The Essex Reporter: February 14, 2019

Black Lives Matter flag flies again at EHS

Q&A with Essex selectboard candidates

The flag will fly for the rest of the school year to celebrate people of color in the community.

Meet the three candidates vying for two three-year seats this Town Meeting Day. Story on page 4.

Story on page 2.

the essex

RepoRteR Love

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{ Thursday, February 14, 2019 }

Boards eye 2020 election for governance vote

A lAbor of

By COLIN FLANDERS

Essex couple celebrates nearly 50 years of marriage

By MADELINE CLARK

R

COURTESY PHOTOS

TOP: A recent photo of Beth and Richard Giard, who are on the cusp of their 49th anniversary. ABOVE: The couple is pictured on their wedding day, July 25,1970.

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ichard and Beth Giard met on a blind date 50-someodd years ago.

Today, on the cusp of their 49th anniversary they’ve shared laughs, challenges, children and all that cohabitation brings.

“It’s not easy and we have overcome a lot of hurdles,” Beth said. “[But] we’re still together.”

The Giards were wed in the summer of 1970 in the bride’s hometown, Wynantskill, N,Y. “It was hotter than blazes,” Beth said, adding she wore a dress with long sleeves and a high neckline made by her mother. “It had 10,000 buttons,” Richard joked.

They had a traditional ceremony with a couple hundred family members and friends in attendance. While Richard was 24-years-old and Beth just 21, the duo wasn’t daunted by holy matrimony. It was more “go with the flow,” according to Richard. They were both ready to settle down.

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The selectboard and trustees hope they can finish a proposal to change their governance structures in time for the 2020 presidential election, viewing it as their best chance to get the most public input.

“This is such an important decision, we want as many people to actually go to the polls to weigh in,” chairman Max Levy said at the Feb. 6 joint meeting.

Indeed, history shows voter turnout in recent presidential elections far exceeds that of other votes. For example, just under 70 percent of eligible Essex voters cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election compared to about 12 percent last Town Meeting Day. Still, worried the target may leave some residents feeling like the boards rushed the process, officials last week stressed 2020 is a goal, not a deadline.

“It’s entirely possible that we try really, really hard, but like the little engine that could, we just don’t make it there, so we’ve got to put it off another year,” said village president George Tyler.

Noting the tremendous workload, selectwoman and trustee Elaine Haney (formerly Sopchak) agreed, saying she doesn’t want to see the process falter because the boards don’t have enough time.

See LOVE STORY, page 3

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Vol. 18 No. 07

2 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

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Black Lives Matter flag returns to EHS

By AMANDA BROOKS On Tuesday afternoon, a group of students, teachers and administrators gathered around the Essex High School flagpole as members of the school’s diversity club raised the Black Lives Matter flag for the second year in a row. The flag will fly for the rest of the school year to celebrate people of color in the community.

EHS seniors Paolo MattosCanedo and Montia Peart presented a proposal on behalf of the diversity club to fly the flag at last week’s Essex Westford board meeting.

“The Black Lives Matter flag is not just a flag or a symbol; when Essex raised that flag, it welcomes and acknowledges every single black life that comes to Essex and passes through this community,” Mattos-Canedo said. “When it flies ... it will be acknowledging black excellence and it will be acknowledging the movement of black lives.”

Peart said the flag represents all students and community members of color, to make everyone feel included.

Mattos-Canedo added that

PHOTO BY AMANDA BROOKS

Essex High School junior Denetra Reeves raises the Black Lives Matter on Tuesday, making the second-straight school year that EHS students have earned school board approval to fly the flag on campus. with such a small percentage of students at EHS identifying

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as African American, “one can feel isolated.”

The students said they want the flag to fly not only in February for Black History Month, but for the rest of the school year to continue representing people of color and their movement for inclusivity. In addition, they said the diversity club is planning on asking permission from EHS administration to install a display case in the main lobby and putting up posters around the school with information and history about the movement to further educate and inform students.

Chairwoman Martha Heath clarified for student representative to the board Grace Lu that per the board’s guidelines, when student groups want to fly a flag, they must obtain approval from the board every year. The guidelines were created by the board last year Board member Brendan Kinney asked superintendent Beth Cobb if any topics from last year’s proposal to the board had been incorporated into the school’s curriculum yet. Cobb said none have been added yet, but conversations about furthering equity in the district’s continuous improve-

ment plan have continued and said curriculum updates “could be next.” She added more training for teachers and administration is ongoing.

Board member Kim Gleeson suggested starting student-facilitated conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement and related issues in advisory periods.

“We’ve had the opportunity to learn through our co-facilitation around engagements through the last two years,” she said. “Students are very impactful and well-led [and] I think bring a message more powerful maybe than adults.”

EHS counselor and diversity club advisor Andrew Roy agreed with Gleeson, but argued that it is important for adults to take the lead on organizing the conversations and take responsibility for educating students on the issues.

“Anything we can do to strengthen the capacity for social emotional learning for our students would be at a premium at a time with state testing and increased expectations for proficiency-based grading and academic standards,” he said.

Marita Canedo from the Migrant Justice organization agreed the conversations

need to be led by teachers and administration, and advocated for more representation of the history of people of color in the school’s curriculum.

“As people of color that are fighting for human rights, coming every year to tell you that we matter...it’s a lot of weight to bring every year,” she said. “It’s really important for us not to be recognized just only a month or asking for recognition every year, it’s important that when we stand for human rights, it’s not temporary, it doesn’t have a date that ends, so we do it forever.”

Henry Harris, chair of the Vermont chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, echoed Canedo’s thoughts, adding board procedures should not stand in the way of students stepping up to fight for a cause they believe in.

“Here are these kids who, against the sort of social odds and positions that are stacked against them, many of which any of us who enjoy white privilege or have white privilege might not understand at all...are showing initiative,” he said. “They’re showing up and asking for something that doesn’t actually take a compromise of any kind from their community, and it should be rewarded as robustly and completely as possible.”

Gleeson said the board should be mindful of those hurdles when they consider the proposal, and explained that when they created the guidelines last year, they had to take into account their responsibilities to state and federal laws regarding the flagpole.

Board member Keeley Schell added there are some things regarding the flagpole that the board could not control, but said she supports additional, more permanent ideas to make sure issues surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement are addressed and discussed in the schools.

The board unanimously passed the proposal to fly the Black Lives Matter flag for the rest of the school year.

“When that flag flies, it doesn’t say ‘only black lives matter,’ it says ‘black lives matter,’” Mattos-Canedo said.

“It acknowledges everyone and it will make EWSD aware and it will make a great community of EWSD.”

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LOVE STORY from page 2 The Giards’ early years together weren’t without challenge.

They opened a Schwinn bicycle dealership, which proved to be a costly and demanding endeavor. “We learned how to budget because we only had a paycheck 10 months out of the year,” Beth said.

But the couple’s greatest challenge was raising their son who has a disability. Beth had to trade in a full-time job for flexible work so she’d have time to care for their child.

When the couple had their daughter, five years later, they had to regain equilibrium.

“We had to remember sometimes we were going to be a family of four, sometimes we were going to be a family of three,” she said, adding physicians advised the couple to set aside one-on-one time with their daughter.

Life’s challenges brought the Giards closer together.

The Lord watched over them, Beth said, adding all of the obstacles they overcame were part of their life.

While the Giards ran their bicycle shop they had no time for a vacation; after closing the

business they decided to pack up and have a family road trip.

They borrowed a Winnebago and saw the East Coast stopping in D.C. and Disney on their way to Key West. Of course there were challenges; their son struggled with the lights and sounds of Disney, while their daughter wanted

ticipants’ families for events like the Special Olympics at Notre Dame.

In 2001, the games brought them to Anchorage, Alaska where they not only watched their son compete, but also got to see the start of the Iditarod and dine in the same restaurant as Arnold

“We’ve always accepted each other as not being perfect. We accept each other for who we are.”

Beth Giard to explore the theme park.

Beth and Richard managed to balance both kids’ wants and needs, creating memories to last a lifetime.

When their son grew a bit older he entered the Special Olympics. It was a bonding experience that saw Richard coaching and volunteering while Beth traveled alongside them. They made close friends as they lodged with other par-

Schwarzenegger.

“We got to see places that we probably wouldn’t have without our son,” Beth said.

“He brought us lots of opportunities.”

Today, with their children grown up, Beth and Richard have more time to spend with each other and to explore hobbies they set aside while parenting. “We have a pretty good idea of what the two of

Town regroups after pump station leak

By COLIN FLANDERS

Essex officials say a pump station leak last month discharged at least 10,000 gallons of wastewater and forced crews to work for hours amid sub-freezing temperatures.

Town sewer and water employees first noticed an unusual amount of water near the Lang Farm pump station around noon on Thursday, Jan. 24. Once a dye test confirmed a leak, they shut off the station and enlisted help from the village’s pumper truck and several contractors, engineer and utilities director Aaron Martin told the selectboard last week.

They worked throughout the day excavating the land around the station but stopped late Thursday after deeming it unsafe to go on due to darkness and a nearby tree, under which the station is located. Eventually, they completed the repair and restored the station’s operation around midnight Friday.

In a mandated report to the state of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, the town said between 10,000 and 100,000 gallons of untreated sewage spilled during the leak, potentially impacting a tributary of Indian Book. d Martin, who’s been with the town for more than a decade, called it one of the worst construction or repair projects he’s seen here.

“If something could go wrong, it did,” he told the selectboard last week. “If there was some obstacle to be thrown in front of us, there

was one.”

“We have a great crew and they really showed their true colors,” he later added. “[They] came up and did what they were supposed to do.”

Martin explained the problem traces back to a force-main pipe that’s experienced nearly constant flow for more than 30 years. He said the pipe’s design was once standard but has since become outdated.

“Over time, engineering principles and standards get better; we learn from our mistakes,” he said.

Chairman Max Levy asked if there was any benefit in checking other pump stations to see if they may have a similar issue. Martin noted it’s not feasible to dig holes at each station – some go down as far as 18 feet into the ground – but listed several other ways to check.

He said while such leaks are not common, it’s smart to stay proactive.

“If we can catch something now with one of these non-destructive methods, it’s better to do it now than another cold night in January,” he said.

