Essex Reporter: May 24, 2018

May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 1

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Teacher surrenders license after state investigation

By MIKE DONOGHUE

PHOTOS BY COLIN FLANDERS

TOP: Sen. Bernie Sanders listens to a student during a forum at Essex High School last Friday. The forum included six Vermont employers who discussed career opportunities after high school. BELOW: A student answers a question during the forum.

Sanders hosts forum in Essex Senator talks college, workforce opportunities with employers and students

By COLIN FLANDERS

MONTPELIER – Lawyers for the Backstage Pub & Restaurant and the Vermont Liquor Control Department have until June 1 to file proposed findings on whether the Essex bar should have its licenses suspended or revoked.

Norman Blais, the lawyer for bar owner Vincent Dober Sr., maintained during a state liquor board hearing last week that his client was unfairly charged.

The board voted 3-0 to dismiss one of three misconduct charges against Dober, this one saying he failed to provide an alcohol breath test when requested by a Vermont Liquor Control investigator on April 28.

VLCB member Tom Lauzon noted the board had earlier imposed a special condition that Dober, when working, provide a breath test when requested by law enforcement.

Dober, 53, of Burlington testified he was not working that night and was actually outside waiting for a ride when a liquor investigator stopped at the bar.

Investigator Jay Clark testified he received two anonymous texts that Dober was intoxicated at his bar at 60 Pearl St. that night. Clark, an investigator for 16 years and a former Milton police officer, also testified Dober failed to provide a sufficient breath sample when asked several times to blow into the testing device.

See TEACHER, page 2

School board backs BLM flag requests

By COLIN FLANDERS

High schools across the country send another wave of graduates into the world next month. For some, their first post-graduation step is into a dorm for the first semester of college; for others, it’s punching in on the first day of work.

Either way, there are options. That was the message from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and a half-dozen Vermont employers at a forum last week that covered career opportunities after high school.

"The goal of today is to make sure that no matter what your choice may be in terms of where you go after high school, you have as many options and have as much knowledge about what is out there," Sanders said.

The forum hosted students from the Center for Technology, Essex; Burlington Technical Center and Northwest Technical Center at Essex High School. Sanders was joined by representatives from Community Health Centers of Burlington, GlobalFoundries, Hazelett Corporation, NuHarbor Security, PC Construction and SunCommon.

Several technical education students said their secondary education has covered the opportunities out there through various school programming and job placements, and they felt prepared to decide.

But some students at the forum still reported feeling pressure from family or friends to attend college after high school despite not knowing what they’d like to do.

“It’d just be nice to have more time,” said one student, who wished there was less stigma about heading into college

The Black Lives Matter flag will fly at Essex High School and Westford Elementary for the remainder of the school year after two student requests earned unanimous school board support last week.

The issue was back before the board for the third time since a trio of Westford students asked permission to hoist the flag at their K-8 school. A group of Essex High School also attended for the first-time Tuesday night with its own request.

“I feel accomplished,” Westford seventhgrader Rosie Whitney said after the decisions.

“Like we finally got it done.”

Her two schoolmates, Belle Pitcher and Virginia Cobb, agreed, as did Denetra Reeves, a sophomore at EHS who garnered about 400 signatures on a petition she started in February.

Reeves attended the May 15 meeting along with some members of the school’s diversity club. She said she was inspired by other Vermont schools that raised the flag, including Montpelier and Burlington.

“It brings us all together,” she said.

The board delayed a decision on West-

See SANDERS, page 2

See BLM, page 3

Vt. Liquor Board hears Dober’s case

By MIKE DONOGHUE

An Essex High School music teacher, who abruptly resigned in the fall, has surrendered his teaching license following allegations he “engaged in inappropriate conduct with a student,” discipline records from the Vermont Agency of Education show.

The teaching license for Nick Stokes, who worked in Essex for two years, was not due to expire until June 2022. Records show Stokes also gave up his second education license to serve as a school principal, due to expire on June 30. Both licenses covered grades pre-kindergarten through 12.

The Essex-Westford School District, which employed Stokes, never announced his departure from the school or the disciplinary action taken by the Vt. AOE, which did the independent investigation into his conduct.

Superintendent Beth Cobb said she believed she was unable to say anything because her office was working with the AOE and it involved personnel.

Cobb did say public records show the school district placed Stokes on paid administrative leave on Sept. 20, 2017 where he remained until he resigned effective Oct. 11, 2017.

The Vt. Agency of Education says the initial complaint against Stokes is not considered public information, according to spokesperson Haley Jones.

The agency did provide a one-page agreement signed by former Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe and Stokes, but it never says why the state sought to have him surrender his two education licenses.

The agreement says Stokes “does not admit to the allegation … but accepts the terms of this agreement in order to avoid

Dober’s eyes were watery and bloodshot, he smelled of intoxicants, his speech heavily slurred and he was unsteady on his feet, Clark said.

When asked for the breath test, Dober responded, “I don’t want to do that,” Clark told the board. Reminded about the special condition on his license, Dober said, “Let me play,” Clark said. Clark said he responded, “This is not a game.”

The breath test condition was added to Dober’s liquor license last month following an incident in February when Dober was found tending bar with a blood-alcohol level of .172 percent. Dober paid a $350 fine for being impaired and for overserving a patron that night, records show.

Dober said he didn’t give the breath test in April because he was sick and had difficulty breathing. He said he’d vomited and took medicine that day but continued to cough.

Dober said he went to the emergency room the next day, which Blais backed up with a medical report from the UVM Medical Center, showing Dober was treated for bronchitis, fluid in his lungs and upper respiratory issues.

