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February 15, 2020

Published by Denton Publications, Inc.

Serving Addison, Rutland & Chittenden Counties

Brandon area seeing mini-real estate boom

MaKayla Foster receives national honors

Housing aﬀordability driving market By Lou Varricchio EDITOR

BRANDON | The real estate sector in the Brandon area, and throughout much of Rutland County for that matter, is going through a mini boom at the moment. Some may call it the Trump-era effect, others may find that the economic stars just happen to be in perfect alignment. Regardless, strong real estate sales, in all price ranges, affordably priced homes, have this market hitting the bullseye in the new year. The boom actually started in 2019. “We are seeing a strong market across the board,” Mary Cohen, executive director of the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce said in a news statement last week. “It’s got something for everyone.” See BRANDON REAL ESTATE » pg. 2

Scholar-athlete:MaKayla Foster of Middlebury has qualified seven times for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll, three times for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic Squad and for the Scholar of Distinction, and twice for the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award. Foster is pictured in 2014 at MUHS and in 2019 on the playing field (right, in purple). Eagle file & James Buck photos

Foster is MUHS grad, scholar-athlete By Lou Varricchio EDITOR

Despite a multi-year construction project along U.S. Route 7 in downtown Brandon, home sales in the area and elsewhere in Rutland County are looking better than expected thanks to “affordability factor” for middle class home buyers. Photo by Lou Varricchio

MIDDLEBURY | It was a magical moment when MaKayla Foster of Middlebury learned that she was one of only 86 student athletes across the USA to be selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Academic All-Conference honor roll. “She landed her first career postseason laurel,” according to Josh Kessler, director of athletic communications, at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester. Foster was an outstanding student and athlete while attending Middlebury Union High School during the 2010s. “MaKayla was among 22 field hockey players from around the conference to garner the accolade this year, as Saint Michael’s players have now been selected 29 times in the past 16 school years,”Kessler radded. For Foster, the fall of 2019 at St. Mike’s was a breakout season. She played forward on the Purple Knights field hockey team. Last year she scored seven times

with an assist to play during the Purple Knights’ offense operations. “Most of her damage was done in a five-game mid-season stretch that saw her notch six goals, with one against 10th-ranked Adelphi University on Sept. 21 and a hat trick coming in a wild 6-5 overtime victory at Bentley University on Oct. 3,” Kessler reported. “She scored the lone goal in a 1-0 triumph over Franklin Pierce University on Oct. 22.” Foster has distinguished herself in the classroom and on the playing field since the start of her college career. Now in her final term at St. Mike’s she holds a 3.995 cumulative grade-point average. “MaKayla has qualified seven times thus far for the NE10 Academic Honor Roll, three times for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Academic Squad and for the NFHCA’s Scholar of Distinction, and twice for the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award,” Kessler noted. “A key reserve during her first three seasons, Foster started all 18 games as a senior after entering the fall with two starts over 36 previous career appearances,” he added. “She finished her senior campaign tied for 20th in the NE10 in goals.” ■

Town creates new homeless task force Concern about growing numbers of downtown homeless By Lou Varricchio EDITOR

M I D D L E B U RY | M idd lebu r y Police Chief Tom Hanley told members of the Selectboard on Jan. 27 that a new Homeless Task Force has been organized. The new task force, under the Middlebury Public Health & Safety Committee (PH&SC), consists of several community members concerned about the Addison County shire town’s recent increase in homeless people. Several local residents have told the Eagle about verbal exchanges with mentally ill individuals “camped” on the town green during

the summer and autumn months. Hanley told the Selectboard that Task Force members will meet and “propose substantive solutions” to local homelessness. He noted that the new group will offer its recommendations to the PH&SC. Recommendations are for considerations before any official action is taken. According to the U.S. Interagency C ou nc i l o n Ho me le s s ne s s , “Vermont has an estimated 1,291 experiencing homelessness on any given day... Of that total, 169 were family households, 104 were veterans, 101 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18-24), and 160 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.” Hanley also reported that a new handicapped parking spot should not be created at the Star Mill site on Park Street, “due to concerns about the resulting loss of multiple existing parking spaces and streetlevel maintenance issues.” See HOMELESS TASK FORCE » pg. 2

Welch tours center

Rutland-Addison Community Health CEO Don Reuther gathered members of his team on Jan. 31 to guide U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) through one of the health network’s primary care facility. Dr. Julie Foster used voice recognition soft ware to transcribe patient notes and told Welch the technology was a “huge asset” to her work. Cathy Cota (pictured) explained the color-coded tracking system that ensures efficient and timely care of patients. Community Health covers Rutland and southern Addison counties, which includes the Brandon area.

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