Martin said the town has received a $13,000 bill from the septic company and expects several others to come in eventually. He praised the contractors for their help during the incident.

“They were aces,” he said. “Worth every penny.”

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 3

us enjoy [together] and when we need time apart,” Beth said. She loves to quilt and has passed the skill on to her grandchildren. Richard goes out fishing whenever possible.

As for the most rewarding part of marriage, Richard was quick to say it’s living with your best friend.

Love, they said, is manifested in different ways.

While Richard isn’t the most romantic person, he shows his affection in acts of service, Beth said. His “I love you” is a warm cup of coffee waiting

for her, polished kitchen floors and trips to the grocery store.

For Richard, it’s Beth’s outgoing nature and ability to bring new friends into their life.

The duo looks forward to celebrating 49 years together this summer. The key to long lasting love, they said, is empathy. It’s important to forgive and forget, Richard added.

“We’ve always accepted each other as not being perfect,” Beth said. “We accept each other for who we are.”

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4 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

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Meet Essex’s selectboard candidates

By COLIN FLANDERS Each year, The Essex Reporter poses questions to candidates seeking elected office to better inform voters.

This year, three candidates

emerged for two three-year seats on the Essex Selectboard: incumbent Irene Wrenner and challengers Annie Cooper and Patrick Murray.

Voters will choose two of the three on March 5, with

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polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Town-outside-the-village voters cast ballots at Essex Middle School, while village voters do so at Essex High School.

We asked the candidates the following: 1. Why are you running for selectboard, and what qualifies you for this position?

2. Do you support a merger between the town and village?

If no, why? If so, what do you see as the biggest obstacles and how should the selectboard address them?

3. Beyond consolidation, what should the selectboard’s priorities be over the next three years and why?

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IRENE WRENNER PAtRICk MuRRAy • Married in 2007, One daughter born in Essex in 2010.

• Moved to Essex Junction in 2009 • Manager, Biology Stockroom at the University of Vermont (2000 -2003) and Senior Telecommunications Repair Technician at Sovernet Communications. (2003 - Present) • Producer, Writer and Director at Nightmare Vermont 2007-2017, Directed charitable giving for that organization.

Member of Essex Junction Prudential Committee 2015 2016, Essex Westford School Board 2017 - Present, Regional Advisory Board Member for Center for Technology Essex and Burlington Tech Center 2017- Present, Elected Justice of the Peace 2019-2021.

CLIENT UVMHN 1) I am running for SelectHome Health

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myself as a bridge between our two largest local taxing entities.

2) I strongly support a merger between the town and the village. In a state with a declining and aging population

ANNIE COOPER it is very important for us to be a destination for families to settle when they’re looking at Vermont. We have an amazing marriage between Vermont urban and rural communities within the town’s borders so we should be rethinking competing with one another and refocus to see we are competing with surrounding towns to attract businesses and families that will make Essex their home. The largest hurdles we face now, with so much consolidated already, is the need to make sure we give a a voice to everyone on the future of Essex. The future governmental structure of our community will base its long term stability on ensuring everyone feels like they have representation going forward that will be listening to their concerns every step of the way.

3) Over the next 3 years, I feel that the Selectboard’s main goals should be looking into options for replacing our infrastructure on a more accelerated timetable than we currently have in place. We need to play catch up if we expect Essex to continue to grow as a community, specifically working to provide housing for middle class families. We need to provide better infrastructure to cope with the challenges presented by the school district’s transportation plan, and we need to look into how we accomplish these goals without an undue burden on the local property owners. Essex thrives when we can provide the best options for families moving into Chittenden county, which means competing with Williston, Shelburne and Colchester. The more that we can provide in terms of a great educational system, shopping, internet connectivity and quality roads/sidewalks the more successful we will be.

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 5

Loca L Irene Wrenner Bio • Husband Kevin, Daughter (age 20), Son (age 17).

• 21 years living in Essex • B.Sc. in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University • Past work experience in human resources, information technology, and communication.

• Currently volunteer with several Town entities (Energy Committee, Board of Civil Authority, Governance Subcommittee) plus the EJU Food Shelf and Meals on Wheels.

• Hobbies: Reading, Tennis, Contradancing

satisfied, which costs money.

Two such examples are Information Technology and Buildings Management. IT needs for staffing multiplied recently -- due to both consolidation and external factors like security challenges.

When looking at the combined number of buildings that need oversight for maintenance and upkeep, staff realized a Buildings Manager was long overdue.

The way to address each obstacle should be self-evident but is a significant political challenge that I will, nonetheless, commit to working on in my next term.

1) I’m running for reelection to continue connecting Essex residents to local government by sharing what I learn at town hall in a timely, transparent manner.

For the past 12 years, I’ve delivered on my promise to work hard and to demonstrate un-common sense.

I have shown up at every single Selectboard meeting since 2007.

I attend scores of other meetings each year in order to comprehend the big picture as well as other perspectives.

I regularly knock on doors to hear a variety of opinions.

Therefore, I’m sensitive to the differences and commonalities among the 21,000 residents of Essex / Essex Jct. My track record – on saving money, finding efficiencies, helping good things to happen, and nudging us to rethink some unwise proposals – is both extraordinary and clear.

Details at www.irenewrenner. com.

3) 1) Maintain quality services at a level that keeps municipal taxes low. Forward thinking and smart spending can go a long way toward minimizing waste and maximizing returns on investment.

2) Increase transparency. Information needs to be complete and accessible, frontand-center or well-indexed, not buried in a website that’s many layers deep.

3) Support updated zoning to encourage the construction of workforce housing within walking distance of amenities and near public transportation.

By cutting the length of commutes and number of cars on our roads, we can reduce pollution and improve quality of life.

Dense development may also allow us to preserve precious open space, scenic views, and wildlife corridors for the next generation.

2) Merger is a misnomer: Village residents are already residents of the Town, too.

I support combining similar service providers, onefunction-at-at-time, when it makes sense to do so.

One obstacle to success has been the hesitation to study past failures for lessons learned.

Another is the struggle to bring equal numbers of people with competing interests to the negotiating table. Only a fair fight can lead to a fair outcome(s).

Sometimes consolidation is complicated. The Town and Village have each appeared to keep staffing levels artificially low while awaiting merger.

When two departments are combined, actual staffing needs are revealed and amplified, and therefore must be

AnnIe Cooper Bio • Age 53 • BA English Fordham University • Instructor/Owner Swim with Annie • 3 children Bohdi (24), Kayhl (22) and Tyhe (19) • First moved to Essex Town in June of 1996.

• My three children and I moved to Essex Junction in summer of 2009.

• After 8 years of renting in Essex Junction, I became a proud homeowner in Essex Junction 2 years ago.

• I have lived in Essex for a grand total of 14+ years/in Chittenden County for 21+ years.

• United States Peace Corps Volunteer, Kasane, Botswana 1988 & 1989 • Member of the Downtown Essex Junction Revitalization Committee (helped start the

Train Hop, the Farmer’s Market and more) • Founding member of Positive Youth Sports Alliance of Essex since 2007 • Essex, VT Facebook Group Volunteer Moderator • Recipient of Rotary Club of Essex Service Above Self Award 2014 • Recipient of Essex CHIPS Giraffe Award, 2011 • I am a frequent storyteller at The Moth in Burlington as well as for StorytellingVT. 1) I am running for Essex Selectboard because I want to give back to Essex as powerfully as Essex has given to myself and my family.

Essex helped me become confident in who I am as a person, as a parent and as a community member. It is because of Essex that I believe in myself and that myself and my three children are safe, happy and healthy.

Here in Essex I have found a home, a heart, a community that supports me and trusts me and that I support and trust, in return.

I believe that owning and operating a business and serving on several committees as a volunteer where we made change here in Essex qualifies me for this position. I am grounded, intelligent, creative, passionate, hard-working and confident that I will serve Essex well.

I am a solid communicator with good listening skills and I have the ability to engage all members of our community in a thoughtful way. I know how it feels to live on the edge of being able to meet my family’s needs: emotionally, financially and physically. And how much Essex, as a community, brought myself and my family from our knees to our feet, during those times. I know

what community can do and how it can grow and the value of it to all of us, as individuals and collectively.

Simply put: I love Essex.

The entirety of Essex.

2) I do support a merger between the town and the village. The biggest obstacles I see are that this makes many people feel uncertain about what that means for their future. I believe the selectboard needs to listen and hear all of those uncertainties and do its best to alleviate concerns while also moving soundly forward. I believe in us. I believe in Essex. In every piece of what and who we are, as a whole.

3) Beyond consolidation,

the selectboard’s priorities over the next three years should be: (while these are a few I am thinking of, there are far larger items already being discussed at the table).

• Access to fast internet remains a problem for lots of Essex Town residents. We need to seek solutions.

• Essex Experience: Development of the Town Center and plans for that area • Transportation: Busing in the Town and the Village.

• Joining the important discussions currently in place at the Essex Selectboard Table.

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6 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

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Local third-grader wins $1k scholarship with massive cabbage Essex Jct. native Austin Ravelin won best in state during the annual Bonnie Plants third-grade growing contest last year, taking home a $1,000 scholarship thanks to his colossal cabbage.

In 1996 Bonnie Plants initiated the 3rd Grade Cabbage Program in and around headquarters in Union Springs, Alabama, with a mission to inspire a love of vegetable gardening in young people and continue to “grow” our next generation of gardeners. Each year since, Bonnie Plants has trucked free O.S. Cross, or “oversized,” cabbage plants, to third grade classrooms whose teachers have signed up for the program.

The program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each participating state. At the end of the season, teachers from each third grade class select the student who has grown the “best” cabbage, based on size and appearance. A digital image of the cabbage and student is submitted online at www.bonnieplants.com. That student’s name is then entered in a statewide drawing. State winners are randomly selected by the office of the Commis-

sioner (or Secretary/Director) of State Agriculture, in each of 48 participating states.

“The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is a wonderful way to engage children’s interest in agriculture, while teaching them not only the basics of gardening, but the importance of our food systems and growing our own,” said Stan Cope, President of Bonnie Plants, in a news release. “ Ravelin joined more than 1 million third graders in the 48 contiguous states who have participated in the program.

So why cabbage? Turns out, cabbages were the first profitable plant sold by Bonnie Plants in 1918, and are known to be a hearty vegetable.

