Monday, November 12, 2018

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MONDAY EDITION

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

Vol. 30 No. 28

Middlebury, Vermont

Monday, November 12, 2018

• A mezzo-soprano will sing the title rol in “Marnie,” which will be screened at THT. See Arts Beat on Page 10.

• Peter Bevere is seeking a new tally of votes cast in the Nov. 6 contest for state’s attorney. See Page 2.

Panther teams host Regionals

• Field hockey and women’s soccer were looking to advance in NCAA tournaments. Read about the games on Pages 21-23.

Storyteller will discuss her craft

• Author Megan Price comes to the New Haven Community Library and will talk about “Vermont Wild.” See Page 25.

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Board weighs its next steps for security

Recount needed to decide election

• Town officials are exploring whether to hire police to enforce speed limits. See Page 2.

36 Pages

$5.5 million school bond defeated in OVUUSD

Opera based on thriller

Lincoln wants to slow down drivers

NEARLY 200 PEOPLE rallied on the Middlebury town green Thursday evening to urge President Trump not to meddle in the Robert Mueller investigation. That came the night after civil rights activist DeRay McKesson, below, touched on the investigation in a talk at Middlebury College before more broadly discussing values and activism.

Photos by Jason Duquette-Hoffman

Civil rights activist offers hope Black Lives Matter organizer inspires action in local talk By CHRISTOPHER ROSS MIDDLEBURY — A day after the midterm elections, with conversations about voting rights still front and center, civil rights activist DeRay McKesson took the mic at Middlebury College’s Wilson Hall and asked his audience a simple question: “What can you buy for $300?” Answers from the capacity crowd included “books,” “a television” and “sports-game tickets.” One student’s answer — “a hamster” — occasioned goodnatured laughter throughout the hall. McKesson’s question was quite serious, however: “I asked you that because right now, in Florida, theft over $300 is a felony, and when you become a felon you permanently lose your right to vote and to run for public office.” This will change, he pointed out (to great applause), because Florida voters the day before had amended their state’s constitution, automatically restoring voting rights for people with prior felony (See Activists, Page 24)

By RUSSELL JONES BRANDON — Residents of the Otter Valley Unified Union School District on Election Day narrowly defeated a $5.5 million school bond to improve school security and operations in three of the district’s buildings. The next day school board members gathered to discuss next steps but came to no firm conclusions. The bond, which failed by 86 votes, 1,827-1,913, would have provided funding for various projects at Lothrop and Neshobe elementary schools and the Otter Valley Union middle and high school. The to-do-list includes walkways connecting various buildings, teaching spaces and a gymnasium at Neshobe in Brandon, and a balcony restoration at Lothrop, among other things. At a Nov. 7 meeting, many school board members were optimistic after such a close vote. They discussed what steps should be taken moving forward, with some wondering if the same size bond (See Bond, Page 33)

HOPE Holiday Shop in need of toy donations By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) officials are enlisting the help of local businesses, restaurants, places of worship and individuals to boost what has become an historically low inventory of free toys that are given to low-income children through the organization’s Holiday Shop. “This is as low as I’ve seen it,” longtime HOPE Executive Director Jeanne Montross said of the Holiday Shop’s toy reserves. How low? Usually, the HOPE Holiday Shop has at least four gaylords full of toys that carry over from one holiday season to the next. Each Gaylord (See HOPE, Page 33)


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Monday, November 12, 2018 by AddisonPress - Issuu