Shelburne News - 3-14-24

Sunshine week

Here’s

Colleen Haag award

Housing, food shelf volunteer honored

There is one award that stands out in Shelburne for its recognition of residents whose strong spirit of volunteerism has made a lasting impact on municipal government — the Colleen Haag Public Service Award, named after the town’s clerk of more than 35 years.

This year, housing committee chair and food shelf volunteer Pam Brangan was the eighth recipient of the award announced at Town Meeting Day. Her husband, Jim Brangan, was the recipient in 2017.

Throughout the last few months, residents were asked to nominate a resident who has “exemplified the spirit of public service, who has shared his or her time, talent and energy for the betterment of our community and who inspires purpose, who drives lasting solutions, someone who makes a difference.”

Among Brangan, others who

See AWARD on page 2

State champs

Shelburne students compete in Jr. Chef event

Chef Vermont.

The kitchen at the Inn at Shelburne Farms over the past several months has been home to the culinary genius of four Shelburne Community School students as they prepared for their biggest competition of the year: Jr. Iron

Michael Lewis, Olen Purcell, John Rodgers and Thomas Schramm have worked since January under the leadership of executive chef John Patterson and chef de cuisine Michael Merrifield to perfect their signature dish, “Perogi Wan Kenobi,” a caramelized onion pierogi with potato and

Shelburne Farms cheddar, topped with a tart cherry and parsley chimichurri.

Jr. Iron Chef VT is a statewide culinary competition challenging teams of middle and high school students to engage in improving their own health and the health of their community by creating dishes comprised of locally grown,

FARMHOUSE TAP & GRILL

nutritious ingredients.

The annual event invites teams of three to five students from all over the state to cook up an original recipe in under 90 minutes. Every dish is judged by a panel of food professionals and advocates,

See CHEF on page 12

AWARD

continued from page 1

were considered for this year’s award included Alice Brown, Tom Little, Alec Webb, Patricia Fontaine, Katie Bosley and Dana Valentine.

“Among the many contributions to the community that earned her tributes from her nominators were her leadership at the Shelburne Food Shelf, including during the challenging time of Covid and her ongoing commitment to ensuring food security for needy families, and her leadership of the Shelburne Housing Committee where she contributed her decades of experience in land use and planning, working tirelessly to help bring more affordable housing to Shelburne,” said resident Rosalyn Graham at the annual meeting, a former recipient of the award.

Brangan also helped author the Shelburne housing booklet in 2019 and its new edition in 2023, which

Midnight movie marathon

It might not be good taste but it’s good sleaze this St. Patrick’s Day at the Pierson as it offers an after-hours film festival of not one, not two, but three horror comedies featuring Warwick Davis as the psychotic leprechaun Lubdan.

Immediately infamous upon their release, these films stood above their slasher brethren for sheer trashtastic weirdness and these three are the best of the bunch. See Lubdan take on Las Vegas, the furthest reaches of outer-space and North Dakota!

The library will have popcorn popping and coffee brewing until

plays a vital role in outlining Shelburne’s housing challenges.

When Brangan and her husband moved to Shelburne nearly 25 years ago, the first town committee on which she served was recreation, mostly to be more involved with her children as they grew up.

“I wanted to do something that my kids could also be sort of involved in,” she said. “I felt like the rec committee was a great place that I could be helping out in different events my kids would also be attending.”

From there she has contributed to the Natural Resources Commission, Lewis Creek Association and, most recently the Shelburne Food Shelf Board and housing committee, where she has been since 2016.

She said since the day she moved to Shelburne from Idaho, the town has felt like home, and

with her experience working with the regional planning commission, she had a thorough view of the complexities of town government.

“You don’t have to work for the town to be able to help out,” she said. “If everyone pitches in things can get done.”

Colleen Haag, who has decades of experience in volunteer and public service work, said even though the award is in her name, it’s not really about her at all.

“It’s really about the people who give their time, expertise and knowledge to different committees in the town,” she said, noting that a person she admires most for his service to the town is Tom Little, the town’s moderator. “The town wouldn’t really function if it weren’t for volunteers. Each person who received the award each year has really done so much to make Shelburne a better place to live.”

News from Pierson Library

the wee hours of St. Patrick’s Day. There might even be shepherd’s pie. This promised to be an immersive experience and real treat for the brave and bold B-movie connoisseur.

Films start at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, and carry on past the witching hour into St. Patrick’s Day.

Spring Equinox dance party with DJ Diplodocus

Defrost yourself with a dance party of B-side cuts and yesteryear’s favorites with DJ Diplodocus, Shelburne’s freshest new disc jockey. Diplodocus promis-

es to play a diverse sampling of tunes from across the decades and genres, guaranteeing something to get everyone grooving.

Dis dance party kicks off Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m.

Author O’Kane visits town hall

Join the Pierson Library, the Green Mountain Audubon Society and the Flying Pig Bookstore as they welcome University of Vermont professor and activist Trish O’Kane Wednesday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m. as she discusses what birds can teach us about life, social change and protecting the

environment in her new book, “Birding to Change the World.”

New film series

In honor of women’s history month, the library has curated a series of films screening all month.

Truly an experience for the film connoisseur, the buttery scent of popcorn will fill the air as high-definition films by female-identifying or XX chromosomal pair-having artists will appear on the big screen.

Featuring movies from 19402023, and works by Lulu Wang, Kelly Reichardt, Wanuri Kahiu, Dorothy Arzner and Greta Gerwig. Each film will be introduced, and

artsy discussions will follow. Check out the library website for a full listing.

Eclipse talk next Friday

On Friday, March 22, the library presents a talk about solar eclipses by Jack St. Louis, president of the Vermont Astronomical Society.

This April promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event and St. Louis will provide astronomical context, explaining why eclipses happen, what to expect and safe viewing practices. No advance registration required. The even is great for all ages.

Sunshine Week

Don’t think open government matters to you? Here’s why it does

Open government mattered to all of us during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government played an outsized role in our day-to-day lives then. Schools closed, storefronts shuttered and the officials making decisions about quarantines, mask mandates and vaccines often met in secret or exclusively online.