COURTESY PHOTO

Essex third-grader Austin Ravelin poses with his huge, awardwinning cabbage, which helped him win a $1,000 scholarship from Bonnie Plants.

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 7

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By DaviD voegele Executive director of Essex CHIPS A couple weeks ago, I offered a more detailed overview of the QYD Project, which provides communities the opportunity to be certified as a Quality Youth Development Community. This is a new credential, which I anticipate many communities in Vermont (and beyond) will seek to attain over the next few years. Essex has the potential to become the first certified QYD Community.

In order to become QYD certified, a community must seek to achieve 10 specific benchmarks. One of the benchmarks is that a certain percentage of local organizations serving youth actively recruit and mentor teens as members of their Board of Directors. Why is youth participation on a non-profit Board of Directors an important goal to achieve? I asked Hillary Danis her thoughts. Hillary joined the Essex CHIPS Board at the age of 15, when she was a sophomore at Essex High School.

“Being on the CHIPS Board of Directors was and continues to be a formative experience in my life. The skills I have learned and the relationships I have formed…have been invaluable, from things as complex as leading hiring efforts and fundraising campaigns to things as simple as facilitating a meeting and working as part of a team.

I am most proud to have been part of the teams that navigated CHIPS through two leadership transitions during my tenure…I am also proud to have helped CHIPS establish a donor management database to make our fundrais-

For our customers convenience we will have extra staffing for the holiday season.

HillaRY DaNiS

ing efforts as successful as possible and to have participated in a number of strategic planning processes. Learning about strategic planning at CHIPS enabled me to help another organization at which I volunteer establish their first strategic vision.

At CHIPS, the youth and adult Board members are complete equals…I have yet to find such a symbiotic relationship between youth and adults anywhere in my life…I felt lucky to have the opportunity to learn so much about nonprofit operations…I believe that every nonprofit that serves youth should have youth on their Board of Directors. How better to engage youth and inspire them to lead then to have them as the directors of our organization?”

It has been nine years since Hillary Danis became a Board member at CHIPS. During that time she served as the Youth Co-Chair for more than two years, and then as the Adult CoChair/Board President for more than 3 years.

She is about to enter her third year at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine. “Outside of medical school, I am a proud volunteer member of Essex Rescue, where I am an AEMT and serve on its Board of Directors. I work locally in EMS as well.

I asked Hillary what comes after medical school. “I have a scholarship from the Army… so I will have to spend some time away from VT. But…I can definitely see myself back in VT!” In so many ways, Hillary is the perfect example of how a community’s investment in youth not only helps youth thrive, but also strengthens the community. This is why youth should be serving on local Boards of Directors.

Essex Community Players to present “A Tell-Tale Farce” Chaos and shenanigans abound as Essex Community Players continue their sixtieth season with the production of Don Zolidis’s “The Tell-Tale Farce”. Richard is madly in love with Sarah, the niece of a wealthy widow. In his desperate attempt to court her he pretends to be Edgar Allan Poe. Unfortunately, Abigail, the widow’s granddaughter, is not happy with her fiancé’s lack of…... everything and has concluded that she is in love with the rankish and desirable Poe. Enter Sarah’s fiancé Rufus to further complicate matters. Meanwhile Brinsley, the butler tries his best to avoid a dalliance with the Irish harridan maid.

Directed by Jennifer Martin with a cast representing most of Chittenden County, the show runs Friday March 1 through Saturday March 16, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00 in Memorial Hall at Essex Center (at the intersection of Routes 15 & 128 & Towers Road).

Tickets are available online at www.essexplayers.com (no service charge). The Memorial Hall Box Office will be open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m and two hours prior to each performance beginning on February 16

Saturday 8 - 12

Our staff: BERSHOP AR B S Y A 802-730-3647 R Patty Foley, X Wells, Kim Tilton, Michelle

Madison S Moran, B E RCormier B AR Erin

SSaturday H O P 8 - 12 AY extra Monday X through Friday - 5Saturdays - Rhave we staff8 on for your convenience!

Monday through Friday 8 - 5

Saturday 8 - 12

We are close to the bus stop in Essex Jct, plus we have free parking for all customers.

For our customers convenience we will have extra staffing forconvenience the holidayweseason.

For our customers will have extra staffing for the holiday season.

802-730-3647

802-730-3647

Pet of the Week MOMO

~ 3 years old Neutered male ~

Breed: Domestic shorthair Arrival Date: 1/8/2019

Reason here: My owner passed away

Wake me up before you go-go Don’t leave me hanging on like a yo-yo Momo, Wake me up before you go-go I don’t want to miss it when you hit that high purrr Momo, Wake me up before you go-go ‘Cause I’m not plannin’ on going solo Momo, wake me up before you go-go We’ll give you catnip tonight!

Momo wants to go-go home with you!

My thoughts on: Cats: I lived with cats in my previous home and at HSCC and may do well with another.

Dogs: I have no known history with dogs.

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135 chittendenhumane.org

It shouldn't cost a fortune to sell your home!

COURTESY PHOTO

The cast of the Essex Community Players’ “A Tell-Tale Farce.” through the run of the show. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for children (12 & under) and seniors (55 & over). On Essex Day (Sunday, March 3), Essex resident tickets are only $14. All seats are reserved. As part of the “Essex Community Players Give Back” initiative, all proceeds from the sale of refreshments at intermission will be donated to the Martha’s Kitchen of St. Albans.

For additional information, please visit our website www.essexplayers.com or call the box office at 878-9109 during box office hours only!

Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com).

VT Dwellings Listing Commission is

4.5%

NOT

6%

and ONLY when it sells.

68 Randall St, South Burlington, VT 05403 donald@vtdwellings.com My Mobile: 802.238.7634 Office Phone: 802.654.8500 • www.VtDwellings.com

8 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

Opi ni On Letters to the editor

struggles with depression not always obvious I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety for the past four years, including suicidal thoughts. I know I can never fully understand what Rob and Alyssa Black are going through but I would like to add my personal experience and maybe provide some insight on why people commit suicide, even when their lives seem to be going great.

My life, sophomore year to senior year, looked pretty great. Awesome parents, great friends, great teachers, great grades. I could always be found with a book in my hand or running around the school with something to do.

As is to be expected, the stress of school increased with time and how close I was to filling out college applications. It was the summer of senior year before I finally admitted to myself that these thoughts and feelings weren’t going to go away on their own. Even when

I was seeing my therapist, it took me a long time to tell her or my parents what was really happening in my head. I’ve only just recently started talking more closely to my friends about it.

Part of the reason it took me so long to get help was I didn’t have any apparent symptoms to anyone else. I never missed school for my mental health, I kept doing theater, my homework, talking with friends, and appearing as a “normal” teen. Another reason was my depression appeared illogical, irrational, and a teenage mood swing, one that just happened to last four years. It didn’t help when I was told by many people that everyone goes through something like this, that it’s an adolescent thing, that there’s so much to live for.

Truly, there is so much to live for. One of the key things that kept me alive was the knowledge of what my death would do to my parents, broth-

er, friends, and dogs. Another key thing, one that probably saved my life many times, was my lack of access to guns or medications that could lead to an overdose.

What I’m trying to say in all of this is that just because someone doesn’t have any apparent symptoms of depression doesn’t mean they aren’t having an internal argument about why they should live another day. Check in on your friends and family, I guarantee they won’t tell you all the time when they truly need help.

Asking someone if they are thinking about suicide doesn’t increase the risk that they are going to do it and you might have given them a window into the help they really need.

Wren House supporting irene Wrenner A few weeks ago, on one of those bitter afternoons, I heard someone at my door.

Who would brave this weather? Irene Wrenner was

at my door. I gladly welcomed her inside. It is not her first time coming to see us. As a member of our Town select Board for 12 years, Irene works hard to educate and inform the people of Essex. she knows the history and she has the experience and perspective that we need.

I have attended many meetings of both Boards, and some joint meetings. I trust Irene to be knowledgeable about the issues. she is always prepared.

If I e-mail her with a question, she gets right back to me.

Irene has integrity and dedication. We are very fortunate to have her working for us. she has my vote and I highly recommend her.

Mary Lou Hurley Voting for Wrenner Right now, we are undergoing a transition toward merging the Town and Village.

Those discussions include the five-member Village Trustees, who represent only the

Obituary

Gloria Jane armstronG mcKeen EssEx – Gloria Jane Armstrong McKeen, 84, passed away on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. Gloria was born on July 16, 1934 to Dana W. Armstrong and Elizabeth (Bagley) Armstrong in Machias, Maine, where she spent her early childhood. After a brief stop in Kittery Point, Maine, her family settled in Portsmouth, N.H. she met the love of her life, Benjamin W. McKeen, when they were members of the Civil Air Patrol during high school. she graduated from Portsmouth High school in 1952 and married Ben on November 20, 1953.

During Ben’s time in the Air Force, Gloria and Ben lived in Cambridge and somerville, Mass., then returned to Portsmouth, N.H. When Ben was recruited to work for IBM in 1965 they relocated to Vermont. They moved first to Burlington and then settled in Essex Town for over 50 years, with brief stints in Germany, Florida and

Arizona.

Gloria held several jobs during her life including sales clerk, waitress, telephone operator, and Tupperware consultant, but the one that brought her the most joy was library assistant at Essex Elementary school. Her 19 years in that position were filled with leading story times, helping children fall in love with books, caring for the menagerie of small animals in the media center, and developing many life long friendships with her colleagues.

In addition to her membership in the Civil Air Patrol, Gloria and Ben were active in many organizations.

They belonged to the Green Mountain steppers, Eastern star, saxon Hollow Association, and together they founded the Green Mountain Parkinson’s support Group. Gloria also belonged to the Champlain Valley Quilt Guild, Essex Historical society and was a proud member of Therapy Dogs of Vermont with her dog, Boo. Gloria’s faith was an important cornerstone throughout her life and she was a member of Essex United Methodist Church for the last 45 years. she participated in numerous groups and committees but was best known for leading Children’s Time with her wonderful stories and for the delicious apple pies she baked for the Chicken n’ Biscuit Dinners. Even when her participation was limited due to physical constraints, she stayed involved through the Mansfield Bible study.