Still unresolved before the liquor board are two other charges: that Dober was overserved and allowed to remain on the premises that night, and an unrelated charge of failing to disSee DOBER, page 4

BLASTS FROM THE PAST

COURTESY PHOTO

The Brownell Library, pictured here on its dedication in 1926, is hosting a series that will trace the history of the village of Essex Jct. The series will span three events in June and include an exhibit of nine newly digitized photos like this one. See page 2 for more details.

2•

The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

LocaL

Essex resident participates in every sleep out

By COLIN FLANDERS Hundreds of people have braved the cold weather to sleep outside in solidarity with the homeless during the annual Spectrum Sleep Out event. But only one has done so every year since its conception: Essex resident Tawnya Safer.

Safer said she came across the Spectrum website while researching ways to volunteer in the community.

She signed up for the first event without reading too much into it.

“I understood that Spectrum helped youth and young adults who face challenges that they should never have to face and certainly shouldn’t have to face alone,” she explained in an email. “That’s all I really needed to know.”

Essex resident Mark Redmond, executive director of Spectrum Services, recalled that first sleep out, where he first met Safer. About 40 people signed up, and the temperature dipped well below freezing. Everyone in the group — most were business leaders from the area — went around and introduced themselves.

When it was Safer’s turn, she admitted she made a mistake. She wasn’t a bank president or a lawyer with some important firm.

“I’m a mom, and I’m not really a leader,” she said, according to Redmond. “I don’t think I belong here.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Tawnya Safer grabs a cardboard box before the 2014 Spectrum Sleepout. The Essex resident is the only person to participate in all seven sleepouts.

But one of the participants walked over, put his hands on her shoulder and said: “That’s not true. You do belong here. You’re out with us, and you’re going to sleep in the cold and the snow. You’re a leader.”

“I will never forget that,” Redmond said. “It made such an impression on me.”

Seven years later, Safer said the sleep out has remained a life-changing experience. She said the events have helped her develop more compassion, and notes that while sleep-

SANDERS from page 1

ing out for one night a year is just “one small act of kindness,” it can make a difference. It’s also helped her develop more compassion for people who must endure circumstances “no one ever should.”

“Everyone has a story,” she said.

“I only had to endure one night out on the lawn to know that.”

Redmond started the sleep out in 2012 after, like so many non-profits, his organization began seeing its grant money dissipate over time.

Knowing he needed to find a way to raise money from private sources, he drew on an idea from a shelter he used to volunteer at in New York City 37 years ago.

Since 2012, he estimated Safer has helped raise thousands. He commended her for being “unbelievably committed” and said he “admire[s] the heck out of her.”

“She’s just a humble, caring person,” Redmond said. “She personifies the best of Essex and the best of Vermont. This kind of quiet, humble service to help those in need.”

Safer, meanwhile, deflects praise toward Spectrum, which she said offers the community hope each day.

She also offered a bit of advice for anyone looking to make a difference.

“If you want to have more impact, give more heart in all you do,” she said. “Compassion goes a long way.”

undecided.

Soaring tuition rates make these decisions even more important because a single semester can cost tens of thousands of dollars. But employers present said there’s time to figure out your interests, and make some money, too.

They pointed to successes at their own companies by people who either dropped out of college or didn’t attend, like at Colchester-based Hazelett, where the company’s vice president of manufacturing began with a high school degree and is now making over six figures.

And most of the companies said they offer tuition aid programs to employees so education doesn’t have to stop after joining the workforce. In fact, that’s sometimes the best way to find your interests, said Nancy Smith, a senior human resource professional at GlobalFoundries.

"It gives you more information about what you might want to do, and then when you go back, you go back with more of a purpose,” she said.

Convincing grads that college doesn’t have to be their magnum opus goes beyond a public service for major employers. Many struggle to fill open positions, including here in Vermont, meaning those now-high schoolers may be tomorrow’s coveted hires.

So employers couldn’t help but offer some elevator

TEACHER from page 1 litigation.” The signed stipulation said it would be subject to public disclosure, but the education agency agreed never to reveal details of the charge to taxpayers.

The agency also never issued any public notice except eventually posting it on its website. Stokes waived his right to a hearing, according to the signed agreement. Multiple efforts to reach Stokes for comment were unsuccessful.

Stokes was represented by the Vermont chapter of the National Education Association. Attempts to reach executive director Jeff Fannon in Montpelier were unsuccessful.

Vermont’s AOE has a wide range of options for discipline, but in recent years has tried to avoid conducting public hearings on misconduct charges. The last AOE discipline hearing was March 13, 2015 for a Milton Elementary School teacher.

The agency website

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pitches at the forum. And to the surprise of several older attendees, they all agreed on the best place to apply for a job at their company: online (yes, in some cases, even Craigslist).

Technical education offers students a chance to earn industry-recognized credentials that can help them secure jobs out of school. That can be an enticing opportunity in lieu of taking on thousands in debt, and often students leave high school with a job lined up.

For example, 12 of the 14 students who graduated from Northwest Technical Center’s building trades program last year found jobs in plumbing, electrical, design, heating, ventilation and air conditioning; and masonry or planned to attend trade school that summer or fall.

But a nationwide worker shortage hasn’t made providing technical education any easier, and some centers face program cuts due to declining enrollment, including in Essex.

CTE director Bob Travers previously said that’s due, in part, to the stigma attached to technical education — the belief that it’s an alternative form of school for those who can’t cut regular high school.

He said forums like last week’s help show highschoolers that technical education is a viable path.

And for students there now, it only reinforces their decisions.

“It’s a micro-message, but it’s a positive [one],” Travers said. shows most Vermont cases are resolved by privately reprimanding the teachers, who remain anonymous.

Other times, a teacher surrenders a license with no specifics provided to parents of students or other members of the public.

Out of 26 cases since 2015 that were still displayed on the state website as of Monday, voluntary surrenders happened 12 times, and private reprimands occurred in 10 cases. The website notes out of the remaining four cases, three were public reprimands and one was a retroactive suspension.

