MONDAY EDITION
ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT
Vol. 29 No. 46
Middlebury, Vermont
Monday, March 12, 2018
36 Pages
$1.00
Educators recoil at arming teachers Trump-NRA proposal draws criticism
Twice as much talent
By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — President Donald Trump’s endorsement of a National Rifle Association’s recommendation that teachers
become armed defenders of their respective schools is getting no traction in the Addison Central School District. Trump declared his support for
arming teachers on Feb. 22, eight days after the fatal shooting of 17 staff and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Nikolas Cruz, 19, faces 17 charges of premeditated murder in connection with the incident, which
has given rise to more calls for gun control across the nation. Only two months into 2018, there have been eight shootings at U.S. schools that have resulted in injury or death. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Jack (See Arming teachers, Page 18)
• Ian Ethan Case will bring his distinctive double-neck guitar plus two friends to perform in Brandon. See Arts Beat, Page 10.
ANWSD schools to get upgrades • Voters OK’d a $7.6 million measure to pay for energy efficiency, security and kitchen updates. See Page 3.
Mount Abe girls battle in Barre
• The Eagles faced U-32 in a D-II semifinal on Saturday, with a berth in Tuesday’s final at stake. See Page 20.
Special brew
THE CREW AT Drop-In Brewing in Middlebury — Retail Manager Eva Pratt, left, Retail Associate Ciara Staveley O’Carroll, Lead Brewer Vilija Bizinkauskas and Co-Owner Christine McKeever-Parkes (holding dog Princess Charlotte) — worked on a special brew last Thursday in honor of International Women’s Day. Women brewers around the world who are members of the Pink Boots Society worked with a special blend of hops to create their own special beer that will be available sometime in April. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
Vt. Woodworker of the Year picked
• An industry group tapped the co-owner of a Bristol company as a state leader. See the Bristol Beat on Pages 16-17.
Sharpe reflects on his lengthy career in the Vermont House
Acoustic upgrades earn applause in Bristol’s Holley Hall
By JOHN FLOWERS BRISTOL — Saturday, March 3, saw scores of Starksboro residents assemble at their local elementary school for their annual town meeting. Among the guests were Rep. Dave Sharpe, Rep. Fred Baser and Sen. Chris Bray.
By CHRISTOPHER ROSS BRISTOL — “Can you hear me now?” In Holley Hall, where a new sound system made its debut at Bristol’s annual town meeting March 5, the answer was a resounding “Yes.” (See Holley Hall, Page 22)
Act 46 and voting laws among lawmaker’s highlights One after the other, they went up to the microphone to deliver their reports on goingson in Montpelier. Sharpe, the last of the lawmakers to speak, delivered some news that caught everyone by surprise: (See Sharpe, Page 14)