We demanded access to their Zoom meetings and to information about how long our kids would remain home and when our businesses could reopen. We requested reports on public health data underlying the policies decided by our local and state representatives. We used public record and open meeting laws to get answers to our questions.

• Following the worst mass shooting in Maine’s history, newsrooms are making public record requests to better understand how the tragedy in Lewiston unfolded. Through records obtained using the Maine Freedom of Access Act, we know more about the shooter’s military history and what, if any, attempts were made to treat his mental disorders prior to last October. The information learned through public records will almost certainly fuel arguments for — and against — gun reform in the state.

to July 2023 when the bridge last passed inspection.

The attorney general’s office said that while the charges are legal, they can also be waived by the governor. Legislation to change the state’s Access to Public Records Act would require those fees be waived and make it easier for us to understand what caused one of the biggest travel headaches in the state’s history.

Wolfpack Wrestling Club

Grades

6-12 • Mondays & Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m.

High Hat Jiu Jitsu, 338 Dorset Street, South Burlington

Learn the competitive sport of wrestling through conditioning, techniques and drills in a welcoming and safe environment. Practices are fun and challenging! The decision to formally compete is an individual choice for each athlete and their family. All youth are welcome. Sign up on the town website.

• Head Coach: Jack Carney, a three-time Vermont State Champion

• Coach: Alex Zuchman, certified by SafeSport and USA Wrestling

With the pandemic largely behind us, however, it can be easy to forget about government transparency. Outside of newsrooms, few of us regularly make public records requests or attend open meetings. The decisions of government don’t seem to weigh as heavily on us as they once did.

Sunshine Week is March 10-16 and is a reminder that the need for open government never abated. The sunshine reference is attributed to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, who famously wrote that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” In other words, an informed public is the best way to rid government of corruption.

We don’t need a global pandemic to appreciate our personal stake in government accountability. Consider the following examples of how sunshine laws are playing out in the region:

• Regular FOIA scofflaws in Connecticut rarely pay fines despite the law allowing up to $5,000 in penalties. As of last month, the state’s Freedom of Information Commission imposed only six fines for FOIA violations since 2012. Changes in the law now require the fines to be paid by officials personally. This is a strong incentive to follow the law, but only if fines are imposed and the message is sent to agencies that they cannot disregard their FOIA obligations with impunity.

• A proposal by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey would make the format of local open meetings completely discretionary instead of guaranteeing both in-person and remote access. Do you have a disability, parenting responsibilities, odd work hours or any other reason preventing you from traveling to a government meeting? Under this proposal, you’ll be shut out when city councils, select boards or school committees decide to hold their meetings exclusively in person.

• In a state where the right to know about government is enshrined in its constitution, New Hampshire lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow excessive fees to be charged for public records. The bill makes no exception for those who cannot afford the fees or for information of high public interest.

• Vermont state agencies are turning the public records law on its head, requiring reporters to submit formal requests for basic information that should be readily accessible. As Diane Derby at VTDigger recently explained, agencies are using the law “as a shield to deny reporters timely access.”

Rather than just answer a straightforward question, she said, they force the reporter to file a formal request, slow the process and deprive readers like you of much-needed information.

Vermont agencies are turning the public records law on its head, requiring reporters to submit formal requests for basic information that should be readily accessible.

Still not convinced you have a personal stake in government transparency? Consider sunshine an insurance policy. Even if none of the situations above resonate with you or relate to your daily life, know that transparency discourages government misconduct from occurring at all. Those in government are less likely to act in their self-interest when the public is looking over their shoulder. When malfeasance does occur, we can utilize our sunshine laws to learn what happened and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Instead, the legislation incentivizes government officials to overestimate the time to comply with a records request, needlessly redact and review documents, and ultimately deter even modest requests from being made in the first place.

• Want to know how the Washington Bridge in Providence fell into disrepair and why it ultimately closed? You’ll need to pay. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee is charging thousands of dollars for records that date back

Let’s not wait for another pandemic or public health crisis to make transparency a priority. Sunshine is a cause we should always be rallying around.

Justin Silverman is executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition and a Massachusetts-based attorney. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law, New England Law-Boston and the University of Connecticut.

southburlingtonvt.gov/recreation

FINANCIAL

BRUNCH BUFFET

in the Beautiful Four-Story Atrium Restaurant and Veranda at the DoubleTree Hotel Burlington

SUNDAY, MARCH 31

TWO SEATINGS STARTING AT 11:00 AM (11:00-11:30 AM - 1:30-2:00 PM )

ADULTS $49.95 | AGES 5-12 $24.95 | UNDER 5 FREE Prices do not include taxes and gratuity. (18% gratuity will be added for parties with more than 6 people.)

Chef Carved Maple Glazed Ham Prime Rib Au Jus Egg and Omelet Station

Muffins, Pastries and Croissants Sliced Fruit Display

Yogurt Parfait

— Traditional Eggs Benedict Breakfast Potatoes

Scrambled Eggs Bacon and Sausage French Toast with VT Maple Syrup

Vermont Cheese Display

Cold Poached Salmon

Shrimp Cocktail

Mixed Green Salad Bar

Pesto Pasta Salad

Fresh Roasted Vegetables

Cellentani Pasta with Garlic Olive

Oil and Fresh Julienne Vegetables

Tuscan Chicken

— Chef’s Dessert Display Easter Candies MUSIC/LIVE

802-865-6600

CRIME & COURTS

Shelburne Police Blotter: March 4-10

Total reported incidents: 56

Traffic stops: 10

Warnings: 1

Tickets: 9

Arrests: 1

Medical emergencies: 21

Suspicious incidents: 8

Domestic incidents: 2

Directed patrols: 3

Agency assists: 2

Citizen assists: 4

Welfare check: 3

Motor vehicle complaints: 1

Automobile incidents: 2

Noise disturbance: 1

Theft: 7

Harassment: 1

Alarms: 2

False alarms: 4

Pending investigations: 6

911 Hang-up calls: 2

March 4 at 2:23 p.m., a 911 caller from Shelburne Road told police that tools had been taken from their work vehicle. Police later discovered the tools in a stolen vehicle in Burlington.