The only teacher disciplined since Stokes received a private reprimand April 20 was for the same general allegation of inappropriate conduct. The April 20 case involving the unnamed teacher in an unnamed school and district only shows the incident was “with students,” but the AOE doesn’t say how many.

Stokes was a music teacher and department chair for the Baltimore County Public Schools from August 2009 to June 2015, when he moved to Vermont. Public records show Stokes was hired at Essex High on Aug. 20, 2015 and was scheduled to be paid $67,185 for the current academic year.

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May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 3

LocaL BLM from page 1 ford’s request earlier this month after legal counsel suggested members create guidelines before weighing in.

On May 15, superintendent Beth Cobb offered a new procedure that says all requests must come through the administration before they’re sent to the school board.

Requests must be student-led, time-specific and include a petition showing student support. Hearing that earlier this month, Westford students returned with a petition of 35 students — just under half of the 5-8 student body.

The procedure also says students younger than middle school can neither be asked for support nor can they put forward requests of their own, and the board holds the right to evaluate whether any flag is offensive or “contrary to the values of EWSD.” Some board members said they hoped to see an added component that pushes requests beyond just raising a flag — what they see as a symbolic gesture — into a broader discussion about whatever issue students champion. Cobb said that would be on her list of questions when requests land on her desk.

The procedure was based on legal advice outlined at the board’s May 1 meeting, at which some audience members had questioned the vagueness of the timeframe.

Board chairwoman Martha Heath said counsel followed up last week and said the flagpole should be primarily for American and Vermont flags, while other requests should be for “very limited periods of time.”

Member Kim Gleason added the lawyer’s reasoning centered on the board “asserting control over the flagpole.”

“Having it be wide open and longer,” she explained, “we are in some ways not asserting the control that is ours.”

The assertion of government speech shouldn’t take precedent over the desires of the student body, however, said Henry Harris, a member of the Vermont National Lawyers Guild.

“I really applaud the spirit of trying to support and promote student agency wherever we get the opportunity,” he said. “This is where we’ve got it.”

The board eventually decided to allow the flag to be raised at Westford for the rest of the school year. After that, students must return with another request.

EHS students offered a similar request when it was their turn.

Dominque Sweat, a senior and member of the diversity club, said it’s important for Essex High School, where only 4 percent of students are African American, to show it’s an inclusive and supportive community for all people.

Sweat said the club understands there may be some negative response from some who disagree with their request, but she believed the benefits outweighed that risk.

“By flying the Black Lives Matter flag, we hope that it will spark thoughtful discussion on race in our community,” Sweat said.

The club wants to raise the flag during the school’s advisory period and would like to host a ceremony with speakers for any students who would like to attend. The club’s adviser, school counselor Andrew Roy, said it planned to meet Thursday after school to make some decisions.

The BLM requests have sparked debate across social media platforms in recent weeks, and a few parents have attended meetings with their own concerns.

Derek Cote, whose son goes to Hiawatha, urged the board back in February to resist following the trend set by Burlington and Montpelier. He called the Black Lives Matter flag a “racially motivated idea” that calls out a certain group of people and “gives everybody else the finger.”

On Tuesday, he again questioned why a flag representing a political group should be allowed to fly at a public school. Heath said the board’s lawyer ruled the flag did not represent a political movement, but Cote wasn’t convinced.

“It’s no different than asking to fly the Make America Great Again flag, or Obama for president. Same as asking to fly a Confederate battle flag. Where do you make the distinction?” he asked.

Cote also directed questions toward the EHS students, asking why they didn’t choose to instead raise the All Lives Matter flag, which he has flying in his front yard.

“To show that we are a diverse community,” Sweat said. “And that we like to talk about race issues and we like to get African Americans involved.” She added the club is new and the flag is just the start of its work.

Most speakers at the May 15 meeting did support the student requests. One attendee brought a Black Lives Matter lawn sign. Others pushed back against Cote. “[BLM] is saying all lives matter,” Alissa Parrish said. “It is saying black lives matter, too. It’s about inclusion.”

The Westford students were visibly jubilant outside the high school after the board’s decision. They said it was a long process, but they were happy the work paid off. They wasted no time, either, raising the flag on Wednesday morning.

All three said they will request raising the flag again next school year and looked forward to bringing in any younger students who also wish to participate.

Following the votes, Heath spoke directly to the Westford students. She said their work has been “exemplary,” and she thanked them for their patience.

Cobb shared a similar sentiment. “You paved the pathway,” she said.

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The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

LocaL

ADL wins 2ndstraight Geo Bee

Brownell Library to host local history series

Albert D. Lawton defended its Geo Bee title with a second-straight championship May 12 at the VPA State Geo Bee Championships held at Northfield High School.

The team battled two other regional winners – Orleans Elementary School (Barton) and Albert Bridge School (Windsor) – through 12 extremely difficult rounds to win their second title in two years.

Longtime ADL Humanities teacher Peter Gustafson is the Geo Bee Coach for the Chargers. " I am so proud of our team for meeting the challlenge and winning their second straight Geo Bee title in a row. In the 35 year history of the VPA Geo Bee competition this has only happened once before," he said in a news release.

Competing on the stage for the ADL Champions were 6th graders Jonathon Tupaj and Normal Lamaichane, 7th graders Katie Adams and Keegan Jewell and 8th graders Kaito Esselstrom and Sophia Smith.

Other members of the State Champion Charger Geo Bee team include: Tekla Holm Brown(7), Riley Ashe(6), Braden Cummings(8), Eamon Kemerer(7), Theordore Sopchak(6) Shankha Mitra(7) and team manager Alexis Lyman(7).

"We could never have won today without our entire team working hard for 5 months," Gustafon said in a news release.

