Thursday, June 14, 2018

Page 1

‘Proof’

Time to rock

AC set to go

Mathematics and madness tangle onstage at the Vt. Coffee Company Playhouse. See Arts + Leisure.

Six popular bands play live, and that’s only part of the fun at Pocock Rocks. Page 14A & A+L.

The Legion nine is hopeful heading into the season, which will begin on Monday. See Page 1B.

ADDISON COUNTY

Vol. 72 No. 24

INDEPENDENT Middlebury, Vermont

Bear family causes a big stir in Middlebury

Thursday, June 14, 2018  52 Pages

$1.00

Off they go

People urged to hide garbage, birdseed By JOHN FLOWERS after being spotted in a tree off MIDDLEBURY — Kristin Woodland Park in that residential Mitchell was offering up copious neighborhood at around 4 p.m. A amounts of birdseed at her Birchard Middlebury police officer stood Park home in Middlebury this vigil while urging passersby to move spring in hopes of along and therefore attracting a flock not get in harm’s of fine feathered way. Black bear friends. are known as the But what she got most timid variety earlier this month of North American was a family of bear, but a sow large, furry bears, will lash out at a a group she and human if cornered Vermont Fish & or if she feels her Wildlife officials cubs are in danger, would rather see noted Vermont dining deep in the Fish and Wildlife woods. Game Warden Fish & Wildlife DIANE BROWN TOOK Dale Whitlock of officials are this photo of a mother bear Middlebury. warning Middlebury in a tree in the heart of He said the oftresidents to be wary Middlebury’s Buttolph Acres seen Middlebury of — and absolutely Sunday afternoon. bear is young and not feed — a female perhaps a first-time black bear and her three cubs that mom. She and her cubs have been were most recently spotted in the spotted scrounging for food at Buttolph Acres neighborhood on various locations between Chipman Sunday, June 10. Hill on the north end of the village The ubiquitous bear and her brood and Birchard Park, which is off drew some “ooohs” and “awwws” (See Bears, Page 15A)

Planners & dreamers seek inspiration By CHRISTOPHER ROSS BRISTOL — Singer-songwriter Dar Williams may have been the most famous person at the June 8 Historic Preservation and Downtown Conference at Holley Hall, but the host town of Bristol was the true star of the show. On a fine, clear morning more than 250 historians, artists, architects,

entrepreneurs and municipal planners converged on the “Gateway to the Green Mountains,” as Bristol markets itself, for a day of networking, education and inspiration. The goal was to help keep Vermont’s small towns vital through restoration of old buildings and streetscapes and planning for new infrastructure and (See Bristol, Page 11A)

Vergennes council facing possible major tax hike

By ANDY KIRKALDY VERGENNES — Facing a draft city budget that could theoretically trigger a 13-cent increase in the Vergennes municipal tax rate, the Vergennes City Council on Tuesday added an extra budget session for this Thursday to work on finding savings. An increase of that full 13 cents is unlikely because it would assume the council uses none of an anticipated surplus from this fiscal year, which

ends on June 30, to offset the tax rate. As of Tuesday City Manager Mel Hawley told the council the preaudited fund balance stood at about $198,000, a figure he said would drop over the coming weeks as the city continued to pay bills, including for ongoing public works projects. “Do I predict a $198,000 surplus? No, I don’t. That number is going to continue to go down,” Hawley said. (See Vergennes, Page 16A)

Mary Hogan principal to By the way take new job in Bristol

Hungry Middlebury-area children take note: The community’s federally subsidized Free Summer Lunch program kicks off on June 25 and will last through Aug. 10. The meals will be available at noon at the front (See By the way, Page 15A)

Index Obituaries........................... 6A-7A Classifieds.......................... 7B-9B Service Directory............... 5B-6B Entertainment.........Arts + Leisure Community Calendar......... 8A-9A Arts Calendar.........Arts + Leisure Sports................................. 1B-2B

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — It was 18 years ago that Tom Buzzell took the job of library media specialist at Mary Hogan Elementary School. His hard work led to his promotion to associate principal in 2005, then to co-principal before becoming the school’s top administrator in 2013. Buzzell’s career is about to come full circle, though he’ll be closing the loop in a neighboring school district. He will be stepping down as Mary Hogan principal later this month to accept a job as library media specialist at Bristol Elementary School. Current Mary Hogan Elementary School Assistant Principal Steve Lindemann will serve as interim leader next year while a search (See Buzzell, Page 16A)

Photos by Buzz Kuhns, Trent Campbell and Lee J. Kahrs

Graduation 2018

Bristol, Dar Williams a hit at preservation forum

SEVERAL HUNDRED YOUNG adults achieved a big milestone this past Saturday morning as three local high schools held commencement exercises and sent the classes of 2018 out into the world. Above, five graduating seniors lead the Sweet Transition a cappella group in a performance at the Mount Abraham Union High School commencement; below, Middlebury Union High School graduate Keagan Dunbar accepts the Kelly Boe Memorial Scholarship from Kathy Boe at the MUHS ceremony at the Memorial Sports Center; and, bottom, Otter Valley Union High School graduate Logan Lewis raises his diploma in victory at the end of OV’s commencement in the House of Noise in Brandon. For stories and more photos see Pages 3A (OVUHS), 7A (MUHS) and 13A (Mount Abe).


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