The case is under investigation.

March 4 at 8:13 p.m., police responded to a reported domestic incident involving two juveniles on Henry Street. Police mediated the situation.

March 5 at 11:05 a.m., officers helped mediate a domestic dispute at Harbor Place.

March 5 at 2:49 p.m., a retail theft was reported from Tractor Supply and is under investigation.

March 7 at 12:16 p.m., a guest at the Quality Inn told police that some of their items had been taken from their room. Police are investigating.

March 7 at 8:25 p.m., a retail theft at Kinney Drugs led police to issue a citation against Paul Gorton, 37, of Colchester. He jailed on an outstanding warrant.

March 8 at 8:41 a.m., police are investigating a reported retail theft at Tractor Supply.

March 8 at 10:45 a.m., a walk-in

Shelburne News

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told police they were being threatened at Harbor Place. A harassment report was taken, and officers are investigating.

March 8 at 12:05 p.m., another retail theft was reported at Tractor Supply and is under investigation.

March 9 at 7:09 a.m., a caller reported a theft of items from her room at Harbor Place. The incident is under investigation.

Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.

Don’t fall for jury duty scam, sheriff warns

A Chittenden County resident was cheated out of a large sum of money through a jury duty scam, according to the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department.

The caller, who is identifying himself as deputy Greene, says because someone missed jury duty, they must pay a fine.

In the example cited by the department, scammers were able to get a large sum of money through bitcoin from the individual.

Law enforcement officials remind citizens to hang up the

phone on such calls and never provide personal information such as date of birth, Social Security numbers, bank or credit card information.

The sheriff’s office never clears arrest warrants or court cases by asking for money, either in person or over the phone.

Report these incidents to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office at 800-649-2424 or 802-656-3183. Contact the county sheriff’s office at 802-863-4341 for more information.

Man arrested on drug charges at motel on Shelburne Road

MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

A Shelburne man has been arrested on new federal drug charges after he reportedly had more than two pounds of cocaine delivered to his residence, court records show.

Raul Velez has at least three previous drug trafficking convictions over the past two decades, including a federal court case in Vermont for possession of heroin with intent to distribute from 20 years ago, records show.

Velez, 54, had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Burlington Friday, March 8 and was ordered held pending further hearings.

ra Masterson said Velez, while using the name “Tony Laboy,” was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for heroin trafficking in 2003.

Masterson said Velez/Laboy, after getting out of prison in that case, violated his supervised release “because, among other things, he used cocaine, operated a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and failed to communicate with his probation officer.”

Federal authorities arrested Velez when he retrieved the mailed package shortly after it was delivered to the office of the T-Bird Motor Inn in Shelburne.

Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle set a probable cause hearing for March 22, but that will turn into an arraignment if a federal grand jury indicts Velez in the interim.

Federal authorities arrested Velez when he retrieved the mailed package shortly after it was delivered to the office of the T-Bird Motor Inn on Shelburne Road in Shelburne where he lives last Thursday afternoon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Barba-

Masterson told the court that Valez was also convicted for drug trafficking in 2010 and for selling heroin in 2013.

In seeking Velez’s detention, Masterson noted he was both a flight risk and a danger to the community. The defense did not object.

Federal officials intercepted a mailed package before it could be delivered to Valez at the Shelburne Road motel. The package had a return address for a woman in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

A police K-9 and his agent, U.S. Border Patrol supervisory agent Derek Joyal, discovered the package, which held 2.2 pounds of cocaine, records show.

Authorities hatched a plan to

deliver the re-sealed package to the motor inn — sans the drugs — on March 7, according to postal inspector Alex M. Borofsky.

After the package was delivered to the motel, Velez retrieved it from the office and took it to his room. He was immediately taken into custody.

Shelburne police said they were notified about the planned raid but did not participate.

When Valez was arrested 20 years ago, federal authorities said they believed he was “often working in conjunction with his brother Edwin Laboy” in transporting large quantities of heroin between Massachusetts and Vermont, federal court records show. They were named in separate indictments at the time.

Edwin Laboy, originally from Holyoke, Mass., set up a network of drug sellers at various points between Burlington and St. Johnsbury and he was implicated in a near fatal drug overdose at a South Burlington hotel in 2001, officials said.

The younger brother continued to operate his ring after he got arrested, a prosecutor stated.

During his sentencing in June 2003, Edwin Laboy, then 28, initially received a 30-year prison term for being part of a six-person drug conspiracy. He also agreed to forfeit up to $450,000 and three vehicles that prosecutors said were used to sell drugs or bought

Lewis Creek Association fights Japanese knotweed; needs citizenry’s help

KATE KELLY

CONTRIBUTOR

Non-native invasive plant species have long threatened the health of ecosystems, wildlife habitat and populations of native plants in the Lewis Creek watershed. Management can be difficult because they are easily spread via seeds, roots, fragments, animals and humans.

Japanese knotweed is a particularly tough plant to remove. It was introduced from East Asia in the late 1800s and was planted as an ornamental and for erosion control. Ironically, knotweed can actually increase streambank erosion. It spreads primarily by its roots/rhizomes, which can break off during a flood then resprout and form a new colony downstream.

The Lewis Creek Association hopes to undertake a long-term project controlling knotweed with-

MOTEL

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with proceeds.

Edwin Laboy and two of the co-conspirators left a woman for dead at the University Inn on Dorset Street in South Burlington, records show. Her body was

out herbicides in the watershed but needs the community’s help.

The association will demonstrate a non-chemical removal method to the public at a site in North Ferrisburgh where technicians will be present weekly to lead removal efforts and to display the methods to the public. Everyone is invited to help.

Lewis Creek Association is partnering with Mike Bald to guide this work and demonstrate effective methods for knotweed removal without herbicides. You can also get involved in a project that uses community science to help understand the distribution of knotweed in the watershed using iNaturalist.