While she devoted time to her community and organizations, nothing was more important to Gloria than her fam-

ily and home. she and Ben raised four children in a home filled with many pets and an abundance of love. she took pride in her gardens, homemade pickles and piecrust. she spent countless summer days with her children at the sand Bar and encouraging them on hikes up Mount Mansfield. she sewed dresses, hemmed pants, knit countless mittens, and created colorful quilts for her children and grandchildren. she carefully chose picture books as gifts for family members and friends. she loved nothing better than spending time with her grandchildren and took great joy in their accomplishments.

Each grandchild and great grandchild had a special place in her heart that would shine in her smile when she shared their pictures and stories with visitors.

Gloria and Ben celebrated 54 years of marriage that included many adventures from building the family home on Old stage Road, living in Germany for a year and exploring much of Europe with two teens in tow, bicycling and canoeing many roads and rivers, and playing Password, cribbage and bowling with their friends. Together they navigated Ben’s journey with Parkinson’s disease. Gloria became Ben’s champion and biggest ally in living well with Parkinson’s and supported him fearlessly until his death in 2007.

Gloria is survived by her children, Diane McKeen Breeden & husband David, Cynthia “Cat” McKeen, Narda Carlson, Andrew McKeen & wife Cynthia, and honorary son, Chuck LaClair; her grandchildren, Riley Alexander,

Village, and the five-member selectboard, who represent the entire Town including the Village.

The selectboard currently has three members from the Town outside the Village. It seems to me we need to at least keep it that way to better ensure a balanced merger discussion.

Toward that end, we all need to retain Irene Wrenner as a selectboard member.

Please cast one of your votes for her on March 5.

Rich Maggiani Protect and serve?

On the evening of Feb. 6 it took me 2 hours to travel the 8 miles from work to home, due to freezing rain. I spent 40 minutes in a very slow line on Rt. 2A between the south traffic light for the “circ” and the North one, so I could park in the Park-and-ride there near the “dump”. I could have parked on the street somewhere, but the park-and-ride

see letters, page 9

Rebecca Breeden Christians & husband Adam, Dana Breeden & fiancée stephanie Livsey, Jeremy LaClair & wife Dana, Patrick LaClair & fiancée Margaret Kane, Brian LaClair, Daniel McKeen and steven McKeen; her great-grandchildren, Irelend Alexander, Landon Alexander and Edith Christians. she is also survived by her sisters, Rebecca Wylie and Judith Murphy; step-sister Lola Burns & partner Arthur Brunt, step-brother Larry Tanner& wife Theresa and in-laws Barbara McKeen, Anthony McKeen & wife Ginger, as well as cherished cousins, nieces and nephews. she was predeceased by Ben; her parents; her infant brother, Ronald Armstrong; grandchildren stephanie McKeen and Kathryn McKeen; great-grandson Arthur Christians; son-in-law scott Carlson and brothers-in-law, Donald McKeen, Robert Wylie and Robert Murphy.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff and residents at Mansfield Place who filled the last four years of our Mom’s life with excellent care, comfort, friendship and laughter.

Per Gloria’s wishes there will be no visiting hours. A memorial service will be held on saturday, March 9, 2 p.m. at Essex United Methodist Church, Rt 15, Essex, Vt. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gloria’s memory to Therapy Dogs of Vermont or to the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF).

The family invites you to share your memories and condolencesby visiting www.awrfh.com.

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 9

Opi ni On Letters to the editor seemed like the right place.

And I told the policeman directing the traffic at that light that that’s what I am doing. I then walked a mile and half on the icy dirt roads to get home.

In the morning I returned to the park-and-ride to retrieve the car. It was unlocked, and one window was rolled down.

And there was a warning notice from the police on the windshield, about a “park hours” violation.

First, who gave them permission to unlock my car? And why did they leave it unlocked? And roll down a window (in freezing rain conditions)?! And, what violation? There are no hours posted there. It only says “no camping”. And even if there were hours posted, isn’t this the kind of situation that this public resource should be used for safety reasons? Is this “Protect and Serve”?

Moshe Braner Support for Wrenner, Murray If it’s true that “80% of success is showing up”, then two of the three Selectboard

candidates are well on their way to success in the coming election. Kudos to them for making time in their busy schedules to attend Channel 17’s candidate forum on February 7.

I enjoyed watching the forum in which Irene Wrenner and Patrick Murray provided their thoughts on the Town of Essex budget and issues like the development of the new Town Center and the ongoing consolidation of Town and Village departments.

Serving on the Selectboard is no walk in the park. Showing up is essential.

Each Selectboard member must climb a steep learning curve. There are many hours of homework before meetings and attendance at scores of meetings per year.Wrenner’s years on the board and devotion to good government were evident in her answers.

Murray’s passion for Essex and commitment to taking on this additional challenge were evident in his.

As a voter, I find it very helpful to watch forums like this to get a sense of candi-

dates’ views on current issues, relevant experience, and priorities.

Here’s the link: www.cctv.org/ watch-tv/programs/essexselectboard-candidate-forum Please consider voting for these two very capable candidates – Wrenner and Murray – on March 5th.

Iris Banks Civics lessons for Wrenner In the mid-1700’s the colonists of the to-be America were taxed by the British government without having representation in the Parliament.

The phrase “No taxation without representation” became a battle cry that carried us into the American Revolution. I’m sure you agree that it is unfair for a government to tax its people without giving them a fair voice in the operation of said government.

I contend that the reverse is unfair as well, that the people cannot expect representation without taxation. The United Auto Workers union for example will not negotiate for you if you don’t pay your membership dues. I think

this is especially significant if one untaxed group is pitted against another taxed group.

In the Feb 7th edition of the Essex Reporter, Robert Bates described Irene Wrenner’s idea that the Town outside the Village deserves some sort of special representation, someone or some power that represents only the interests of the TOV residents.

I could not disagree more. I am a resident of the Village and the Town. I pay taxes to the Village and thus the Trustees represent my interests. I also pay taxes to the Town and thus the Select Board (ostensibly) represents my interests. The TOV residents do not pay taxes to some entity that would represent only their interests, and thus are not entitled to any special representation.

There are 2 very simple ways the TOV residents can get the representation Ms Wrenner speaks of: let us separate or fully merge, either way the dichotomy she complains about will be no more.

Daryl Stultz See LETTERS, page 19

the essex

RepoRteR 281 North Main St. St. albans, vt. 05468 EDITORIAL: 893-2028 ADVERTISING: 524-9771 news@essexreporter.com www.essexreporter.com facebook.com/essexreporter twitter: @essexreporter

EditoriaL ExEcutivE Editor Michelle Monroe michelle@essexreporter.com SportS Editor Josh Kaufmann josh@samessenger.com rEportErS Colin Flanders colin@essexreporter.com Madeline Clark madeline@essexreporter.com Amanda Brooks amanda@essexreporter.com NEWS & SportS cLErK aNd caLENdar Ben Chiappinelli ben@essexreporter.com

MESSAGES FROM MONTPELIER chittenden 8-3

chittenden 8-1

chittenden 8-2

REP. LINdA MyERS (R)

REP. dyLAN GIAMBATISTA (d)

REP. BOB BANCROFT (R)

lindakmyers@comcast.net, 878-3514

dylan@vtdylan.com, 734-8841

bancroft.vt@gmail.com, 879-7386

REP. MARyBETH REdMONd (d)

REP. LORI HOUGHTON (d)

marybethredmond@comcast.net, 488-0531

houghton.lori@gmail.com, 373-0599

By REP. LORI HOUGHTON “I’m just a bill. Yes, I’m only a bill.

And I’m sitting here (in Montpelier)”.

These lyrics by Dave Frishberg aired in 1975 on SchoolHouse Rock - have been playing in our house recently. Although I haven’t sung the song to others, I have been talking with children and adults alike about how a bill becomes law.

So how does a bill become a law?

Any legislator from either chamber may sponsor a bill. The legislator works with Legislative Council to draft the bill, then the bill is introduced on the floor of the sponsor’s chamber during first reading.

The bill is assigned to a committee based on the bill’s subject matter.

If the committee decides to pursue the bill (a bill doesn’t have to be taken up), the committee may take testimony on and recommend amendments to the bill.

The committee votes on whether to pass the bill out of committee. Once the bill is voted out of all appropriate committees it is sent to the chamber floor for second reading. A member of the committee will

report on the committee’s recommendations; members of the chamber may propose amendments to the bill; and the bill and any amendments are debated. The chamber will take majority votes on any amendments and whether to read the bill a third time. Third reading happens the next legislative day and is another chance for members of the chamber to propose amendments and debate the bill. Then the chamber votes.

Once passed the bill moves to the other chamber for the same process. If the second chamber passes the bill with any amendments, the bill must go back to the first chamber for consideration. If the two chambers are unable to agree on the bill, a committee of conference may be appointed in which three members of each chamber will attempt to reach agreement on a final version which is submitted to both chambers for approval. The chambers cannot amend this version and will adopt or reject it by majority vote.

If both chambers agree on a final version, the bill passes and it is sent to the Governor who may sign it into law, allow

CHITTENdEN COUNTy SENATORS Tim Ashe (D/P), Phil Baruth (D), Debbie Ingram (D), Ginny Lyons (D), Chris Pearson (D/P), Michael Sirotkin (D) email: firstinitial.lastname@leg.state.vt.us

it to become law without signature or veto it. Once one of the first two possibilities happen, or the chambers override the veto by a two-thirds vote, the bill becomes an official law of Vermont and is assigned an act number.

Residents and advocates may provide feedback to their legislators throughout the process, attend committee hearings and chamber votes.

For more information on providing constituent feedback visit www.lorihoughton.com Thank you for the continued opportunity to serve Essex Junction.

Join your Essex representatives for their next community conversation on Sunday, Feb. 17 from 2 p.m. to 3:30pm at Sweet Alchemy Bakery. The Vermont House and Senate Committees on Appropriations are seeking public input on the Governor’s Recommended FY2020 State Budget and will hold community-based public hearings on Monday, Feb. 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The closest location for Essex residents is Winooski – Community College of Vermont, Room 108, 1 Abenaki Way.

buSiNESS oFFicE co-pubLiShErS Emerson & Suzanne Lynn emerson@samessenger.com gENEraL MaNagEr Suzanne Lynn suzanne@samessenger.com advErtiSiNg Taylor Walters taylor.walters@essexreporter.com cLaSSiFiEdS & LEgaLS Ben Letourneau ben.letourneau@samessenger.com

dEadLiNES Fridays at 5 p.m.