The Brownell Library is hosting a local history event series next month to celebrate the unearthing of photos taken nearly 100 years ago.

The series, History at the Heart of the Village, is being organized by library trustees and staff and will take place across three events in June.

Library director Wendy Hysko said library staff sought to find old pictures of Brownell during the carpet renovations several years ago after they heard the building used to have wood floors.

Former director Penny Pillsbury stopped by one day and, hearing of their search, mentioned a box in the village vault that no one on staff knew about.

Indeed, there sat a box of 92-year-old photos depicting the dedication of the Brownell Library on July 20, 1926. Staff brought them to John’s Darkroom, where they were digitized, printed and framed in a project jointly funded by the Brownell Library Foundation, the library trustees and the Penny Pillsbury Re-

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DOBER from page 1

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close misdemeanor criminal convictions in New York last fall related to unlawfully possessing firearms and a high capacity magazine.

Dober said he has never run afoul with the liquor control department. He said as a former city councilor in Burlington, he headed the liquor license committee. He said he has owned the bar for almost five years, but it is struggling.

“The bar is not making any money,” Dober told the

tirement Fund.

The nine digital prints are now on display in the Kolvoord Community Room, where the event series kicks off June 1 at 6:30 p.m.

The next day, residents are invited to bring their own historical photos of the village and have them scanned. An assortment of those photos will then be uploaded into a database attached to the new library website, which is currently in development, and every participant will get free

digital copies of their photographs even if they don’t want them to appear in the archive.

The series planners have also scheduled a story sharing time on the evening of June 13, where featured storyteller and longtime Essex Jct. resident Carl Houghton will drop some knowledge of his decades in the village. A roundtable discussion from other lifelong residents, young and old, will follow.

The old Brownell photos, which have been in

storage for decades, will be on display throughout the month. Hysko said it’s amazing to see how the library has grown from a reading room into what it is today.

The photos have served a purpose beyond nostalgia, though: They helped ensure the chimney repointing project respected the historic nature of the building, Hysko said. She added she’s looking forward to seeing some of the old photos people bring in and tracking the village’s growth.

“We’re a repository of information, and knowing a lot of historians, there’s just so much work they do to uncover history,” she said. “If we could make it more readily available, there’s definite value in doing that.”

Plus, photographs immortalize the here and now; what’s common today may be tomorrow’s history. As proof, Hysko pointed across the street to TD Bank.

That used to be Samuel Brownell’s house, she said.

“You can just value what the village used to look like and what it may look like in 30 years,” she said.

“It could be entirely different.”

board.

Dober said he believed he had three draft beers between 5:45 and 9:30 p.m., but a bartender thought there was a fourth.

The board will issue a written order once both sides submit legal arguments.

The gun violations related to a Sept. 20, 2017 incident when a Vermont state trooper attempted to stop Dober on Vermont 17 near the Champlain Bridge.

Dober continued over the bridge and stopped on the New York side, where a Vermont trooper issued him two tickets and alerted New York State police to the firearms.

Police found numerous guns, including an AR-15, 40-caliber carbine and sev-

eral handguns, in his truck; two of them were loaded.

Dober testified he thought he was charged with six felonies and seven misdemeanors in New York, but in the end, he was convicted of two misdemeanors and an alcohol violation.

He said he was a longtime marksman and was headed to a shooting competition in Akron, Ohio.

Dober told the board he believes his blood-alcohol level then was .057 percent, and he plead to a civil alcohol driving violation in New York.

“I did get all my guns back,” Dober testified. “It’s embarrassing.”

The state maintains Dober, while he did note on his liquor license renewal that he had some legal problems

last fall, never indicated the court or the violations.

Dober said he assumed Vermont liquor control would be run a full criminal check because of the notation.

The Essex Selectboard renewed Backstage’s license but said it would hold a hearing on possible discipline due to town police’s concerns with the venue.

Essex police say there were 26 offenses between Jan. 1, 2017 and April 4, 2018 that generated some kind of police response to Backstage, including at least seven documented cases of driving under the influence.

The other complaints include five assaults, two disorderly conduct, nine intoxicated persons and one non-fatal drug overdose, police said.

COURTESY PHOTO

A photo from 1926 shows the Brownell Library's main reading room.

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opinion & community LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Postal Service helps Aunt Dot's Place stamp out hunger!

Aunt Dot's Place, the Essex food shelf on Route 15 in the Town of Essex, wants to thank the Essex Rural Route Postal Carriers and Essex community members for the outstanding response to the postal service "Fill a Bag" drive.

On Saturday, May 12, 2018, Essex

Rural Route Carriers delivered more than 3000 pounds of non-perishable food to Aunt Dot's Place. Aunt Dot's is grateful to be the benefactor of this food drive that occurred at a time of the year when food drives are few and far between. Essex town residents were given a plastic bag with instructions to fill it with non-perishable food for their letter carriers to pick up on

Saturday. The response was more than Aunt Dot's could have imagined.

The support of the Essex Post Office and community members really made a difference to the families Aunt Dot's serves and is appreciated by the board and volunteers of Aunt Dot's Place.

Mary Brooks

PERSPECTIVE: STATE ISSUES

Will 'sober centrists' ever return to debate?

By EMERSON LYNN As we step onto the first stage leading to the general election in November the thought is that a unpopular president is giving rise to our better selves; we’ve tasted the extreme and the unconventional and found it lacking. We want the political pendulum to swing back toward the center.

But what if it doesn’t? What convinces us that the way we communicate is about to bring us back to something that resembles normalcy?

If we look to other nations what makes us so sure that the populist rants we hear elsewhere don’t make their homes here? That’s another way of asking whether there is the appetite for the return of the “sober centrists,” those who specialize in telling us what we don’t want to hear, that compromise is unavoidable, and that there are no easy answers.

