MONDAY Â Â EDITION
ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT
Vol. 27 No. 10
Triathlon training tips ‡ $ ORFDO ÀWQHVV SURIHVVLRQDO JLYHV DGYLFH RQ JHWWLQJ UHDG\ IRU WKH ELJ UDFH 6HH 3DJH
Opera Co. stages a Puccini work
Middlebury, Vermont
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Monday, May 25, 2015
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44 Pages
75¢
Neighbors pan airport expansion proposal 0RUH QRLVH DLU WUDIÂżF IHDUHG By  JOHN  FLOWERS EAST  MIDDLEBURY  —  More  than  80  area  residents  turned  out  at  the  Middlebury  State  Air- port  this  past  Tuesday  evening  to  learn  more  about  a  proposed  runway  renovation/expansion  project.  Many  took  the  chance  to  voice  their  concerns  about  the  possibility  that  those  upgrades  —  and  others  laid  out  in  a  state  airports  master  plan  —  could  bring  larger  planes,  heavier  and  larger  air-Â
FUDIW WUDIÂżF PRUH QRLVH DQG SRVVLEO\ PRUH OLJKW- LQJ WR ZKDW LV QRZ D PRGHVW DLUÂżHOG QHVWOHG LQ D residential  neighborhood. At  issue  is  an  estimated  $3.5  million  project  that  would  include: ‡ 7KH DFTXLVLWLRQ RI ÂłDYLJDWLRQ´ HDVHPHQWV from  some  airport  neighbors  primarily  at  the  southern  takeoff/approach  of  the  runway.  Guy  Rouelle,  aviation  program  director  for  the  Ver- mont  Agency  of  Transportation,  explained  some  trees  need  to  be  removed  in  order  to  maintain Â
adequate  sight  visibility  for  pilots  landing  at,  and  leaving  from,  the  Middlebury  State  Airport. 6WDWH RIÂżFLDOV KDYH QHJRWLDWHG HDVHPHQWV ZLWK 11  of  the  14  affected  property  owners  thus  far,  ac- cording  to  Rouelle.  Those  14  easements  are  ex- pected  to  cost  a  combined  total  of  $260,000,  he  said. “There  are  trees  that  have  encroached  on  the  approach  zone,â€?  Rouelle  told  residents  who  took  a  guided  bus  tour  of  the  airport  facilities.  “We  (See  Airport,  Page  42)
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Junior  birders MARY  HOGAN  ELEMENTARY  School  third-Âgraders  Toby  Draper  and  Grace  Culver  try  to  spot  some  birds  while  hiking  the  Robert  Frost  Trail  Wednesday  afternoon.  The  schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  third-Âgraders  were  all  in  Ripton  to  study  the  Middlebury  River  and  its  ecosystem. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell
St.  Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  and  MUMS  to  hire  new  leaders By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Two  Mid- dlebury  schools  are  preparing  for  some  leadership  transitions. Middlebury  Union  Middle  School  will  welcome  a  new  as- sistant  principal  this  summer,  while  St.  Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  School  is  look- ing  for  a  new  top  administrator  (See  Sivo,  Page  43)
Cyclists gearing up for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fondoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rides Gap roads challenge bicyclists with steep grades, long distances By  EVAN  JOHNSON HANCOCK  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  With  Memorial  'D\ PDUNLQJ WKH XQRIÂżFLDO VWDUW RI summertime  riding,  local  bicyclists  already  have  their  eyes  set  on  some  of  the  most  challenging  outings  in  their  neighborhood.  Crisscrossing  the  spine  of  the  Green  Mountains,  a  ride  through  the  Lincoln,  Bran- don,  Appalachian  and  Middlebury  gaps  makes  for  a  fearsome  quartet Â
of  climbs  and  descents  with  thou- sands  of  vertical  feet  gained  and  lost  as  one  passes  from  the  Champlain  Valley  to  the  Mad  River  Valley  and  back  again. Cyclists  from  all  over  the  North- east  are  blowing  up  their  tires  and  putting  in  some  miles  before  tack- ling  those  four  gaps  on  June  13  in  the  second  annual  Vermont  Gran  Fondo. Â
A  gran  fondo  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Italian  for  â&#x20AC;&#x153;big  rideâ&#x20AC;?  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  describes  a  cycling  event  where  participants  ride  not  for  the  VDNH RI D SRGLXP ÂżQLVK EXW IRU D personal  challenge. Weybridge  resident  Bill  Roper  rode  three  fondo-Âstyle  rides  in  2014  and  said  Addison  Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  was  by  IDU WKH PRVW GLIÂżFXOW DQG WKH PRVW scenic.  (See  Gran  Fondo,  Page  13)