If you’re interested in learning more, sign up at bit.ly/lca-knotweed or reach out to Kate Kelly, program manager for Lewis Creek Association, at lewiscreekorg@ gmail.com or 802-488-5203.

dumped into a bathtub. He had provided the 18-year-old woman heroin in exchange for sex, according to the investigation by South Burlington Police and the Drug Enforcement Administra-

tion.

The 30-year sentence was later reduced to 20 years in 2011 after Edwin Laboy challenged the competency of his defense lawyer, records show.

OPINION

Let’s take a wholistic approach to development in Shelburne

Guest Perspective

It is frequently said that when writing regulations, we will know we’ve done it right when everyone is equally unhappy, because there are many competing interests that need to be balanced against one another. I understand that it can feel that way, but I disagree, wholeheartedly. It does not have to be that way.

Residents of Shelburne have clearly said that they want development of affordable housing; conservation of open land and wildlife habitat; and improved walking and biking connectivity.

Right now in Shelburne a complete and comprehensive rewriting of our land use regulations is in full swing. We have a unique opportunity: We can continue with a conventional form of regulations, or we can do what many other municipalities and places have done or are doing and choose a simpler, yet more flexible and evolved set of rules to guide

how we want our town to grow, look and feel.

Conventional land use regulations are typically based on what a developer, owner or builder wants to construct, and then rearranges the landscape to accommodate the structure. There are specific rules, of course, concerning height, setbacks, lot sizes and more but the general idea is that one set of rules applies to all parcels in any given district.

The

Together process were open land and wildlife habitat, affordable housing and bike and pedestrian paths. They are in competition with each other only if we use a conventional form of land use

heart and gist of conservation design process is, first, a full mapping of existing natural infrastructures on a parcel of land. These are then prioritized to determine which areas are best suited for structures, and which are most appropriate to be set aside as open lands.

The conservation design approach, as best elucidated by Randall Arendt, reverses that process. It bases its rules on the realities of a particular parcel — or the where. The structures to be built are rearranged to fit, most appropriately, into that landscape. This approach can be used in all areas of Shelburne.

The top 3 priorities identified during the Shelburne Forward

regulations.

With conservation design regulations, these exact same interests actually work together. That’s right, we can go a long way toward achieving all three of our top priorities if we undertake the approach and adopt regulations more aligned with its principles.

Shelburne residents have been very clear on what they want.

The planning commission’s job is to ask its consultants to provide a regulatory structure that will deliver what residents prefer. This is not a big ask, nor some untested thing. Many places have and are currently using just this sort of regulatory structure, so there are many models and examples out there; they already exist.

In very simplified terms, the heart and gist of conservation design process is, first, a full mapping of existing natural infrastructures on a parcel of land. These are then prioritized to determine which areas are best suited for structures, and which are most appropriate to be set aside as open lands. Then, and only then, are possible lot locations sketched in, followed by appropriate locations of internal roads and driveways. The final step is to draw the actual lot lines.

By clustering buildings, setting aside the most valuable natural resource assets, among many other required elements of conservation design, this is what we could get:

• Increased protection of those natural resource assets.

• Decreased developer costs.

If the built infrastructure is more concentrated and compact, there is less money spent on sewer, water, power lines and roadways than there would be on a parcel with structures more broadly spread out.

• This, in turn, increases the opportunity for builders to be able to include more affordable units. There is the additional possibility of increasing density if a developer agrees to increase affordable housing options or agrees to set aside more natural areas.

• Built into a comprehensive conservation design regulatory scheme is also a requirement for the developer to create and include pedestrian paths connecting areas not only within the project, but

Flaco flew for us all: the embodiment of freedom as rebellion

Guest Perspective

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

My body feels as though I’ve volunteered for a scientific study; becoming a proving ground of sorts, evaluating various pieces of adaptive equipment as I put my own durability to the test, slipping, sliding, slogging and crunching over back roads whose fluctuating

Wildlife reorganization will politicize management

To the Editor:

It may be time for the changing views of Vermonters toward wildlife to be addressed, but bill S.258 will not accomplish it. Currently, and historically, the 14 members of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board have been appointed by the governor with input from the Legislature. One seat represents each county.

Under S.258, the governor will be stripped of their appointments. The appointments would be allocated this way: commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, five; Speaker of the House, five; and the Committee on Committees, five. Somehow, those 15 appointments will be divided across 14 county seats and one at large seat. A perfect set up for gerrymandering.

S.258 proposes to force a “balanced” mix of licensed and non-licensed members. Who will be appointing the licensed and non-licensed? Adding politics where it doesn’t belong is what this will do.

The board will also be stripped of its current authority over fish and wildlife rules and the Department of Fish and Wildlife will have the authority. The current setup is in place because a half century ago the Legislature acknowledged its lack of expertise around wildlife management and wisely placed it with citizens. Why would we want to make the same mistake again? Keep the power with the citizens, not the Legislature.

The anglers, hunters and trappers on the current Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board are Vermont’s most committed wildlife advocates and conservationists. Don’t think for a second that because they fish, hunt and trap that they don’t have a deep love for all species and understand the challenges of conserving and protecting the people and

consistency becomes more unpredictable with each passing winter.

Every step marks a new adventure, never quite certain if I’ll slide sideways, turn my ankle or twist my knee in a frozen rut or sink in above my shoes, squishing along for several miles, obscenities providing the soundtrack of my discontent.

Deep in muck, submerged in thought, walking has become the go-to activity, especially since traditional winters have migrated somewhere else, limiting skiing and snowshoeing to a smattering of one-off rambles fraught with deteriorating conditions, often infusing the whole enterprise with

Letters to the Editor

wildlife of Vermont.

The starting point for change should be for special interest groups to work with their legislators and donors to find financing and new management structures for the wildlife management they seek, not re-allocate taxes mostly paid by anglers, boaters, shooters and hunters and replace a fish and wildlife management structure that has been successful for over 50 years.

The promoters of S.258 are determined, vocal and have resources. They are truly anti-hunting and trapping, despite their occasional claims about fair-chase. They should put their effort and money toward future programs that reduce development and vehicle traffic and increase regenerative land use. That will do far more for wildlife in Vermont than S.258 could ever do.