These centrists typically are considered the educated elite and their messages are decidedly unappealing to people who want quick fixes or radical change. President Trump is more

to their liking; he rejects the status quo and he has done so brilliantly.

And for good reason. As a nation we’ve been at a stalemate for a long time and saddled with a system that has been ineffective. Mr. Trump was elected to fix what many Americans thought was broken.

But, to use a Vermont example, Bernie Sanders isn’t any more inclined to be a “sober centrist” than Mr. Trump. He uses the same sorts of polemics Mr. Trump uses, but from the far left.

It’s like a game of ping-pong. The action is on both ends, never in the middle.

When a leader fails, or promises are broken, our response is not to find those who told us the dirty little secret - that good policy isn’t zero-sum game - it’s to lurch to those who promise an even more radical approach, and even greater winnings.

This rejection of the political middle is brought about by the enhanced ability of single-interest groups to mobilize online, and to push their own agendas to the political extremes. By

definition, these groups are not interested in anything other than their own causes and they are highly skilled in their abilities to distort and persuade.

To push their causes forward they are beginning to find like-minded groups embracing similar causes.

This patchwork of alliances is problematic for a two-party system like our own. As we push the extremes to the edges the question is what holds it together.

It used to be thought that the truth brought us back to the center.

But our collective ability to create our own truths, and to disseminate that “truth” without it needing to be passed through any filter, has put the center at risk.

We’re watching this play out across the globe. Our hope is that we don’t fall into the same irrational pattern. There is no stability at either extreme.

Emerson Lynn is co-publisher of The Essex Reporter and publisher of The St. Albans Messenger, where this editorial first appeared.

OBITUARIES & IN MEMORIAM

David R. Prior David Robert Prior, 59, of Shelburne passed away

David Gaworecki ST. ALBANS – David Gaworecki, 41, of St. Albans died unexpectedly Tuesday, May 15 at home on Philomena Drive. He was born April 19, 1977 in Burlington, the son of John and Diane

Friday, April 27, after an eight-year battle with cancer.

David is known for his love of family, friends, antiques, bees, Hermit Island (Maine),and his dogs, Cooper and Eli. He took great pride in being able to return to live in Vermont after many years away.

He is survived by his wife, Kristin, who has been an amazing caregiver throughout his illness, and by his beloved son, Lynden.

David was very proud to see Lynden graduate from UVM this past spring. He is also survived by his four siblings, Duane (Sarah), Doug (Peggy), Donna (Tim), Den-

Gaworecki.

David was a graduate of Essex Junction High School, Class of 1995, and graduated from St. Michael’s College in 2000 with a degree in business administration.

On Sept. 5, 2015, he was married in St. Pius X Church to Jennifer Corbiere of Swanton. His daughter, Ava, was born on March 22, 2017.

David worked at Vermont Mutual Insurance and had previously spent many years at People’s United Bank as an insurance underwriter.

David was a loving husband, father, son and brother. He will truly be remembered by his jokes, smiles, generosity and sense of humor. His love of wrestling, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, baseball, movies and comics are what he loved to talk about, and he quickly

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nis (Marcia), his sister-inlaw Mary, and many devoted nieces and nephews.

He was an active member of the Vermont Beekeepers Association and was an enthusiastic educator of beekeeping skills. His honey often won awards at the state fair.

The family would like to thank the staff on Shepherdson 4 and at Hematology/Oncology Center at UVM Medical for their loving care of David.

In lieu of flowers, kindly support the nonprofit Vermont Multiple Myeloma support group (Kay Crombie, 53 Cedar St., Winooski, VT 05404) or the Massa-

made friends with anyone he met with shared interests. Dave had many friends and made more wherever he went. His friends from high school, Scouts, work, college and even concerts always kept in touch with him throughout the years.

In his youth, David was very active in Scouting, from Cub Scouts in Pack 635 and Boy Scouts Troop 635 in Essex. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting. One of his proudest achievements in Scouting was building a press box for the Essex Little League field, which is still used today.

David is survived by Jennifer Gaworecki, his daughter, Ava Gaworecki; his parents John and Diane Gaworecki; his brother, Mark Gaworecki, his wife, Amber Gaworecki, and their

chusetts General Hospital Multiple Myeloma Program (Massachusetts General Hospital, c/o Development Office, Attn: Tyrone Latin, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114) The family will receive visitors from 6:30-8 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, at Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Rd. A celebration of David's life will be held Sunday, April 29 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 5171 Shelburne Rd., at 3 p.m.

Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral and Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit www.readyfuneral.com.

children Emmett and Evan Gaworecki; by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends (including those with four legs).

Calling hours were held Tuesday, May 22, 2018 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Ready Funeral Home Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Dr., Essex Jct. A mass of Christian burial will be said on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 20 Jericho Rd., Essex Center at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Resurrection Park, Hinesburg Road, South Burlington.

In lieu of flowers donations, may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, 1 Kennedy Dr. Suite L8, South Burlington, VT 05403.

To place online condolences please visit www.readyfuneral.com

So why not be heard?

Submit your letter to the editor to news@essexreporter.com by 5 p.m. Friday.

Include your name, address, phone number and up to 450 words.

The rest is up to you.

May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 5

Debate policy without attacks

By Rep. Dylan Giambatista (D) and Rep. Corey Parent (R)

H

ow many times have you heard it said that politics in Vermont is different from other states? We’ve all read stories that seem to set our collaborative tradition apart from Washington DC. Most point to the scale of our small cities and towns as evidence that we are different, and that our political speech can and will remain so. But ultimately, it’s hard to engage with the social media swirling around Montpelier debates without drawing the conclusion that we have become less civil, and that there may be no turning back. We write to challenge and reverse this trend.

