Cider deal
Holy days
To the wire
Vermont Hard Cider has partnered with one of America’s largest brewers of beer. See Page 2A.
More than two dozen local houses of worship have special services planned for Christmas. Page 11B.
Free throws with 1.1 seconds left decided Monday’s game between OV and MUHS. See Page 1B.
ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT Vol. 69 No. 51
Middlebury, Vermont
â—†
Thursday, December 17, 2015 â—† 34 Pages
75¢
Rail  project  could  â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  fabric Middlebury  may  see  four-Âyear  disruption By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² 7KH SURSRVHG Âż[ IRU 0LGGOHEXU\ÂśV WZR GRZQWRZQ UDLO EULGJHV KDV QRZ EHHQ EXGJHWHG IRU PLOOLRQ ZLWK FRQVWUXFWLRQ affecting  portions  of  the  village  area  GXULQJ SDUWV RI DV PDQ\ DV IRXU FDO- HQGDU \HDUV This  latest  information  comes  IURP 9HUPRQW $JHQF\ RI 7UDQV- SRUWDWLRQ 97UDQV DQG .XEULFN\ &RQVWUXFWLRQ RIÂżFLDOV ZKR UHFHQWO\ SUHVHQWHG 0LGGOHEXU\ RIÂżFLDOV ZLWK D UHYLVHG EXGJHW DQG FRQVWUXFWLRQ WLPHWDEOH EDVHG RQ SURMHFW GHVLJQV QRZ GHHPHG SHUFHQW FRPSOHWH
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97UDQV WR ZLWKGUDZ WKH FXUUHQW SODQ LQ IDYRU RI D PRUH EDVLF DQG H[SH- GLHQW SURMHFW WKDW PLJKW PLQLPL]H FRQVWUXFWLRQ UHODWHG XSKHDYDO IRU GRZQWRZQ PHUFKDQWV DQG UHVLGHQWV The  author  of  that  letter  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  pro- YLGHG WR WKH JRYHUQRU RQ 7KXUVGD\ 'HF ² LV %UXFH +LODQG SULQFL- SDO RZQHU RI 0LGGOHEXU\ÂśV %DWWHOO %ORFN D KLVWRULF EXLOGLQJ FRPSOH[ WKDW IDFHV 0HUFKDQW 5RZ DQG KRVWV QXPHURXV EXVLQHVVHV RIÂżFHV DQG DSDUWPHQWV $V RI :HGQHVGD\ PRUQ- LQJ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ SHRSOH ZLWK WLHV WR WKH GRZQWRZQ KDG VLJQHG +L- THE  DETERIORATION  OF  the  two  railroad  bridges  in  downtown  Mid- ODQGÂśV OHWWHU ZKLFK LQ SDUW VWDWHV dlebury  becomes  more  apparent  with  each  passing  day.  A  replacement  ³$V RI WRGD\ ZLWK SHUFHQW project  is  slated  tobegin  in  2016. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell (See  Bridges,  Page  20A)
Some good news as ANeSU boards start budget work
Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market property slated to be sold at public auction
Act 46 penalties place thresholds on spending
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By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² 7KH IRUPHU RZQHU RI *UHJÂśV 0HDW 0DUNHW DW (OP 6W LQ 0LGGOHEXU\ KDV ÂżOHG IRU EDQNUXSWF\ SURWHFWLRQ DQG WKH SURSHUW\ LV H[SHFWHG WR EH VROG DW D public  auction  early  next  year. 7KDW QHZV ZDV GHOLYHUHG WR WKH 0 L G G O H E X U \ V H O H F W E R D U G RQ 7XHVGD\ â&#x20AC;&#x153;The place by  Jamie  has gone *DXFKHU WKH downhill WRZQÂśV GLUHF- bad. I hate tor  of  business  GHYHORSPHQW to see it DQG LQQRYD- go down. WLRQ *DXFKHU I had 30 DOVR QRWHG WKDW good years the  mortgage  RQ WKH *UHJÂśV there. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so property  is  be- sad when LQJ KHOG E\ 7' I go by (the Bank. *UHJÂśV 0HDW business).â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Greg Wry 0DUNHW KDG been  in  con- WLQXRXV RSHUDWLRQ XQGHU WKDW QDPH DV DQ LQGHSHQGHQWO\ RZQHG JUR- cery  store  for  34  years  until  April  1.  7KDWÂśV ZKHQ FR RZQHU %DUW /LWYLQ DQQRXQFHG WKH VWRUH ZRXOG FORVH /LWYLQ DQG /LVD +DUWPDQ KDG SXUFKDVHG WKH VWRUH IURP ORQJWLPH RZQHU *UHJ :U\ LQ 'HFHPEHU RI ,W ZDV :U\ ZKR HVWDEOLVKHG WKH VXSHUPDUNHW LQ SODFH RI 6WDQÂśV Shop  &  Save  back  in  1981. In  announcing  the  store  closure  back  LQ $SULO /LWYLQ VDLG Âł5HYHQXHV ZHUH XQDEOH WR VHUYLFH WKH GHEW WKXV IRUFLQJ a  transaction.  There  is  a  potential  VDOH ZKLFK *UHJÂśV LV VWLOO QHJRWLDWLQJ :H EHOLHYH WKH FRXQW\ QHHGV DQ LQGHSHQGHQW ORFDOO\ RZQHG VRXUFH RI JURFHULHV DQG DUH KRSHIXO WKDW HLWKHU D EX\HU RU DQ HQWUHSUHQHXU ZLOO UHYLYH the  grocery  business  at  this  historic  location.  To  our  many  loyal  customers  DQG SDUWQHUV WKDQN \RX ´ (See  Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,  Page  20A)
)HUULVEXUJK WUDIÂżF OLJKW installation  set  for  2016 By  ANDY  KIRKALDY )(55,6%85*+ ² 3ODQV FDOO IRU WKH ORQJ DZDLWHG WUDIÂżF OLJKW DW WKH )HUULVEXUJK LQWHUVHFWLRQ RI 5RXWH DQG /LWWOH &KLFDJR 5RDG WR EH RSHUD- WLRQDO VRPH WLPH QH[W IDOO DFFRUGLQJ WR DQ HPDLO IURP 5HS 'LDQH /DQ- SKHU ' 9HUJHQQHV UHDG DW 7XHVGD\ÂśV )HUULVEXUJK VHOHFWERDUG PHHWLQJ 7RZQ RIÂżFLDOV KDG OREELHG IRU VXFK D OLJKW IRU \HDUV DQG ZHUH LQIRUPHG LQ 0DUFK WKDW WKH $JHQF\ RI 7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ ZDV ZRUNLQJ RQ WKH SURMHFW 7KDW VXPPHU 97UDQV RIÂż- FLDOV WROG WKH VHOHFWERDUG WKDW D WLPHWDEOH ZDV UHDOLVWLF In  an  October  2012  letter  to  the Â
By the way Funding  is  now  available  from  the  Small  and  Inspiring  grants  program  at  the  Vermont  Commu- nity  Foundation.  One  of  a  num- ber  of  competitive  grant  rounds  (See  By  the  way,  Page  2A)
Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVLÂżHGV  ....................... 7B-Â10B Service  Directory  .............. 8B-Â9B Entertainment  ........................ 12A &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ...... 8A-Â10A Sports  ................................ 1B-Â3B
VHOHFWERDUG 97UDQV 'LUHFWRU RI 3URJUDP 'HYHORSPHQW 5LFKDUG 7HW- UHDXOW QRZ WKH DJHQF\œV GHSXW\ VHF- UHWDU\ VDLG DOWKRXJK WKHUH KDYH EHHQ IHZHU DFFLGHQWV WKHUH LQ UHFHQW \HDUV WKH DJHQF\ ZDV ³VWLOO FRQFHUQHG ZLWK the  fact  that  11  crashes  have  oc- FXUUHG DW WKLV ORFDWLRQ RYHU WKH SDVW ¿YH \HDUV ZLWK IRXU UHVXOWLQJ LQ LQ- MXULHV ´ 7KH SURMHFW ZLOO QRW LQFOXGH D SHGHVWULDQ WULJJHUHG FURVVLQJ OLJKW 97UDQV SURMHFW PDQDJHU 3DWWL &R- EXUQ VDLG VXFK OLJKWV FDQ RQO\ EH LQVWDOOHG ZKHQ VXSSRUWLQJ SHGHVWULDQ LQIUDVWUXFWXUH LV DOUHDG\ LQ SODFH (See  Ferrisburgh,  Page  18A)