Consultant’s habitat block protections lacking

To the Editor:

I want to raise a concern about the minimal amount of protection the PlaceSense consultants are proposing in their zoning rewrite draft for Shelburne’s remaining forest habitat blocks. These small forests, which are the heart of Shelburne’s ecosystem, were featured in a public series held throughout February at the Pierson Library. There are, in fact, only 44 of these blocks of 20 acres or more remaining completely within town boundaries.

I was really surprised that PlaceSense recommended to the planning commission that habitat provisions be applied to only six of the 44 parcels.

Why would the consultants limit eligible forest blocks so

more trouble than it’s worth.

So, I find myself down the road on a perfect afternoon — warm temperatures, little wind and glorious sunshine — in other words, it sucks, figuratively and literally, as the quagmire does its level best to exert its will on my feet, which too frequently require just enough of a steady yank to pull free, subtly destroying my lower back.

That I find this small restriction so infuriating gets me thinking about our notion of freedom and the desire we all have to do what we want, when we want and how we want, unconstrained by outside forces, whether governmental or environmental, each of which can

be uniquely intrusive. While the historical perception of freedom has been bastardized with political ramifications —the Freedom Caucus or the Alliance Defending Freedom are designed to do the opposite — we continue to maintain a grasp of what it means in its purest form and, like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said of obscenity in 1964, we “know it when we see it.”

And many saw it quite clearly personified in Flaco, a Eurasian eagle owl who, after escaping his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo a year ago, became a spirit animal for the masses, soaring above New York City’s granite canyons from Greenwich Village to a favorite Central Park oak tree near 104th Street in upper Manhattan.

severely? Is it because PlaceSense’s focus is around development, not the environment?

None of the proposed zoning regulations offer any protection at all for identified connectors, the vital corridors or parcels of less than 20 acres that serve as stepping stones for wildlife as they travel between habitat blocks. Connectors tie the forested areas together into the larger ecosystem species need.

At one of the library’s presentations last month, wildlife biologist Jeff Parsons talked about the forest blocks being the vital home ground for key species because they provide the necessary places for survival functioning — feeding, producing young and for normal migration habits.

In another presentation, Ethan Tapper, Chittenden County forester, also emphasized that remaining habitat blocks in the county are important to species survival and noted that protecting them is a state government level priority. Development impacts aside, he noted that with climate change, animals need more options than ever for migrating in response to changing conditions. He went on to underline the problems of forest fragmentation and deforestation.

The information from local experts makes it even more incomprehensible that PlaceSense has suggested protection provisions for only six of 44, or 13 percent of the habitat blocks. The planning commission can, of course, accept or reject PlaceSense’s recommendations. I really hope they fix this item.

The 2023 Arrowwood Report described these parcels as “critical” for the species using them. Shouldn’t we be offering some form of protection to all 44 that remain? There is no recovering them once they’re gone.

Once zoo officials abandoned recapture efforts after a few weeks, Flaco became a social media sensation, every flap of his majestic 6-foot wingspan recorded, his movements charted, and data compiled of his whereabouts at a given moment.

When he died last week after a collision with one of the Upper West Side skyscrapers that became his habitat, the outpouring of grief was a palpable illustration of how — even amid the towering concrete monoliths that permeate the urban landscape — we strive for an acquaintance to wild nature that goes well beyond simple observation, verging at times on the mystical. Ample evidence reveals that those of us with a connection to the natural world are usually happier in life and more likely to feel our lives worthwhile with enhanced positive emotions such as joy, calm, creativity and an increase in concentration.

I’ve always found owls especially beguiling and the goings on in New York City reminded me of what I like to recall as a relationship I had with a barred owl several years ago that lasted a couple of winters, as ridiculous as it was sublime. He showed up one late autumn afternoon, alternating between an apple tree behind the house and a limb over the compost

WORRALL

continued from page 6

also with neighboring paths and trails.

Some people are concerned that there might be a takings issue with these types of requirements built into the regulations, or that there would be town tax implications. If done properly, and thoroughly, conservation design is both density and tax neutral. The key is to adopt the design in its entirety, in all areas of town, because it is an interrelated set of rules. We cannot do it piecemeal — an approach I

pile, stayed until spring, even returning the following year.

Although seen in some cultures as a harbinger of death because of its nocturnal nature, owls also represent wisdom and knowledge and, according to mystic Inbaal Honigman, a visit from one points you to your own wisdom, an invitation to tap into your inner knowledge, perception and intelligence. I would go out and talk to him — he never answered — but he was completely undaunted, and I was able to get ever closer, eventually close enough to stroke his feathers while quietly making small talk. He still never answered.

Watching him regularly slam into the snow, I learned that he was hunting. Owls have incredibly sensitive hearing, allowing them to hear activity through several inches of fluff. Returning from a walk one day, I stopped by his tree and hung out with him for a bit while he swiveled his head, scanning the ground with his ear. Suddenly, he dropped silently, crashing through 6 inches of snow, coming up with a fat vole that he downed in a couple of gulps. It was stunning.

Since the beginning of the pandemic three years ago the world has closed in around us and consequently more people have rediscovered the emotional and mental health benefits of city parks, woodland forests or blue spaces like beaches, rivers and wetlands. Our psychological well-being, including a reduction of stress, anxiety and depression is enhanced by connecting with wildlife and the natural world.

Trapped in what arguably has become a far more dangerous world since 2019, with threats lurking everywhere, the profound exuberance over Flaco’s fleeing his cage, eluding capture and commanding the skies over New York for a year is completely understandable. He was flying for all of us — the very embodiment of freedom as rebellion.

Walt Amses is a writer. He lives in North Calais.

believe would surely fail, where no one gets what they want.

We have the chance to improve the way development takes place in Shelburne, and the results that we will all live with thereafter. Right now. This issue is front and center in the process currently before the planning commission. Let’s give this option serious consideration.

Persis H. Worrall lives in Shelburne.