Published Thursdays Circulation: 8,800 The Essex Reporter is owned by Vermont Publishing Corp Inc. and is a member of the Champlain Valley News Group.

10 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

SPORTS

ADL hosting tourney next week

COURTESY PHOTO

T

his year will be the 49th annual basketball tournament.

The oldest middle school tournament in the country. Each year, during the Wednesday through Saturday before February vacation, six Chittenden County teams participate in a battle royale on the hardwood.

This event is much more than a basketball tournament. It is a whole community event. The tournament week starts with a pep rally the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the Albert D. Lawton School on Maple Street. From 3:30 - 8:30 p.m. it is game time! The games are fun and draw many students and community members from around the county. Like many things here at ADL, these four days are about community and not just basketball. During the week the following our students volunteers and our parents and community members work in the concession stand and selling 50/50 tickets, our local boy scouts are our color guard, the ADL Pep Band performs under the baton of Adam Sawyer, Select Chorus performs, our intramural 3-on-3 champion is crowned, youth cheerleaders perform, Essex Jct. Recreation and Parks record the basketball play and high school athletes volunteer to help out in any way they can. Simply put, it is a true community event.

Many tournament alumni come to support the community by either helping out, or by simply coming to watch as the event undwinds, but it is our student body that really comes out to support the event in great numbers. ADL hopes to see you there for the tournament happening Wednesday, Feb. 20 through Saturday, Feb. 23.

Courtesy of MiCHaEl BEniaSH, CalEDOnia-RECORD

Hornets doubled up by Hilltoppers Essex junior guard Rachel Botala dives for a loose ball as she disrupts a St. Johnsbury oppponent. The Hornets were unable to pick up their third win in a row as they fell to the Hilltoppers by a score of 25-51. The Hornets will look to keep thier record above .500 over the next two weeks as they finish off their season with a home “Pink Zone” game against Burlington High School on Thursday, an away game at Rice Memorial on Tuesday and the season finale back at home against CVU on Thursday, Feb. 21.

FREE HOME BUYING SEMINAR

More sports online!

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 ArtsRiot in Burlington RSVP by February 22nd

We can’t get every great picture we have into the paper, but we make sure to post tons of them online!

Visit vermontfederal.org for more information.

RSVP: events@vermontfederal.org

NMLS Institutional ID #466013 Insured by NCUA.

SEE WHERE BETTER BANKING TAKES YOU

See all the action from EHS on the Essexreporter.com.

SPORTS

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 11

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK ESSEx SporT SHorTS SAM FoSTEr

By JOE GONILLO

V

Senior: Hockey

LizziE MArTELL

Not all wins are created equal, and on Feb. 4 Essex won the one it most wanted thanks in large part to Foster’s superb effort in net. The senior made 28 saves as Essex beat BFA-St. Albans 2-1 in a Monday night makeup game, the Hornets’ first win over the Bobwhites since 2016. Coming off an upset loss to Stowe, Essex capitalized on an early string of BFA penalties and goals by Sam Gibbs and Charles Wiegand for a 2-0 lead. The deficit only spurred the Bobwhites on to perhaps their best offensive period of the season in the final 15 minutes, pulling within one with 5 minutes left in the second period. But Foster made all 10 saves needed, including a trio of stops on shots from the edge of the crease, and Essex won despite being outshot 29-26.

Junior: Track & Field The Essex girls head into the Feb. 16 state championships with six top-3 seeds and Martell owns two of them, including the team’s lone No. 1 ranking. Undefeated in seven Vermont races, the defending 600-meter state champion’s only loss in eight races was a third place at the Dartmouth Relays in that event — while running her career-best time (1:40.06). She won her three 300s at UVM, including a personal-best 44.15 seconds Dec. 22. In the 600, the defending state champion was 4-for-4 winning UVM races.

Jules on the Green is a proud sponsor of athletes in our community.

Saturday at 5 p.m., and a rescheduled CVU game Monday.

The boys basketball team went 1-1 last week, and is now 8-6. The Hornets lost a heartbreaker to Rice 57-53 in OT as a Green Knight driving layup tied the game as time expired. Stephen Astor swished 14 points and Robbie Meslin 11. They bounced back with a 46-39 win over BHS. Meslin hit for 16, and Astor added 9 field throws late in the game. They’ll play MMU and St.J this week.

The girls basketball team went 2-0 and is now 9-7. The Hornets dropped SHS 58- 43 and stopped SB 33-24. A strong second half saw Essex score 36 points to leading to the win. Sarah Coulter had 23, Anna Sabourin 11, and Rachel Botala 10. The girls shutout the Wolves (9-0) in the final quarter in an outstanding display of defense. Lizzie Goodrich totaled 8 pts and Coulter 6. This week they battled St J then host BHS. The junior varsity defeated the Tide and Wolves upping their mark to a stellar 14-1. In their 58-12 win over SB Paige Winter had 11 and Cindy Sheeran 9. The Pink Zone games are Thursday. Hopefully following same schedule as years past.

The downhill skiers raced in a giant slalom hosted by Smuggler’s Notch. The ladies had a nice day. Madeleine Larson stepped up her skill placing 13th in a time of 1:28.17.

It was her 1st top 15 finish. Maggie Donahue finished 22nd in 1:37.11. Cara Vignulli was 28th in 1:42.73. As they only had 3 racers, EHS didn’t score as an official team. BFA edged Stowe 24-28. The boys skied well tying for 3rd with BHS. Individually Drew Engard placed 14th with a time of 1:20.85.

Bryan Stammelman was 16th with a time of 1:23.25. Nate Croft finished 22nd in 1:26.64 and Zach Centracchio rounded out the scoring with a 1:41.99 for 38th. Also Conor McMahon 39th 1:44.92 and Christian Smith in 43rd 2:24.39 completed their results. The team continues its improvement and is gaining ground on their opponents. With NVACs looming things are looking good.

alentine’s Day!! Besides the cards, flowers, chocolates, and/or dinners, this marks the halfway point of February.

In track and field, St. Johnsbury will be the boys main competition while the defending champion Hilltoppers and the Wolves are the girls challengers.

The gymnasts’ last meet against Randolph was cancelled due to weather.

They ended their season on Senior Night vs Middlebury– check last week’s column for specifics. This young team grew consistently as the season progressed. Their 135.3 score was a winter-season high, and they enjoy a lot of depth this year. Some of their top scorers have been senior Abbey Gleason as well as juniors Ella Lesny and Livia Ball. Again, this team enjoys great chemistry, knows how to work together to accomplish their goals, and are extremely excited to compete this Saturday.

The wrestlers continue their dominance in Vermont. On Saturday the Hornets captured their 3rd consecutive NVAC Wrestling Championship in chilly St. Johnsbury Academy. In round one Essex easily defeated a combined team of Harwood, Middlebury and Williamstown 78-6. In the semifinals they crushed St. J 60-18. The finals came down to the last match of the day with Ben Stewart earning a technical fall for a razorclose 41-40 victory. Congrats!

On Saturday, the junior varsity team heads to Spaulding High School for the JV State Tournament. Next week, Essex hosts the State Tournament Friday and Saturday 2/22 - 2/23.

The girls hockey team is 13-1 after a 2-0 week. The Hornets blitzed Woodstock 4-0 behind 2 goals from Grace Wiggett.

Hannah Himes and Olivia Miller-Johnson scored the other goals. Sage Amaliksen had 2 assists while goalkeepers Isabelle Seguin and Megan Ginnett stopped 7 shots. Essex shutout South Burlington 3-0 Saturday and has now won eight games in a row. Rutland and Burlington High School/Colchester Joe’s full column will be at EssexReporter.com High School provide the opposition this week.

The boys’ hockey team is now 10-2. The big one was in St. Albans, a 2-1 squeaker. Sam Gibbs’ first period tally, Charles Wiegand’s second period tip-in, a stifling defense, and solid goaltending was the recipe for success. Sam Foster stopped 28 shots, Jason Smith, Willem Barwin, and Justin Prim added assists in the huge win.

Essex kept it going Saturday in a 6-1 smothering of SHS. Next up for the team is Rice, BFA again – but 34 Park St Essex Junction || 802-871-5295 || lazyfarmervt.com this time at home

Restaurant & Catering Fri & Sat 4:30-8:30

12 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

14 Thursday Food shelF CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH - 61 Main St., Essex Jct., 878-8341.

James Gangwer, pastor. Sunday School: 10 a.m., Worship Service: 11 a.m., Sunday evening worship: 6 p.m., Wednesday evening youth groups, Adult Bible study and prayer: 7 p.m.; Fundamental-Independent.

CHRIST MEMORIAL CHURCH - Route 2A, Williston, just north of Industrial Ave. 878-7107. Wes Pastor, lead pastor, proclaiming Christ and Him crucified, Sundays: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., www.cmcvermont.org.

COVENANT COMMUNITY CHURCH - 1 Whitcomb Meadows Lane, Essex Jct. 879-4313. Rev. Jeannette Conver, pastor. Adult bible class: 9 a.m., Sunday service: 10 a.m. with fellowship following. Infant through pre-K childcare provided, cccpastorjeannette@gmail.com; Facebook page: bit.ly/2rDz4NE DAYBREAK COMMUNITY CHURCH - 67 Creek Farm Plaza, Colchester. 338-9118. Jesse Mark, lead pastor. Sunday service: 10:30 a.m., www.daybreakvermont.org; brentdaybreak@gmail.com ESSEX ALLIANCE CHURCH - 37 Old Stage Road, Essex Jct. 878-8213. Sunday services: 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, www.essexalliance.org.