Winter  twirl
KRISTI  WILLIAMSON,  LEFT,  and  Sara  Granstrom   rehearse   for  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Night  Fires,â&#x20AC;?  the  annual  winter  solstice  celebration  at  the  Town  Hall  Theater  in  Middlebury.  For  more  photos  and  showtimes  see  Page  15A. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell
Deer seasons productive overall
Number of deer weighed at Addison County reporting stations 1,021
Archery, rifle kills up; muzzleloader down without doe permits By  ANDY  KIRKALDY 7KDW GHFLVLRQ UHVXOWHG LQ WKH ORZ- ADDISON  COUNTY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Dur- HVW ORFDO PX]]OHORDGHU GHHU NLOO LQ LQJ DUFKHU\ ULĂ&#x20AC;H DQG PX]]OHORDGHU HLJKW \HDUV DQG WKH ORZHVW FRPELQHG VHDVRQV DQG <RXWK D U F K H U \ P X ] ] O H - +XQWLQJ :HHNHQG LQ ORDGHU VHDVRQ WRWDOV The single biggest October,  November  since  2011,  the  least  DQG 'HFHPEHU $G- deer killed in the VXFFHVVIXO DUHD GHHU GLVRQ &RXQW\ ZHLJK county this year year  overall  in  re- VWDWLRQV KDQGOHG was a 234-pound, cent  memory. GHHU WKH WKLUG ORZ- eight-point specimen This  year  only  est  total  in  the  past  Mike Matot killed GHHU ZHUH UH- eight  years.  SRUWHG ORFDOO\ LQ WKH But  that  total  is  in Shoreham and 'HFHPEHU PX]]OH- PLVOHDGLQJ 'HSDUW- weighed at Buxtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ORDGHU VHDVRQ FRP- PHQW RI )LVK DQG Store in Orwell. SDUHG WR DQ DYHUDJH :LOGOLIH RIÂżFLDOV of  about  125  the  past  HDUOLHU WKLV \HDU GHFLGHG QRW WR LVVXH WZR \HDUV GRH SHUPLWV WR PX]]OHORDGHU KXQWHUV 'LFN 3KLOOLSV RZQHU RI 9HUPRQW LQ ZLOGOLIH ]RQHV WKDW LQFOXGHG YLUWX- )LHOG 6SRUWV LQ 0LGGOHEXU\ VDLG DOO\ DOO RI $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ WKH GHSDUWPHQWÂśV UXOLQJ DOVR OHG
PDQ\ KXQWHUV WR GHFLGH QRW WR KLW WKH ZRRGV GXULQJ WKH PX]]OHORDGHU VHD- VRQ ZKLFK UDQ IURP 'HF WR 'HF DQG DOVR LQFOXGHG WKH VHFRQG KDOI of  archery  season.  ³7KDWÂśV JRLQJ WR WDNH GRZQ WKH number  of  hunters,  too,â&#x20AC;?  Phillips  VDLG Âł$ ORW RI SHRSOH MXVW GLGQÂśW JR ´ 7KH ODFN RI VQRZ FRPSRXQGHG WKH SUREOHPV IRU WKH HLJKW GD\ VHDVRQ DFFRUGLQJ WR 5REHUW %HGHOO RZQHU RI %ULVWROÂśV *UHHQ 0RXQWDLQ 7UDLOÂśV (QG +XQWHUV ZKR UHO\ RQ WUDFNV WR KHOS SLQ GRZQ GHHUÂśV ORFDWLRQ GLGQÂśW JHW DQ\ KHOS IURP WKH ZHDWKHU %H- GHOO VDLG Âł7KH ZHDWKHU ZDV QRW FRRSHUD- WLYH DQG WRRN WKH JDV ULJKW RXW RI WKH WDQN ´ KH VDLG Âł<RX FRXOG KXQW LQ (See  Deer  season,  Page  14A)
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