COMMUNITY

Shelburne church, Age well host March luncheon

Age Well is offering a luncheon on Wednesday, March 20, in the St Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St. in Shelburne.

The menu is beef burgundy with mushrooms and onions, wide egg noodles, sliced carrots, green beans, wheat dinner roll with butter, Larry’s homemade oatmeal date Craisin cookie and milk.

Check-in time is 11:30 a.m. and the meal will be served at noon. There is a $5 suggested donation.

Diners must register by March 14 to Kerry Batres, nutrition coordinator, 802-662-5283 or email kbatres@agewellvt.org. Tickets are also available at the Age Well Office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester.

Shelburne committee holds heat pump workshop

Electric heat pumps are steadily emerging as the primary heating systems in new residential homes in Vermont and other New England States. But what do heat pumps offer for most existing homes in Vermont? How do they perform, what are the benefits and what do they cost? Should you be thinking about heat pumps for your home?

Shelburne’s Climate and Energy Committee is hosting a heat pump workshop on Wednesday, March 27, 6-8 p.m. at the Shelburne Town Office, at 5420 Shelburne Road. The workshop is for any resident of Shelburne interested in learning more about

heat pumps for their home or business. Pizza and child care (upon request) will be provided.

Representatives from Efficiency Vermont and Vermont Energy Contracting will be on hand to answer questions. Together they will provide a broad overview of the technology, the climate and homeowner benefits, how heat pumps work with your existing heating system, the costs and available incentives, plus all the questions you should ask when you engage a contractor.

Questions? Email scec@shelburnevt.org.

State holds public hearings on deer, moose

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board will hold public hearings on deer and moose management on March 18, 20 and 21.

The hearings will include results of Vermont’s 2023 deer seasons and prospects for deer hunting next fall and an opportunity for people to provide their observations and opinions about the deer herd’s status.

The hearings will also include a review of the 2023 moose hunting season and an opportunity for the public to provide feedback on the number of moose permits recommended for 2024.

The three in-person hearings will begin at 6:30 p.m. at these

All

Sessions are on

March 26 to April 30,

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 8

locations:

• March 18, Hazen Union High School, 126 Hazen Union Drive, Hardwick.

• March 20, Brattleboro Union High School, 131 Fairground Road.

• March 21, Enosburg Falls High School, 65 Dickinson Avenue.

Pre-recorded videos of the moose and deer presentations given at these meetings will be available on the department’s website.

Garden club talk on Asian jumping worm, emerging threats

Burlington Garden Club will host the talk, “The Asian Jumping Worm and other Emerging Diseases and Pests,” on Tuesday, March 26, 1 p.m., 899 Dorset St., South Burlington.

Speaker Ann Hazelrigg is a plant pathologist with University of Vermont Extension and is the director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic.

The Asian jumping worm is a relatively new invasive earthworm in Vermont that is spreading rapidly throughout the U.S. It presents a threat to gardeners, farmers, nurseries and forest managers. Hazelrigg will talk about the jumping worm and other emerging diseases and pests that challenge

us as gardeners, homeowners and forest stewards.

More at bgcvt.org.

Elks serve up corned beef for St. Paddy’s Day

The Burlington Elks Lodge St. Patrick’s dinner will be held Friday, March 15, 5:30-7 p.m., at the Elks Lodge, 925 North Avenue.

A corned beef dinner is $15; Reuben sandwiches are $12 and fries are $2.

For information, contact David Ely at davidely1986@gmail.com or 802-8625109.

Event celebrates Abenaki oral traditions

“Our Songs Remember” is a combination lecture and performance focusing on the ways in which the Abenaki oral traditions of storytelling and music play a part in the preservation of Indigenous ways.

“Songs” will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2 p.m., on Zoom at Ethan Allen Homestead.

See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 16

Please join us!

Two participation options are available: In-person at Dealer.com or virtually by livestream.

American Sign Language interpretation will be provided. Learn more and register for free by scanning the QR code or visiting our website. www.howardcenter.org

802-488-6912

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

MENTAL HEALTH IS COMMUNITY HEALTH

Dr. Simha Ravven, Howard Center’s Chief Medical Of cer, will offer insights and perspectives on mental health treatment and services within our community.

Followed by Q&A.

March 27, 2024 | 6:30-8:00 pm

Dealer.com, 1 Howard Street, Burlington, VT

SUBSTANCE USE AND OUR COMMUNITY

A panel discussion about substance use and how we can work together to create a safer, healthier community with Howard Center clinical staff: moderator Beth Holden, MS, LCMHC, LADC, and panelists John Brooklyn, MD; Dan Hall, LADC; Heidi Melbostad, PhD, and others. Followed by Q&A.

May 2, 2024 | 6:30-8:00 pm

Dealer.com, 1 Howard Street, Burlington, VT

SPORTS

Girls’ basketball

Redhawks win back-to-back state titles

For most of the 2023-2024 girls’ basketball season, Champlain Valley played zone defense.

In the Division I final last Wednesday night, trailing by six at halftime and getting burned by St. Johnsbury from the three-point line, the Redhawks made a risky move: They switched to a man-toman defense.

The risk paid off.

Champlain Valley limited its opponents to 12 points in the second half to beat No. 2 St. Johnsbury, 38-33, to win its second D-I state championship in row.

“We played almost no man against St. Jay the last few times we played them,” CVU coach Ute Otley said. “St. Jay was really comfortable against our zone. Then we decided we had to lock in and play man-to-man and everyone has to take responsibility for containing your own kid. The kids just executed.”

After hitting five three-pointers in the first half, St. Johnsbury was held to just one basket from behind the arc in the second half and scored only 12 points total.

“Coming into the second half we just said we have to lock up these players and figure out how to stop them,” CVU senior Samara Ashooh said. “That was what we did as a team.”

While the lock-down defense helped pull CVU back into the game in the third quarter, the Hilltoppers kept pushing them in the fourth. The two teams stayed within a point of each for much of the quarter until a big jump shot from CVU’s Grace Thompson gave the Redhawks a 34-31 lead.

St. Johnsbury came down the floor and sunk a shot to bring the score back to one and then dialed up the defensive pressure to try and force a turnover.