We are two newer faces in Vermont political circles. We’re both millennials who serve in the House. One of us caucuses with the Democratic caucus and the other with the Republicans. We seldom vote the same way and sometimes strongly disagree. Neither of us thinks the other is right 100% of the time. In truth, we don’t expect to.

Given the tone of some of the recent debates we’ve heard in Montpelier and Washington DC, you might think we’d run in different circles. And indeed, we often do. But we also touch base almost every morning and talk about the issues and proposals in front of us. We engage to better understand our differences with the goal of finding common ground. If one of thinks the other is wrong, we call it out. But we don’t call names, and we don’t seek to trash the other.

We’re millennials who use social media to communicate. Both of us acknowledge that we’ve used these platforms to convey the occasional snarky message. It’s no surprise. We’re coming of age in a new frontier where 140+ characters of off-color language is normalized by celebrity politicians and commentators. We get it, but we also see the destructive nature of it.

So what can we do? We can start by acknowledging that trashing one another on social media isn’t helping. We gain little from an absence of facts or personal attacks. Now more than ever, we need to have a vigorous debate that takes into consideration all points of view. Failure to do so will lead to just that — failed ideas, and a missed opportunity to learn from a neighbor who may not share 100% of your beliefs, but does share your community.

We shouldn’t let go of an opportunity to learn from one another and challenge each other with civility — good public policy and a better Vermont depend on it. As the 2018 campaign season opens, we commit to doing better. We need to focus on the issues and to debate each other on the merits of policy, with facts, and not personal attacks. We challenge others to join us.

Dylan Giambatista is a State Representative for the Village of Essex Jct. who serves on the House Education Committe. Corey Parent is a State Representative for the Franklin 3-1 District. He is the ranking member of the House House Energy and Technology Committee.

Essex Reporter obituary policy The Essex Reporter prints obituaries for a flat fee of $45 for the first 300 words, plus 39 cents per word thereafter. Obituaries must be prepaid before publication. Contact us at news@essexreporter.com today to place an obituary or in memoriam.

THE ESSEX

REPORTER EXECUTIVE EDITOR Courtney A. Lamdin

CO-PUBLISHERS Emerson & Suzanne Lynn

REPORTERS Colin Flanders

GENERAL MANAGER Suzanne Lynn

NEWS & SPORTS CLERK Ben Chiappinelli

ADVERTISING Casey Toof John Kelley

CLASSIFIEDS Gail Wells 69 Main Street P.O. Box 163 Milton, VT 05468

893-2028 news@essexreporter.com www.essexreporter.com

BUSINESS OFFICE St. Albans Messenger 281 North Main Street St. Albans, VT 05478 524-9771 (office), 527-1948 (fax)

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

6•

The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

calendar

EssEx ArEA

Religious Directory

May 26

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.; FundamentalIndependent.

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. Brent Devenney, lead pastor. Sunday service: 10:30 a.m., AWANA: Thursdays twice a month, www.daybreakvermont.org; brentdaybreak@gmail.com ESSEX ALLIANCE CHURCH - 37 Old Stage Road, Essex Jct. 878-8213. Sunday services: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m., www.essexalliance.org.

ESSEX CENTER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 119 Center Rd (Route 15), Essex. 878-8304. Rev. Mitchell Hay, pastor. Service 10:00 a.m. 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 - 1 Church Street, Essex Jct. 878-5745. Rev. Mark Mendes, senior pastor. Rev. Josh Simon, associate pastor. Sunday Worship Services: 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Communion: first Sunday of every month. Faith formation: weekly at 10:15 a.m. Jr. & Sr. high youth groups: every Sunday. Heavenly Food Pantry: second Monday of the month, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. and fourth Thursday, 2 – 6 p.m., except for Nov. & Dec. when it is the third Thursday. Essex Eats Out community dinner: 1st Friday of the month, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Music includes Sanctuary Choir, Finally @ First Band, Joyful Noise, Cherub Music, Handbell Choir, Men’s Acapella & Ladies’ Acapella groups. 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. www.fccej.org; welcome@fccej. org gRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 130 Maple Street, Essex Jct., 1 mile south of the Five Corners on Maple Street / Route 117. 878-8071. 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. 8784014. 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.

archive PhoTo

Memorial Day celebrations begin in Essex at 10 a.m. when the annual parade weaves its way across routes 2A and 15. Then walk around town for other activities like the Essex Rescue open house starting around 11 a.m. See the calendar listings for Saturday, May 26 for Memorial Day festivity details.

24 Thursday Baked Beads TenT sales

10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1068 Williston Rd., South Burlington. All jewelry and scarves will be priced at 75 percent less than regular retail (jewelry $5, scarves three for $25), and we’ll have other direct-frommanufacturer bargains, including $15 tunics and dresses. As always, we’ll be putting out new merchandise daily and the background music will be great!

Visit bakedbeads.com/ about/clearance-sales for more information.

heavenly Food PanTry

and "Haunted Inns and Ghostly Getaways of Vermont." Lewis is also the creator of Queen City Ghostwalk, the Burlington walking tour chosen ‘Best Scary Stroll’ by Yankee Magazine. $3, includes $5 coupon off featured book. Proceeds from ticket sales go to the Vt. Foodbank.

25 Friday Baked Beads TenT sales

26 saTurday

10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1068 Williston Rd., South Burlington.

(See Thursday, May 24 for more details.)

Music wiTh raPh 10 - 10:30 a.m., Brownell Library. Come sing and play with Raph. All ages.

read To archie

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

Rock ‘n’ read together on Friday mornings with books, songs, and instruments. All ages.

alBerT d. lawTon school sPring concerT 7 - 9 p.m., Albert D. Lawton School, 104 Maple St. Essex Jct.

essex Middle school and Founders MeMorial school orchesTra

7 - 8 p.m., Essex Middle School 60 Founders Rd., Essex Jct.