ESSEX CENTER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 119 Center Rd (Route 15), Essex. 878-8304. Rev. Mitchell Hay, pastor. Service 10:00 am with Sunday School and childcare provided. We offer a variety of small groups for prayer, Bible study, hands-on ministry, and studying contemporary faith issues. Please join us for worship that combines the best of traditional and contemporary music and spirituality. We are a safe and welcoming space for all people to celebrate, worship, ask questions and plant spiritual roots.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ESSEX JUNCTION - UCC, an Open and Affirming Congregation, embracing diversity and affirming the dignity and worth of every person, because we are all created by a loving God. 1 Church Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Telephone (802) 878-5745; Website: www.fccej.org Email: welcome@fccej.org Senior Pastor, Rev. Mark Mendes, Assoc. Pastor, Rev. Josh Simon. Sunday Worship Services: 8:30 and 10:15 am. Communion: first Sunday of every month. Faith Formation meets weekly at 10:15 am. Jr. & High School Youth Groups on Sundays. Heavenly Food Pantry – second Monday, 5:30-7:30pm; fourth Thursday, 2-6pm, except for Nov & Dec when it is the third Thursday. Essex Eats Out Community Dinner – 1st Friday of the month, 5:30 – 7pm. Music includes Sanctuary Choir, Finally @ First Band, Joyful Noise, Cherub Music, Handbell Choir, Men’s Acapella and Ladies’ Acapella groups.

GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 130 Maple Street, Essex Jct., 1 mile south of the Five Corners on Maple Street / Route 117. 8788071. Worship Sundays: 9:30 a.m., with concurrent church school pre-K to grade 6. Handicapped-accessible facility. Adult choir, praise band, women’s fellowship, missionally active. Korean U.M.C. worship Sundays: 12 p.m., come explore what God might be offering you!

HOLY FAMILY - ST. LAWRENCE PARISH - St. Lawrence: 158 West St., Essex Jct. 878.5331. Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m.; Sunday Morning: 8:00 a.m. Holy Family: 36 Lincoln St., Essex Jct., Sundays: 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. For more information visit www.hfslvt.org.

MT. MANSFIELD UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP - 195 Vermont Route 15, Jericho, the red barn across from Packard Road.

899-2558. Services are held 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from September through June. Visit www.mmuuf.org.

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH - 4 St. James Place, Essex Jct., off Rt. 2A at the Fairgrounds Gate F. 878-4014. Rev. Kim Hardy. Holy Eucharist, Sundays: 10 a.m. Visit www.stjamesvt.org; office@stjamesvt. com.

ST. PIUS X CHURCH - 20 Jericho Road, Essex.

878-5997. Rev. Charles Ranges, pastor. Masses: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. & Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Confessions: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. or please call 878-5331 for an appointment.

Community

FEB 14 9 - 11 a.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Aunt Dot’s Place, 51 Center Rd. Essex Jct. Serving the communities of Essex, Westford, Jericho and Underhill. Visit auntdotsplace.com for more information.

essex arT league

9 - 11 a.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct.

Free Tax help

9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library. For taxpayers w/low and middle incomes. Qualified patrons will need to call 878-6955 or visit the library to make an hour appointment with one of them.

preschool playgroup

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. Join other caregivers and children for play time.

We ask that you bring a drink and indoor shoes.

seaTed yoga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center. Seated yoga is a gentle form of exercise, designed to increase flexibility and balance and help reduce stress.

Class is free for EASC members, $2/session for non-members. Please call 876-5087 to register.

seaTed Tai chi

12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St., Essex Jct. Tai chi is a martial art that combines gentle movements, breathing techniques, and stretching. Free to area seniors.

drop-in KniTTing club

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library.

Teen cenTer

2:30 - 5:45 p.m., Essex CHIPS, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. Open to students attending ADL and EMS. Free; open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

lego club

adl WinTer band concerT

7 - 9 p.m., Albert D. Lawton Middle School, 104 Maple St., Essex Jct.

Modern WesTern sTyle square dance

7:30 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Email Wayne or Susan Pierce at sewpie@aol.com.

15 Friday baby TiMe

9:30 - 10 a.m., Brownell Library. Come to meet other families, read a board book, learn some sign language and play.

Mah Jongg

10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Nonmembers pay $1/visit.

Musical sTory TiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Rock ‘n’ read with Caitlin on Friday mornings with books, songs and instruments. All ages.

KniTTing and crocheTing

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr.

leep

2:45 - 3:45 p.m., Brownell Library. Welcome in the Year of the Pig with snacks designed to ensure good luck. Learn two science experiments that will be presented to elementary students on the following Friday. All 6-7-8 graders welcome!

sTeaM Fridays

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. This month: Popup cards, Density and UV Light, Taste Exploration and Tie Dye and Collage Animal Marionettes. Call 878-6956 for program details. For grades 1 and up.

essex eaTs ouT

5:30 - 7 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, St. James Pl., Essex Jct. Free community dinners for all!

If you need a ride, please email essexeatsout@ gmail.com.

Wing nighT

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library.

5:30 - 7 p.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Open to the public.

Tropical Fish club

parenTs’ nighT ouT

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. A not-for-profit group of people who share common interests related to raising and breeding freshwater and marine fish and aquatic plants in captivity.

6 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Treat yourself to a quiet night in or an evening out on the town when you sign your child up for one or more of our movie nights at ejrp.org.

Friday KniT nighT

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. For adult knitters and related crafters.

Note: this is not an introduction to knitting program.

Magic: The gaThering

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. Grades 6 and up.

hiaWaTha presenTs “peTer pan”

6 - 7:30 p.m., Fleming School, 21 Prosepect St., Essex Jct. Come watch the students of Hiawatha perform in an all-school production of “Peter Pan” thanks to the Very Mery Theater.

single adulTs’ Volleyball/ gaMe/pizza nighT

6 p.m., Essex Alliance Church Community Ctr., 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. Call 999-5291 for details.

FaMily MoVie “chrisTopher robin”

6:30 p.m., Brownell Library.

16 saTurday WinTer hiKe aT indian brooK

10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Indian Brook, 150 Indian Brook Rd., Essex Jct. Borrow a pair of snowshoes or bring your own! Refreshments will be supplied on the hike. Pre-registration is required through Essex Parks and Rec.

aMnesTy inTernaTional MeeTing

10 a.m. - noon., Brownell Library. For additional information please call 802-279-2378

WeeKend sTory TiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs!

The spanis aMerican War: haVana’s secreT

School, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. Each act is limited to 3-5 minutes.

Performances may include song, dance, instrumental, comedy, acrobatics, juggling, acting or other random talents.

17 sunday WoKo Flea MarKeT

8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., CV Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct.

auxiliary breaKFasT

9 - 11 a.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Open to the public.

conVersaTion WiTh your reps

2 - 3:30 p.m., Sweet Alchemy Bakery and Cafe, 45 Upper Main St., Essex Jct.

18 Monday essex ToWn and Village oFFices, essex Free library, broWnell library and The essex area senior cenTer are all closed in obserVance oF presidenTs’ day TWeen cenTer

3 - 5:45 p.m., Essex CHIPS, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. Open to students attending Thomas Fleming School. Free.

checKMaTes square dancing

6 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Advanced and challenge level. Participants must have completed the plus style of Western Style Square Dancing.

Call Fred or Betty Smith at 891-9677 for more information.

Mops eVening MeeTing

6:30 - 8:45 p.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. Mothers of Preschoolers exists to meet the needs of moms.

2 - 3 p.m., Brownell Library. Amateur historian and author Guntis Goncarovs explores the innuendo of the times during which the United States developed into a world naval power under the inspiring leadership of Theodore Roosevelt.

19 Tuesday

preschool open gyM

9 - 11:30 a.m., Excelerate Essex, 56 Main St., Essex Jct. See what the future of farming looks like presented by innovators of the GI Grow system.

3 - 4:30 p.m., Maple Street Park Recreation Center.

essex has TalenT

7 - 8 p.m., Essex High

Mops Morning MeeTing

9 - 11:15 a.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. (See Monday, Feb. 18)

FarMing’s FuTure

yCalendar StOry tiMe FOr tOddlerS

9:10 - 9 :30 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, songs, rhymes and puppets for toddlers with an adult.

preSChOOl playgrOup

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Jan. 24)

StOry tiMe FOr preSChOOlerS

10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library.

BingO

12:30 - 3:30 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr. Every card costs a penny, so if you play 10 cards, each game costs a dime.

Seated tai Chi

12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St., Essex Jct.

read tO ginger the dOg 2 - 3 p.m., Essex Free Library. Read a story and snuggle with this adorable book-loving canine friend, Ginger!

COllaBOrative art prOjeCt

2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Help make a display for March.

Participants will collaborate on an abstract painting to hang behind the youth desk. There will be paint involved!

rOnald MCdOnald hOuSe CharitieS BingO 4 p.m., Champlain Valley Exposition, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Early bird games start at 6:30 p.m.

yOga With jOnah

5:30 - 6:30 p.m., First Congregational Church,1 Church St., Essex Jct. Donations welcome, but not required.

drOp-in Knitting 6:30 - 8 p.m., Essex Free Library.

WriterS’ grOup

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. All levels and genres welcome as we come together to share our work and offer support to one another.

talKing tO KidS aBOut lgBtq

6:30 - 8 p.m., Maple Street Park. We will give you the tools and confidence to talk to kids about what it means to be gay, transgender, and gender nonconforming.

20 WedneSday Free tax help

FEB 24

Morning, St. James Episcopal Church, St. James Pl., Essex Jct. Call 655-9219 for information.

teCh tiMe

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. Drop in with your device and your questions!

StOry tiMe FOr preSChOOlerS

10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. Repeat of Tuesday’s program.

BaBytiMe

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. For infants through pre-walkers.

teCh help With CliF

Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell Library. (See Monday, Feb. 11)

rOtary CluB OF eSSex Noon - 1:15 p.m., The Essex, 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Visitors are always welcome.

MineCraFt CluB

1 - 2 p.m., Brownell Library. Bring your own device with Minecraft pocket edition downloaded on it. For ages 7-12.

Zine CluB

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Explore different writing styles and art techniques as you create a zine. What’s a zine?

These underground publications are cheaply made, printed forms of expression on any subject.

Open StudiO

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library. The library supplies the materials, you bring the creativity.

read tO daiSy

3:15 - 4:15 p.m., Brownell Library. Daisy loves to listen to kids read. She is Certified by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. For all ages.

tedx talK: are We BiaSed? 7 - 9 p.m., Brownell Library. TED Talk videos around the theme of film will be viewed and reflected on.

lOCal MeetingS thurSday, FeBruary 14 5:30 p.m., essex Cemetery Commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct. 6:30 p.m., town planning Commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

tueSday, FeBruary 19 5:30 p.m., village tree advisory Committee, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. 6:30 p.m., School Board, Essex High School Library, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. 7 p.m., Brownell library trustees, Brownell Library, 6 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

thurSday, FeBruary 21 7 p.m., town Selectboard, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct. Essex Jct.