That’s when Otley called a timeout and pulled a play out of her back pocket that the team saved for special occasions.

“We don’t want everyone to know it and we don’t want everyone ready for it,” Otley said. “It only works when a team is trying to take it away for you.”

On the inbounds, senior Elise Berger sent the ball to a Ashooh, who worked her way around a screen, and the forward laid it in for two points and 36-33 lead with just 44 seconds remaining.

“When you have a kid who can pass the ball like Berger, that kind of distance, you’ve got to take advantage of it,” Otley said. “She put it right on the money.”

Merrill Jacobs clinched the win with two free throws in the final seconds and secured the state championship.

“It doesn’t feel real right now, especially going back-to-back,” Jacobs said. “It’s such a special moment for the team.”

It is the 10th title for the CVU program and the second year in a row the team has beat St. Johnsbury to capture the trophy.

“We knew they were going to come out hot and strong and want it really bad,” Jacobs said. “We totally expected that, and we were ready to just stick with it and persevere.”

Despite the programs experience in last year’s final, CVU did not have a lot of players that had played a lot at Patrick Gym. Reminding themselves to relax and have fun was key to the second half turnaround.

“We play best when we are having fun,” Ashooh said. “First

half, we were kind of tense, a lot of us haven’t been in this situation before. So, we came together, and we had a lot more fun and were

CVU girls, boys’ alpine skiers win Division I championships

Champlain Valley had quite the two-day performance on the hill at Burke Mountain for the Vermont alpine state championships.

The Champlain Valley girls placed four skiers in the top 10 on the second day to clinch the Division I state title, while the CVU boys were named D-I co-champions along with Rutland after a delay due to a scoring error.

The Redhawk girls used top finishes in the slalom to race to the D-I title, the program’s third championship in the last four years.

“They are experienced,” CVU coach Steve Francisco said. “They were dominating all season long.”

With the girls winning the state title outright and the boys finishing as co-champions, the Redhawks won the combined state title — the first year that the Vermont Principals Association has recognized the honor.

“I am incredibly proud of the entire team,” Francisco said. “It’s just crazy.”

Ella Lisle led the way for Champlain Valley, coming in first overall in the slalom. Rachel Bialowoz came in third and Kate Kogut followed in fourth place. Carly Strobeck rounded out the top 10 finishers, coming in eighth.

The Redhawks felt that the slalom was their stronger discipline, so they were confident heading into the second day.

“Our team is super well rounded, but we do train slalom basically three days a week,” Francisco said. “When you are putting four

in the top 10, it is very difficult for anyone to beat that.”

In Monday’s giant slalom, the Redhawks’ strong showing put them solidly in second place after that first day of competition.

Kogut was the top CVU finisher in the giant slalom, coming in third place overall. Bialowoz finished in 11th, Elizabeth Nostrand came in 13th and Addie Bartley was 17th. Lisle, CVU’s top skier, did not finish the race.

“When they saw Ella crash in the giant slalom, they were like ‘OK, now we have to ski fast and ,we have to finish or we’re not going to win,’” Francisco said.

“When they saw Ella crash ... they were like, ‘OK, now we have to ski fast and we have to finish or we’re not going to win.”

“What I said to the girls was ‘yes, everyone needs to ski their best but at the same time … you have to finish,” Francisco said. “Not finishing is not an option. It just added another degree of pressure.”

The CVU skiers came through, putting the Redhawks just behind the first-place team and setting themselves up for a strong showing in the slalom.

“Once we got done with districts my talk with them was you’ve got to carry this confidence and experience into states,” Francisco said. “They definitely wanted to course correct from last year and they did that in districts, and it worked for them in states.”

On the boys’ side, Champlain Valley came in third place in the D-I state championship, finishing behind first-place Rutland and second-place Woodstock. But a scoring error discovered after the competition revealed that CVU had not been awarded the correct points after three of its skiers did not finish in the slalom on Tuesday. Due the error, Champlain Valley was named co-champions with Rutland after the Vermont Principals’ Association reviewed the error and the scores. Coaches were emailed on

Monday afternoon of the update.

In the competition on Tuesday, Ray Hagios came in first place in the slalom to win the individual title. In the giant slalom on Monday, CVU’s Jake Strobeck finished first to win the title in that race.

Strobeck came in fourth place in the slalom, while teammate George Francisco finished in fifth. But a DNF for three skiers threw the Redhawks into a precarious position.

In the giant slalom, the Redhawks were in first place after a performance that had four skiers in the top 10. After Strobeck’s top spot, Francisco came in fourth, Hagios was sixth and Sebastian Bronk came in eighth place.

Community Bankers

Community Bankers

Community Bankers

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Community Bankers

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

There is no better time to join our Team!

There is no better time to join our Team!

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

Community Bankers

There is no better time to join our Team!

There is no better time to join our Team!

BUILDERS | MAKERS | DOERS®

There is no better time to join our Team!

North eld Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all.

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Northfield Savings Bank, founded in 1867, is the largest LOCAL BANK in Vermont. We are committed to providing a welcoming work environment for all

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Consider joining our team as a Community Banker at our Taft Corners or Richmond location!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

Relevant Skills: Customer Service, Cash Handling (we’ll train you!) Even better… if you have prior banking experience, we encourage you to apply!

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma, general education (GED) degree, or equivalent, consider joining the NSB Team!

Opportunity for Growth

Opportunity for Growth

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professionaldevelopment within our company.

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

What NSB Can Offer You

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

NSB has training opportunities to engage employees and assist with professional development within our company. The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a career in an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

The average years of service for an NSB employee is 9! If you’re looking for a careerin an environment that promotes growth, join our team!

What NSB Can Offer You

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity.

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity.

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

Please send an NSB

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

Competitive compensation based on experience. Wellrounded benefits package. Profit-Sharing opportunity. Excellent 401(k) matching retirement program. Commitment to professional development. Opportunities to volunteer and support our communities. Work -Life balance!