"wicked verMonT" Book launch

7 p.m., Phoenix Books Burlington, 191 Bank St., Burlington. Join Thea Lewis to celebrate the launch of her new book, "Wicked Vermont."

Take a revealing ride through the unique and colorful history of our state. Lewis is a Vermont native. Her titles include "Haunted Burlington, Spirits of Vermont’s Queen City," "Ghosts and Legends of Lake Champlain"

dungeons & dragons

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library.

Embark upon imaginary adventures. Dungeon Master serves as this role playing game’s referee and storyteller.

For grades 6 and up.

2 - 6 p.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct. All residents of the Village and Town of Essex and Westford are welcome.

3:15 - 4:15 p.m., Brownell Library. Archie loves to listen to kids read. He is certified by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Archie's owner is Christine Packard, chair of Brownell Library Trustees.

Role Play is open to all middle and high school students who want to have adventures in a mythical land.

Musical sTory TiMe

vT. high school social JusTice Band PerForMance and workshoP

10:45 a.m., Essex High School, Black Box Theater, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. Essex High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) will host SoundCheck as guest artists. The band consists of 12 high school musicians from a variety of schools across the state (including EHS sophomore Henry Wu as a cellist) to create and perform original music that inspires dialogue and action around social issues.

This will be band's last performance of the year and a songwriting workshop will be held following the performance. Please feel free to email bboyes@ cabotschool.org or call (802) 233-9707 for more information or visit facebook.com/vermontsoundcheck.

larP

3 - 5 p.m., Brownell Library. Live Action

MeMorial day Parade

10 a.m., parade route follows Route 2A south from the Expo to Five Corners then turns west onto Route 15 and returns to the Expo.

Baked Beads TenT sales 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1068 Williston Rd., South Burlington.

(See Thursday, May 24 for more details.)

weekend sTory TiMe

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

Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs!

sTory TiMe

27 sunday veTerans hoMesTead series

Sweet Butters Farm, Essex Jct. The Veterans Homestead Series is designed to engage the veteran population interested in setting up their own home operation. Workshops will be held at different locations in Chittenden and Addison Counties and will be led by veterans in the field. The series runs from March through September. This session is "Designing and Building the Resilient Garden." If you are a veteran or family member and would like to participate, please inquire at 377-1214 or wildrootsfarmvt@gmail. com.

28 Monday Town and village oFFices, essex senior cenTer, Brownell liBrary and essex Free liBrary closed For MeMorial day.

29 Tuesday

11 a.m., Phoenix Books Essex, 2 Carmichael St., Essex Jct. Each week, we'll choose a new picture book, a classic or a staff favorite to read aloud together. Free; all ages.

droP-in kniTTing cluB

essex rescue oPen house

PresenTaTion on "The Bardic Book oF BecoMing"

11 a.m. 4 p.m., Essex Rescue, 1 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. Come join Essex Rescue, your local ambulance crew, at their annual open house.

Immediately following the Essex Memorial Day Parade, bring the family and enjoy food, activities and get to know your first responders!

Preschool oPen gyM

3 - 4:30 p.m., Building Bright Futures of Essex, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. Come run around at our open gym, sponsored by the Essex Rotary. Free.

6:30 - 8 p.m., Essex Free Library. Bring in your current knitting project or start a new one in the company of fellow knitters!

7 p.m., Phoenix Books Essex, 2 Carmichael St., Essex Jct. Join Fearn Lickfield as she presents "The Bardic Book of Becoming,"

by Ivan McBeth; a warm, user-friendly and eclectic introduction to modern Druidry that invites you to take the first steps into the realm of magic and mystery.

This book was written during the last year of Ivan’s life. Fearn will offer a presentation titled "A Druid’s Legacy" in which she will share some of Ivan’s gifts from his exceptional life and

Calendar deadline every Friday at 5 p.m.

May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 7

calendar local meeTings Thursday, may 24 6:30 p.m., Town Planning commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

Tuesday, may 29 6 p.m., village Tree advisory committee, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

Wednesday, may 30 7 p.m., Town local concerns regarding stormwater, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

wisdom. Fearn Lickfield is the director of the Green Mountain Druid School and founder of Guardians of the Sacred Earth. Free; open to all.

30 Wednesday BaBy PlaygrouP

10 - 11:30 a.m., Sunset Studio, 71 Center Rd., Essex Jct. Free.

Tech Time WiTh Traci

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. Need some tech help? Drop in with your device and your questions.

sTory Time

10 a.m., Phoenix Books Essex, 2 Carmichael St., Essex Jct. Free; all ages.

Tech helP WiTh clif

Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Offering oneon-one technology help.

Reservation required.

Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

read To daisy, TheraPy dog

3:30 - 4:30 p.m, Brownell Library. Daisy loves to listen to kids read. She is certified

by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Daisy's owner is Maddie Nash, retired school counselor. For all ages.

five corners farmers' markeT

4 - 7:30 p.m., Five Corners, 3 Main St., Essex Jct. Visit the new location for the return of the farmers' market! Market vendors offer produce, meat, specialty food, agriculture, prepared food, crafts and there will also be a featured community table.

The market will also host a wide range of talented musicians. For a full list of vendors and musicians, to learn more and volunteer, please check out our website: 5cornersfarmersmarket. com and facebook.com/ 5CornersFarmersMarket.

lgBT+ droP-in grouP

4:30 - 5:30 p.m., Brownell Library. LGBT+ teens and allies are welcome to drop by the library to socialize with peers and discuss summer events. DIY snacks available! For grades 8-12 and recent graduates

31 Thursday read To archie

3:15 - 4:15 p.m., Brownell Library. Archie loves to listen to kids read. He is certified

by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Archie's owner is Christine Packard, chair of Brownell Library Trustees.

evening Book grouP

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Join in a discussion of "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd.

