Dec 31, 2015 — A section

Page 1

Best Night!

Light returns

VUHS rules

Dana & Sue Robinson and many others will perform in Bristol for New Year’s Eve. See Page 10A.

There was some fun at the Waterworks on the Winter Solstice. See photos on Page 13B.

The Commodores improved to 5-1 with a big win on Monday; the league slate awaits. See Page 1B.

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT Vol. 69 No. 53

Middlebury, Vermont

â—†

Thursday, December 31, 2015 â—† 36 Pages

75¢

School  funding  in  the  spotlight Lawmakers  to  revisit  Act  46  per-­pupil  spending  limits By  JOHN  FLOWERS 02173(/,(5 ² $UHD VFKRRO GLVWULFWV VWUXJJOLQJ WR GUDIW EXGJHWV that  comply  with  the  new  per-­pupil  VSHQGLQJ JXLGHOLQHV SUHVFULEHG E\ $FW PLJKW JHW DQ WK KRXU UH-­ SULHYH 7KH /HJLVODWXUH QH[W PRQWK ZLOO FRQVLGHU DPHQGPHQWV WR $FW WKDW PLJKW UHOD[ ² RU SRVWSRQH ² WKH VSHQGLQJ UHVWULFWLRQV WKDW DUH SDUW RI WKH QHZ VFKRRO JRYHUQDQFH FRQ-­ VROLGDWLRQ ODZ $FW SDVVHG GXULQJ WKH

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Rail  bridge  to  receive  major  rehab

Chronology 2015 ‡

A year in review

‡

Pipelines, solar arrays, lake cleanup, new faces, old friends LQ QHZV RI WKH LPSHQGLQJ HQG WR DQ HUD LQ $GGLVRQ &RXQW\ /RQJWLPH SHGLDWULFLDQ 'U -DFN 0D\HU RI 0LGGOHEXU\ ² NQRZQ WR JHQHUDWLRQV RI \RXQJ SDWLHQWV DV VLPSO\ Âł'U -DFN´ ² DQQRXQFHG SODQV WR HDVH into  retirement  after  more  than  40  \HDUV DV D SK\VLFLDQ PDQ\ RI WKHP VSHQW DW 5DLQERZ 3HGLDWULFV ,Q )HUULVEXUJK UHVLGHQW 0DU\ 0F*XLUH DVNHG WKH 9HUPRQW 3XEOLF 6HUYLFH %RDUG WR UHFRQVLGHU WKH &HUWLÂżFDWH RI 3XEOLF *RRG LW KDG DZDUGHG WR WKH %DVLQ +DUERU &OXE IRU LWV SURSRVHG N: VRODU DUUD\ DW %DVLQ +DUERU 5RDG THE  STEEL  FRAME  of  the  Lazarus  Building,  former  home  of  Otter  Creek  Used  Books  and  Green  Mountain  January  is  usually  all  about  0F*XLUH ZDV D QHLJKERU RI WKH QHZ FKDSWHUV DQG EHJLQQLQJV SURMHFW VLWH 7KH LVVXH GLG QRW JR Shoe  and  Apparel,  stands  bare  of  its  brick  façade  in  downtown  Middlebury  after  crews  began  the  demoli-­ tion  process  early  one  morning  in  January.  By  early  afternoon  the  building  was  gone. EXW LQ WKH PRQWK XVKHUHG (See  January,  Page  12A) ,QGHSHQGHQW ÂżOH SKRWR 7UHQW &DPSEHOO Editor’s  note:  Change  is  good,  they  say;Íž  when  we  stop  to  look  back  at  the  news  and  events  of  the  last  year  we  see  that  change  is  also  inevitable.  Some  of  the  news  stories  â€”  big  and  small  â€”  in  2015  had  a  big  impact  on  us,  and  some  moved  us  in  subtler  ways.  Join  with  us  as  we  reminisce  for  a  few  minutes  before  jumping  into  2016.  Happy  New  Year!

January

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Jan. Â 22

By  JOHN  FLOWERS 0,''/(%85< ² :KLOH FRQ-­ WURYHUV\ UHLJQV RYHU WKH SURSRVHG UHSODFHPHQW RI 0LGGOHEXU\œV WZR GRZQWRZQ UDLO EULGJHV ZRUN LV TXL-­ HWO\ SURFHHGLQJ RQ DQRWKHU UDLO VSDQ SURMHFW MXVW D VKRUW GLVWDQFH DZD\ $W LVVXH LV WKH IRRW ORQJ UDLO WUHVWOH EULGJH ORFDWHG RII :DWHU (See  Trestle,  Page  7A)

Index Obituaries  ................................ 6A &ODVVL¿HGV  ....................... 8B-­11B Service  Directory  ............ 9B-­10B Entertainment  .......................... 5B &RPPXQLW\ &DOHQGDU  ........ 8A-­9A Sports  ................................ 1B-­3B


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