Please send an NSB Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

Application & your resume in confidence to: Careers@nsbvt.com

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

Equal Opportunity Employer / Member FDIC

and awards are given out based on five categories: execution, taste, creativity, teamwork, and use of local ingredients.

“Last year we went thinking we were going to win but then you get there, and you realize there is so much more that goes into it,” Patterson said. “It’s a really good way for kids to be introduced to food and Vermont, and is really great in that the agricultural community is so tied in. I grew up with very different food and a very different understanding.”

The team went through about four to five different iterations of the dish, eliminating options like dumplings and crepes before landing on their signature pierogi.

“We knew we had to get a filling and it had to be vegetarian,” said Lewis, speaking about the elimination process. “We had a vote and I wanted to do a crepe or a dumpling, but this is close to a dumpling.”

“We had dumplings and an idea for a crepe cake with roasted parsnip, apples and

melted cabbage,” Rodgers added, “and we actually incorporated the melted cabbage into this dish.”

Each student took to their station on Wednesday night’s practice filling, shaping, searing and plating but not without a few passing jokes and a slew of playful banter to fill the air.

Patterson turned on the clock for the last practice to acquaint the team with the pressure of time.

“There’s all these things that you just don’t really anticipate,” he said. “Like I told them, ‘“You’re going to have to yell.’”

The team even managed to think of what would happen in the worst-case scenario of competitor sabotage.

Hannah Corbin, educator at Shelburne Farms who also worked with the team, jokingly asked, “Are you expecting to be

CHEF

continued from page 12

sabotaged?”

The three junior chefs let out a resounding “Yes!” followed by a burst of laughter.

Some students on the team expressed an interest in a future as a chef, like Rodgers, who spends his weekends perfecting his sourdough and focaccia recipe, but others just enjoyed the time spent with friends.

“They get to learn a lot,” said Patterson. “They get to do it with their friends but then there’s also an interest in cooking.”

Purcell, who was a member of the team last year that created a signature ramen dish, explained that the skills learned this year were much different.

“With ramen against perogies, we worked on a lot of our knife skills this time, because there’s not much to cut with ramen,” he said.

Although the team didn’t walk out with any wins this year, Patterson explained that the team walked away with much more: a sense of teamwork.

“Honestly, I’m the one who’s a nervous wreck through it,” he said, adding that the group hit a hiccup in the competition when they real

ized they needed two presentation options. “We plated everything, and then it was like, ‘Oh, no, we

PUBLIC NOTICES

TOWN OF SHELBURNE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

Notice of Public Hearings to be held April 3rd, 2024, 7:00 PM Town Center Meeting Room #1 and Remote Meeting via Zoom

SUB 23-01: Application by Brian Precourt on behalf of Rinald and Beatrice Precourt Irrevocable Trust for Final Plan Review of a 2-lot subdivision. Subject property located at 215 Maple Leaf Ln is in the Mixed Use District and the Lakeshore Overlay and Stormwater Overlay District.

Zoom Information:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85276185491?pwd=eHNlcUJ4cThBbT hyb0JvWlRVTzdIUT09

Meeting ID: 852 7618 5491

Passcode: 3PN0mU

INVITATION FOR BIDS

March 14th, 2024

Seeking Section 3 and WMBE Subcontractors

D.E.W. Construction (DEW), on behalf of Evernorth and Champlain Valley Housing, is seeking interested bidders to participate in the bidding of their new forty eight (48) unit residential building to be located at 108-110 Margaret’s Way, Shelburne, VT. The new building has a lower-level basement & parking garage of approx. 22,566 square feet and two (2) separate three (3) story wood framed residential buildings on a shared podium with and approx. total square footage of 60,265 square feet.

This project is partially funded by State and Federal funds through VHCB, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, VHFA Financing, VT Community Development Program (CDBG funds), EPA Brownfields Funding, Energy Incentives and Investment Tax Credits. There are Davis Bacon Residential wage rate requirements, Build American Buy American requirements and WMBE and Section 3 goals on this project. We are actively seeking the participation of qualified Section 3 and WMBE subcontractors.

D.E.W. Construction Corp. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) that complies with Executive Order 11246 and takes affirmative action to ensure that it employs qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, ancestry, place of birth, age, protected veteran or military status, genetic information, disability, or persons in any other status protected by federal or state law or local ordinance.

Please contact Aimee Plotczyk – aplotczyk@dewconstruction.com at D.E.W. Construction for more information.

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 9

Incorporating Pakholigan (drum) and Pabekongan (flute), father and son Joseph and Jesse Bruchac will take you on a journey to the enduring roots of the Western Abenaki nations, showing how songs carry the heart and meaning of this enduring Native American culture.

Both English and Abenaki language will be heard throughout the presentation and several stories will be told that exemplify the way oral tradition has always served at least two purposes — to entertain and to instruct.

A well-published author in many genres, Joseph is a citizen and honored elder of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation. Jesse, also an enrolled Nulhegan citizen, is the founder and director of the School of Abenaki at Middlebury College, a musician and frequent language consultant for television and movies.

Both can be seen in the new PBS documentary “Monadnock, The Mountain That Stands Alone,” at joebruchac.com.

To register for the free program, go to ethanallenhomestead.org.

Registration is required for the Zoom-only program.

Francophones meet in Winooski this year

The 2024 Vermont Francophonie Celebration will be held Thursday, March 28, in the performing arts center of the Winooski School District, 60 Normand St. The official ceremony will be held from 1-2 pm.

Representatives of France, Canada, Vermont and Quebec will be in attendance. The event this year is being hosted by the mayor of Winooski.

Tropical fish hobbyists host fish, reptile expo

The Delta Hotel in South Burlington is the site for the 2024 Burlington Aquarium Fish, Coral Frag and Reptile Expo, Saturday, March 23, 1117 Williston Road, noon-3 p.m.

Come see what other hobbyist breeders have to offer. Local breeders, hobbyists and retailers will be selling freshwater fish, shrimp and plants, saltwater coral frags, reptiles and new and used equipment and aquariums.

The free event sponsored by the Tropical Fish Club of Burlington features door prizes and a raffle. More at tfcb.org.