground have been working to relocate the music venue from its current location on Williston Road to its warehouse space north of Queen City Park. The plans call for the site to be turned into an outdoor plaza, food court, indoor skate park and music facility, which would hold up to 1,500 people — 400 more than can fit into the current site.

Bratt said. “But what we want is to know that I’m not going to wake up at two in the morning because somebody’s parked outside off my driveway and drunk getting in their car on a weeknight when I want to work the next day.”

A Superior Court Judge in July upheld the state and local permits, allowing plans to move forward, but did tack on certain stipulations.

The company, for example, will have to coordinate with the cities of Burlington and South Burlington to ensure that no event parking will take place on Arthur Court or in Queen City Park; that all ticketed events will end by midnight, with the exception of 12 events per year that must end by 2 a.m.; and that Burton will install a permanent noise monitoring station at its property line to enforce World Health Organization noise limits.

“Are they trying to put their thumb in the eye of the small guy? It seems incredibly childish to me. It feels like bullying, too — are they trying a scare tactic to bully us?”

— Wendy Bratt

The companies first received local approval in Sept. 2020. Act 250 then OK’d the plan in 2022, but approvals were quickly appealed by the Citizens for Responsible Zoning.

The group, composed of nearby residents from Burlington and South Burlington, has argued that the nearly 12,000-square-foot music venue will bring noise and heavy traffic to a residential neighborhood that they say cannot support the venue.

Richard White, a nearby resident, said Higher Ground “is going to disrupt the peace and quiet and sleep in our neighborhood.”

Jed Lowy, a South Burlington resident, said that there is a “potential for overflow parking into Queen City Park, and a lot of noise coming into the park and the other surrounding neighborhoods.”

“We’ve been working with them trying to say, ‘We know we can’t stop this tide,’”

BLOTTER continued from page 4

delinquency, on Anderson Parkway.

Sept. 2 a 7:47 p.m., Jessica A. Brandolino, 42, of Shelburne, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Shelburne Road.

Sept. 3 at 12:56 a.m., Brett E. Perry, 36, of Epson, N.H., was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Williston Road and Dorset Street.

Sept. 3 at 1:52 a.m., Fernando L. Balganon, 25, of Hamilton, Ohio, was arrested for driving under the influence, first

“These conditions are proof positive that the neighbors and CRZ have presented legitimate concerns which legal precedent supports,” neighbors wrote in an editorial in The Other Paper.

The group is still considering appealing the judge’s decision, although a final decision has not been made.

While nearby residents have been vocal in their opposition — at one point posting lawn signs in the area calling attention to the proposal — many say they were befuddled when they received the notice earlier this summer and pushed back against Burton’s claims that they’ve spread misinformation or have demonstrated on the company’s property.

“To say I was astonished to receive such a letter was an understatement,” Sabrinajoy Milbury, a Maple Avenue resident, said. “The only time I have ever stepped foot on Burton property was more than 15 years ago when they were having a sale open to the public. As far as I know the only reason that I received that letter is because I was listed as a party for the Act 250 hearings.”

Doug Goodman, one of the group’s members, suggested that the company is “potentially slandering us through the letter because no one has entered their property unlawfully or spread misinformation,” he said. “No one’s actually gone down to the property and done anything. They basically served everybody who went to court.”

offense, on Williston Road.

Untimely deaths:

Aug. 29 at 12:39 p.m., police responded to Hannaford Drive for the death of Anthony Lee, 31, of Stockbridge. The medical examiner’s office is determining cause and manner of death.

Sept. 1 at 3:14 p.m., police responded to Laurel Hill Drive for the death of Eric Rivers, 53, of South Burlington. The medical examiner’s office is determining cause and manner of death.