Grades 6 and up.

legO CluB

grange

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library.

MOunt ManSField SCale MOdelerS

6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library, Essex Jct. Call 879-0765 after 6 p.m. for more information.

juleS CaFe

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Stop by and meet Silvio the owner of Jules on the Green, located right here in Essex.

FMS OrCheStra COnCert

7- 8 p.m., Founder Memorial School, 33 Founders Rd., Essex Jct.

22 Friday MuSiC With raph

9:30 - 10 a.m., Brownell Library. Come sing, dance and play with Raph. All ages.

Mah jOngg

10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Nonmembers pay $1/visit.

MuSiCal StOry tiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library.

21 thurSday

SteaM FridayS

preSChOOl playgrOup

eSSex eatS Out

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct.

Seated yOga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center.

Seated tai Chi

12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St.,

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 13

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library.

5:30 - 7 p.m., Essex Center united Methodist Church, 119 Center Rd.., Essex Jct.

dungeOnS and dragOnS

6:30 - 9 p.m., Brownell Library. Embark upon imaginary adventures.

7:30 p.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct. The Grange is a family, community organization with its roots in agriculture.

23 Saturday haM-COM radiO ShOW

8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1068 Williston Rd., S. Burlington. A gathering of electronics hobbyists from all over Vermont. Their interests range from ham radio, technology, building electronics, computer usage and more.

WeeKend StOry tiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs!

vt. renaiSSanCe Faire

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., CV Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. A family-friendly event for all ages, featuring performance troupes including singers, musicians, acrobats and dancers; as well as medieval and Viking demonstrations of life on the battlefields of the old world. $15; kids under 6 free.

StOry tiMe

10:30 - 11 a.m., Brownell Library. Miss teen Vermont, Lizzie Martell, will lead a story time and craft for children ages 3 and up.

24 Sunday vt. renaiSSanCe Faire

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Arrival dates for Layers is the week of April 15 Many Varieties To Choose From!

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10 a.m. - 6 p.m., CV 857-5296 872-8726 Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. FURNITURE • APPLIANCES • ART • HOUSEWARES • RUGS • TOOLS • BUILDING MATERIALS

cla ssi f i e ds & J oB se e ke r s

14 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

l eGals

The sTory conTinues

online!

Don't forget to check our website weekly for: • • • • •

Photos from community events Bonus sports photos Breaking news colchester Police reports Legals and Classifieds

it is all at the essexreporter.com!

Looking to hire?

Classifieds get the job done!

HERE Call our sales staff to place your ad!

802-524-9771 ext. 122

Showcase of Homes To advertise your listings contact your ad rep today!

802-524-9771

John Kelley x 105 john.kelley@samessenger.com

cla ssi f i e ds & J oB se e ke r s

Appliances READY SET GO, Express, 4 pans, spatula, and recipe book. In good shape. $15 OBO. Call 802-782-5790 Building Materials SINKS FOR SALE: stainless steel double kitchen sink and 2 bathroom vanity sinks; one marble 19x25, one pink porcelain 22x25, in great condition. Asking $25 each. 802-285-2092 Clothing & Accessories HUNTER BOOTS, SIZE 6, navy, great condition.

Asking $40. Call 802-

CHARMING AND SO CONVENIENT! Located off Route 2A between Colchester Village and Essex Junction, this end unit condo is ready to move in! Small association and private wooded setting. Bright and sunny with double sliders doors to the back patio, newer windows, and a cozy wood fireplace! Full basement with laundry and a detached garage too! Offered at $205,000.

The Lipkin Audette Team, 802-846-8800, www.lipkinaudette.com team@lipkinaudette.com

SKI JACKET, BURTON, size medium, like new.

Ski boots, Tecnica, size 27.0, (8), like new. $125, seems to be appreciated. Package deal!

Call for details. 802-5241139 Electronics/ Cameras/Etc. NINTENDO WII, COME with 8 games, also comes with paddles.

Asking $75. Call 802868-6790 PORTABLE DVD PLAYER, RCA, comes with plugs, ear phones, case, and jacks. In great condition. Call 802-3935635

For 42 years, Lafayette Painting has provided top quality, fairly priced, painting services for Chittenden County.

This winter, schedule your free estimate and see why we were voted the Best Household Painting Company in Vermont.

Call 802-863-5397 or visit lafayette paintinginc.com

Arrests

1 DLS criminaL

MondAy, FebruAry 4

2:11 a.m., citizen dispute on Park St. 10:48 a.m., accident with property damage on cushing Dr. 11:30 a.m., Threatening on river rd.

12:09 p.m., Theft on Jackson Hgts.

12:58 p.m., Burglary on Susie Wilson rd.

1:44 p.m., citizen assist on carmichael St. 1:53 p.m., Theft of automobile on Pleasant St. 1:53 p.m., accident with property damage on West St. 2:01 p.m., citizen assist on Old Stage rd.

2:05 p.m., animal problem on Park St. 8:22 p.m., motor vehicle complaint on river rd.

8:31 p.m., motor vehicle complaint on Pearl St. 11:49 p.m., animal problem on Pearl St.

tuesdAy, FebruAry 5

12:15 a.m., Suspicious event on Karsynreece Ln. 8 a.m., Found/lost property on Lincoln St. 8:47 a.m., accident with property damage on colchester rd.

9:48 a.m., Suspicious event on Susie Wilson rd.

9:50 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 10:02 a.m., Suspicious event on Founders rd.

3:25 p.m., citizen dispute on Dalton Dr. 4:49 p.m., Hazmat on center rd.

4:52 p.m., citizen assist on main St.

5:15 p.m., animal problem; location withheld 5:56 p.m., Suspicious event on Lang Dr. 11:36 p.m., noise on Ethan allen ave.

WednesdAy, FebruAry 6

6:16 a.m., medical; location withheld 7:38 a.m., medical; location withheld 8:21 a.m., motor vehicle complaint on Pearl St. 12:24 p.m., citizen dispute on colchester rd.

1:14 p.m., Death investigation on railroad St. 1:34 p.m., citizen assist on center rd.

1:44 p.m., Suspicious event on Educational Dr. 3:04 p.m., citizen assist on Essex Way 3:52 p.m., accident with property damage on Susie Wilson rd.

5:29 p.m., accident with property damage on Susie Wilson rd.

6:19 p.m., citizen assist on Old Stage rd.

thursdAy, FebruAry 7

5 a.m., motor vehicle complaint on Bixby Hill rd.

8:22 a.m., DLS on West St. 10:24 a.m., accident with property damage Essex Way 12:41 p.m., Trespassing on Old Stage rd.

2:17 p.m., citizen assist on Lincoln St. 3:54 p.m., Burglary on Jericho rd.

4:07 p.m., Burglary on Browns river rd.

4:26 p.m., accident with property damage on maple St. 5:14 p.m., animal problem on Juniper ridge rd.

5:28 p.m., Suspicious event on Forest rd.

6:24 p.m., Suspicious event on center rd.

6:34 p.m., accident with property damage on Pearl St. 10:55 p.m., noise on railroad ave.

Equipment/ Machinery MASTER CRAFT 7500 watt generator for sale.

Uses propane or gasoline. Still in box, never used. Asking $900 OBO. Call 802-933-4570

Pets

BUNNIES (3), 2 young females, 1 older male.

Free! Call or text for more information. 802782-7827 Vacuum/Carpet Cleaners Firearms,Bows, Etc VACUUM CLEANER, GUN CABINET, HOLDS KIRBY, comes with at12 guns, plus storage, tachments and bags, lighted stained glass cleans rug. In good condoors. $150. Call 802524-5070

dition. $200. Call 802524-0788 Wanted to Buy

BUYING ANTIQUES From your attic, basement, barn, and home.

Old jewelry, gold, silver, paintings, furnishings, collections such as stoneware, baskets, old tools and hardware, gas, oil, soda, auto signs.

Furnishings GOTHIC WALL CLOCK, blue and black color, silver numbers, in good condition. Asking $15.

Call 802-393-5635

EMPLOYMENT CARPENTERS Frame & Finish Tired of short work weeks, no overtime and layoffs? Then join our company today.

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Call Sweeney & Belisle or 802-355-0836 or email: pfssnb@gmail.com

ESSEX POLICE REPORTS

February 4 - 9

FOR SALE

524-3763

PAINTING SERVICES

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 15

Emergency: 911 • Non-emergency: 878-8331 • 145 Maple St., Essex Jct., VT 05452 • www.epdvt.org

FridAy, FebruAry 8

sundAy, FebruAry 9

8:26 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 9:16 a.m., accident with property damage on center rd.

10:08 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 11:43 a.m., Suspicious event on maple St. 11:51 a.m., citizen assist on Wildwood Dr. 12:24 p.m., accident with property damage on colchester rd.

2:19 p.m., accident with personal injury on Pearl St. 2:44 p.m., citizen assist on maple St. 3:47 p.m., accident with property damage Park St. 4:05 p.m., animal problem on rustic Dr. 4:36 p.m., citizen dispute on Educational Dr. 4:48 p.m., Suspicious event on redwood Terr.

6:32 p.m., accident with property damage on Kellogg rd.

11:27 p.m., motor vehicle complaint on Douglas rd.

8:26 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 9:16 a.m., accident with property damage on center rd.

10:08 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 11:43 a.m., Suspicious event on maple St. 11:51 a.m., citizen assist on Wildwood Dr. 12:24 p.m., accident with property damage on colchester rd.

2:19 p.m., accident with personal injury on Pearl St. 2:44 p.m., citizen assist on maple St. 3:47 p.m., accident with property damage Park St. 4:05 p.m., animal problem on rustic Dr. 4:36 p.m., citizen dispute on Educational Dr. 4:48 p.m., Suspicious event on redwood Terr.

6:32 p.m., accident with property damage on Kellogg rd.

11:27 p.m., motor vehicle complaint on Douglas rd.

sAturdAy, FebruAry 9

totAl cAlls: 103

8:26 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 9:16 a.m., accident with property damage on center rd.

