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Oct. 8, 2011
West Nile Virus found in local bird
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Vermont GOP has a young face Student is chair of Vermont College GOP
By Lou Varricchio
By Lou Varricchio
newmarketpress@denpubs.com
MIDDLEBURY—On the heels of news of an Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) outbreak that killed 16 emu bir ds on a Brandon farm last week, the T own of Middlebury has announced that a dead bir d, found Sept. 16, tested positive for W est Nile V irus (WNV) Sept. 28. According to Tom Scanlon, Middlebury’s deputy health of ficer, Sept. 29, “the Vermont Department of Health has just notified me that the dead bird tested positive for W est Nile Virus. Everyone, particularly those working outside, should take all necessary pr ecautions and protect themselves from mosquitoes—which ar e r esponsible for the spread of this disease—until the end of the curr ent mosquito season.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Contr ol and Pr evention advise that the W est Nile virus is a potentially serious illness. The CDS says the easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to pr event mosquito bites: •When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EP A-registered active ingr edient. Follow the directions on the package. (DEET spray, oil or lotion is the best defense.) •Many mosquitoes ar e most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times o r c onsider s taying indoors during these hours. •Make sur e you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out. see WEST NILE VIRUS, page 8
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Rising Vermont GOP star: Sydney Fuqua of Middlebury College. Photo by Lou Varricchio
MIDDLEBURY—Middlebury’s Republican Party members held their political caucus Sept. 28 to elect new local leaders.A surprise to some was the election of its new chairwoman 20-year-old Sydney Fuqua. Fuqua, a j unior e nrolled a t M iddlebury College, represents a growing, younger face to the Grand Old Party . She is a rising star within the campus GOP movement on a state level, too. Also elected in Middlebury wer e outgoing chairman Jack Burkholder as assistant chairman, Pauline Paolini as secr etary, Brian Bauer as treasurer, and Don Keeler as assistant treasurer. Former Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas was guest speaker at W ednesday’s caucus. He encouraged party faithful not to “give up the fight” in attempts to balance state government. “We need balance in Montpelier ,” Douglas said, “and you just don’t see that with the current supermajority. Vermont has one party government and you see the r esult. Republicans need to get the message out: Vermont is better with balanced, two party government.” According to GOP veteran Sally Foley of Middlebury—who championed Fuqua’s see GOP, page 11
Middlebury residents OK fire stations Taxes to increase
By Lou Varricchio
newmarketpress@denpubs.com MIDDLEBURY—Middlebury voters approved a $250,000 bond to move ahead and r ebuild fir e stations on Seymour Street downtown and Route 125 in East Middlebury . Turnout was light with the vote being 146 yes, 78 no. The Sept. 27 vote did not end the multi-stage process. Another referendum, a $4.6 million bond on both stations, will be up for vote in March 2012 as well. “I would like to thank the town’s people for ther e support,” said
Middlebury Fir e Chief Rick Cole. “To be able to have a facility that the trucks fit in properly with mir-
rors in pr oper traf fic position and buildings that are much more energy efficient will be great. Demand
on the fir e department incr eases every year. We are looking forward to having space to be able to meet that need.” Middlebury Town Manager Bill Finger said the fir e station bond would incr ease Middlebury pr operty taxes $19 per $100,000 until 2014. But by 2014, local pr operty taxes would jump to $57 per $100,000 in assessed value. By 2033, the added tax would slide down tot $28 per $100,000 in assessed value. Lack of space at the downtown station and technical pr oblems at the East Middlebury substation prompted the move to r eengineer both stations by Bread Loaf Corp. of Middlebury.
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