10:08 a.m., citizen assist on maple St. 11:43 a.m., Suspicious event on maple St. 11:51 a.m., citizen assist on Wildwood Dr. 12:24 p.m., accident with property damage on colchester rd.

2:19 p.m., accident with personal injury on Pearl St. 2:44 p.m., citizen assist on maple St. 3:47 p.m., accident with property damage Park St. 4:05 p.m., animal problem on rustic Dr. 4:36 p.m., citizen dispute on Educational Dr. 4:48 p.m., Suspicious event on redwood Terr.

6:32 p.m., accident with property damage on Kellogg rd.

11:27 p.m., motor vehicle complaint on Douglas rd.

This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For more information, call the non-emergency number: 878-8331

16 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 17

Kunin comes of age: Governor opens up in new book

By MICHELLE MONROE SHELBURNE — There are two red chairs in former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin’s cottage on Wake Robin Drive.

The chairs probably wouldn’t draw attention except they feature in her new book Coming of Age: My Journey Into the Eighties.

For most of her life, Kunin writes, she made the places she lived into a calming refuge from the outside world.

But when she and her second husband moved to Wake Robin, she abandoned white walls and soothing neutral colors in favor of yellow walls, a red kitchen and those chairs.

The year she turned 80, she also replaced her beige Prius with one that is bright red.

Kunin and her husband, John Hennessey, Jr., had chosen the chairs specially for their cottage, but when the chairs arrived doubt set in. Pondering why she hadn’t chosen chairs in soothing neutral tones she concluded: “Part of me... no longer wanted a refuge. I wanted to bring life inside, not leave it at the door. And the red chairs did exactly that. They were red. They were vivid.”

That willingness to still try something new, to reach outside of what is known, comfortable and familiar marks Kunin’s writing as well.

PHOTO BY EMERSON LYNN

Madeline Kunin poses in one of her iconic red chairs at her home in Shelburne.

“I made myself vulnerable,” she said of the book. “I exposed myself.”

That exposure ranges from small things like the chairs or sneaking into the men’s room at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts rather than waiting in line for the ladies room and much bigger things like her father’s suicide, and the deaths of her brother and her husband.

In “Coming of Age,” Kunin turns her incisive mind inward, examining the experience of growing older in both prose and poetry.

“I was kind of intrigued with what I was experiencing and thought ‘that’s worth writing about,’” she said.

“When you’re in politics you’re sort of a one-dimensional character,” said Kunin. “I wanted to let people know who I really was.”

In politics, you also must choose your words with care, but that has changed. “As I got older I found I could say what I want,” said Kunin. “I just felt so liberated to say what I thought and heard and felt.”

Many of those thoughts and feelings center on her romance with Hennessy, whom she met at the age of 71. He was eight years older. “I joke and I say he had two qualities which were essential: He was a feminist and he was a Democrat.”

He was also comfortable being with a woman who carries the titles governor and ambassador.

“John was very comfortable with who I was. I couldn’t have written that book without him,” Kunin said. “He sort of gave me the strength and the confidence to write like this.”

As he grew older, Hennessay began to suffer from insomnia and depression. Kunin writes frankly about the challenges of loving someone who is struggling with depression, how his depression meant their life shifted between good periods when they spoke together of the travels they’d still like to take and darker ones.

Kunin also writes of those things women her age are not expected to experience, or at least not to speak of – attraction, flirtation and sex.

She writes of the loss of sex with John and other men she noticed and felt attracted to. “Older people still enjoy making love,” Kunin wrote, quoting columnist Jane E. Brody, “but we’re not supposed to talk about it.”

Kunin agonized over including the

See KUNIN, page 18

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KUNIN from page 17 parts about sex, but “I thought I could connect with some people,” she said.

The pace of her life has changed. “You have time to stop and look at a tree,” she said. “I see more. I stop to see more.

“Maybe it’s knowing you’re not going to be around

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forever.”

Aging, she said, is seen as a problem, a burden. “We venerate youth,” said Kunin.

But there are still “new things to be discovered, new ideas, new people,” she said.

Before she became Vermont’s first female governor, Kunin was a journalist. She attended the Columbia School of Journalism, and while her male counterparts went to work as copy boys at the New

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York Times, she was offered a job in the cafeteria. She turned it down.

After graduation, she was one of three candidates for a job with the Washington Post.

When they called to tell her they had hired someone else, “the only thing they had to say was ‘we decided to give the job to a man,’” she recalled.

She ultimately wrote for the Burlington Free Press for a year.

Her older brother, Edgar, was also a journalist, a Pulitzer Prize winning one. Still, he followed her into the legislature, becoming chair of the Senate committee dealing with the budget just as she became governor.

Their closeness was tinged with competitiveness.

“In the process of writing, I discovered he had a tough time with me, but we were very close,” she said.

It was Edgar who discouraged her from attending the London School of Economics instead of Columbia, so she would remain close to their mother. A month later Kunin discovered Edgar was taking a trip to Europe. Edgar, unlike Kunin, had not asked their mother for permission.

The differing rules and expectations for men and women

did not sit well with Kunin. “I was basically a feminist before the movement,” she said.

It was after spending a year in Switzerland, observing the efforts of Swiss women to secure the right to vote, which they did not gain until 1971, and reading the writings of Betty Freidan and others, that inspired her to run for the Vermont legislature.

She has remained committed to getting women into public office, founding Emerge Vermont, to support female candidates, and speaking at the Women’s March in Montpelier in 2017.

But she didn’t want this book to be about politics.

Instead, she writes of her mother, a Jewish woman fleeing Europe with two young children during World War II. “Only later did I fully appreciate my mother’s courage,” said Kunin.

While serving as the ambassador to Switzerland, Kunin’s diplomatic efforts centered on getting the Swiss to release money and valuables which had been left in Swiss banks by Holocaust victims.

She also used her time in Europe to try to visit the facility where her father stayed prior to his suicide. He had served in World War I and

likely suffered from post-traumatic stress.

Kunin said she wanted people to know and understand her family’s history, W where she came from, that she had grown up in a single- c parent home.

W Although she avoided politics in the book, she is still T s paying attention. “I’m very concerned about what is hap- a pening in our country,” Kunin i l said. t “I still believe in the power of democracy to move c t us from the far fight to the s center,” she added, saying the most hopeful sign she has t seen is the number of women elected last fall. “When people hope for change it comes down to the ballot box.”

The need for an instantaneous response to every criticism or event concerns her. “That’s dangerous,” said Kunin. “You have to use discretion.”

“The worse case would be if start a war based on tweets.”

“That’s one of the characteristics of this president, he punches back immediately,” she observed. “Facts have been dismissed. That’s so scary. He can say anything and his diehard supporters will believe him.”

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from page 1 “It would be upsetting and a waste of everyone’s time and money if we continue on this path and then at the last minute there are political problems meeting the deadline,” she said.

Beyond choosing the 2020 goal, last week’s meeting contributed little toward the work that lies ahead. Officials are still waiting on their governance subcommittee, comprised of two members of each board, to detail the options at their disposal; the group shared a draft last fall but asked for more time to produce the final document. Now, it plans to share the final report at a joint meeting next month. And the boards have yet to dig in on issues like tax equity and representation that many believe have stalled prior merger efforts.

All this needs to be finished by August 2020 so the question is available for early voting ballots.

But before any of that, officials must determine who will do that work: the subcommittee or the full board membership.

Selectman Andy Watts prefers the latter option. He’s repeatedly argued against keeping the subcommittee beyond its initial charge.

Noting the delays, he called the group’s process “disappointing” and said he’d prefer the two boards handle it from here.

But other officials are skeptical that the two boards could tackle it all in addition to the other business now addressed during their joint meetings.

“When you have a complex issue like this

… It’s the whole reason you have committees,” Tyler said.

They agreed to decide the subcommittee’s fate next month before coming up with a tentative timeline for the remaining work.

Governance discussions continue to progress under the subtext of a potential merger after officials publicly stated last year that their goal for the town and village is a single municipality. Last week’s meeting was no different, but officials remain careful not to suggest it’s the only option, lest it appear their decision is a forgone conclusion – a lesson drawn from past failures at the polls, including the 2016 attempt to create a recreation district.

That’s why Selectwoman Irene Wrenner suggested the boards think about an approach in line with consolidation efforts over the last few years, in which the town and village have made incremental steps toward shared services, securing residents’ buy-in along the way.

“I wouldn’t want to just eat the elephant all at once just because 2020 is looming large,” she said. “I want to do what we’re confident people are happy with and understand.” She suggested officials consider codifying what’s already been done and then tackle more down the road.

Agreeing they shouldn’t box themselves in, Tyler felt the wording of their motion last week – authorizing the boards to collaborate on a “governance change proposal” – gives them some wiggle room.

“It’s adequately vague,” he said.

LETTERS from page 9

Wrenner strong advocate for community This letter is in support for Irene Wrenner who is running for the Essex Town Selectboard March 5th. As an Essex resident, I appreciate Irene’s strong advocacy for our entire community. An independent thinker and an objective listener, Irene works to fully understand the complexity of bringing the Essex community together. Hardly someone to rubber stamp decisions just for the sake of moving on, Irene’s attention to detail is critical, as is her insistence

,

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 19

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that the board examines the issues from many sides. We are very fortunate to have such a hard-working person who is willing to not only work on the board but also to travel door-to-door to update us about the issues and understand our concerns. Please consider re-electing this well-informed and experienced member, as the Selectboard continues to tackle important issues concerning the future of Essex. I sincerely hope that you will vote for Irene Wrenner on March 5th.

Carole Renca

Encouraging support for Wrenner We appreciate Irene Wrenner’s willingness to continue serving on the Essex Selectboard and encourage citizens to support her candidacy in the March 4 election. Irene has promoted transparency and inclusion of divergent viewpoints, gotten accurate information to citizens, and stood for due, civil and open process.

Irene’s thoughtfulness, experience and commitment will serve us well in coming years.

Karin Hammer-Williamson and Larry Dean

What do you think?

Email your letter (450 words or fewer) to news@essexreporter.com.

Please include your full name, address and phone number for verification, or give us a call at 878-5282 as soon as you email it to confirm submission. Deadline: Fridays at 5 p.m.

The Experience You Deserve This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For more information, call the non-emergency number: 878-8331

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