Book launch: "Building eden"

7 p.m., Phoenix Books Burlington, 191 Bank St., Burlington. Join Matthys Levy to celebrate the launch of his first novel, "Building Eden," a thrilling story of love, arrogance, betrayal, murder and architecture set in a world with which the author is intimately familiar. Matthys Levy is the designer of many iconic buildings and other structures throughout the world, and the author of the best-seller "Why Buildings Fall Down." $3; includes $5 coupon off the featured book. Proceeds from ticket sales go to the Vermont Foodbank.

1 friday musical sTory Time

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

All ages.

Peschool yoga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Brownell Library.

Come sing songs, hear stories and do yoga with Danielle. Ages 2 and up.

scams and frauds: iT's noT if, BuT When

1 - 2:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Is this a legitimate investment? Do you know your financial advisor's background?

Pressure to purchase a life insurance policy before thinking about it?

Was that a phone scam?

Were you pushed into an annuity? Join specialists from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation Outreach Team who will provide real life examples of scams and frauds that have impacted individuals and offer guidance and suggestions on how to avoid becoming a victim to these schemes.

Teen advisory Board

3 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Final gettogether for TAB and Libraries Rock video crew. In addition we will honor our departing senior.

with books, rhymes and songs!

magic: The gaThering

The aPhasia choir

sTory Time

11 a.m., Phoenix Books Essex, 2 Carmichael St., Essex Jct. Free; all ages.

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. Come play the role of planeswalker: a powerful wizard who fights others for glory, knowledge and conquest. Your deck of cards represents weapons in your arsenal, spells you know and creatures you can summon to fight for you.

Grades 6 and up.

2 p.m., South Burlington High School Auditorium, 550 Dorset St., South Burlington. Aphasia is a language disorder typically caused by stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Individuals with aphasia find it easier to sing than speak. Come enjoy this inspiring musical event and learn more!

hisTory aT The hearT of The village recePTion

3 sunday

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Unveiling the Brownell Library exhibit reception featuring nine new digital prints of photographs depicting the dedication of the Brownell Library in 1926. Refreshments will be served.

2 saTurday dog Wash/silenT aucTion

9 - 11 a.m., TD Bank Essex Center, 100 Center Rd., Essex Jct. Lucy's House for the Prevention of Homeless Pets is holding a dog wash and silent auction to support our organization. They are 100 percent volunteer so money donated supports our causes.

They have lots of great silent auction items so come help support their mission of keeping pets in their homes. Suggested donation for dog wash is $5.

girls on The run 5k

10 a.m. - noon, Champlain Valley Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Positive energy abounds as the girls dance to warm-up music, get their hair “happied” and faces painted, and wearing tutus and capes they gather with their teammates to hold hands and head to the starting line. Each 5k participant who crosses the finish line will be rewarded with a medal or ribbon. With each GOTR girl proudly wearing the number “1” on her bib, our 5k is a non-competitive event that creates memories to last a lifetime!

hisTory aT The hearT of The village recePTion

10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Brownell Library. A community scanning day where attendees are invited to bring photographs taken in the Village of Essex Junction for scanning and inclusion in a new online archive (if permission is granted), as well as personal use.

Weekend sTory Time

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

Start off your weekend

Greenhouse is OPEN!

Annual Flowers, Vegetables & Hanging Baskets L.D. Oliver Seed Company, Inc. Green Mountain Fertilizer Co. 26 Sunset Ave., Milton,VT • 802 893-4628 Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30, Sat 8:00-4:00, Closed Sunday

Winooski farmers' markeT

10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Champlain Mill Green, 20 Winooski Falls Way, Winooski. Managed by the Winooski Community Partnership, the Winooski Farmers' Market brings you Vermont’s finest local produce, farm goods, artisan crafts, locally prepared foods, musical entertainment and a fun interactive kid’s program - the Power of Produce (POP) Club. The Winooski Farmers' Market, is distributing free meals at the Winooski Farmers Market for anyone under the age of 18.

WildfloWers oPen sTudio

10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Wildflowers Studio, 43 upper Main St., Essex Jct. Time for children to independently explore the four fixed learning areas; tinkering, open ended art, sensory play, and paint exploration.

Activities and materials that are appropriate for all ages and abilities.

This is a place where children can relish in limitless creativity without concern for MESS! Thus, children should always arrive in “studio clothes.” $15 for one child; $5 additional children.

ongoing evenTs five corners famers' markeT

Thursdays through October 3, 4 - 7:30 p.m., Five Corners, 3 Main St., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, May 30 for complete details)

venTure vT. ouTdoor challenge

This annual statewide outside scavenger hunt is designed to encourage kids and families to get outside. Participants just have to download a score sheet, venture around the state and participate in a variety of fun outdoor activities for which they receive points. Once you accumulate 250 points, you win a VIP gold coin good for free day entry into Vermont State Parks for the rest of the season and for the entire next season! It’s simple, inexpensive and fun? Visit vtstateparks. com/venture-vermont.

Pets of the Week LEVON

8 years old Neutered male Arrival Date: 4/3/2018 Breed: Domestic short hair - brown/black tiger Special Considerations: I need to be an indoor/outdoor cat. “…And he shall be Levon. And he shall be a good man…”

– Elton John Reason here: I was not a good fit for my previous home Levon, an adventurous spirit indeed! Levon prefers to spend his days coming and going from his home and occasionally finding little “gifts” to provide his humans with. He started out a bit reserved here at HSCC, but over the course of only a week, he starting approaching the staff and allowing us to give him full body pets! He has been known to make plenty of biscuits and supply onlookers with friendly head butts! Levon might take his time to get to know you, but once he warms up (which seems to happen pretty quickly!), he’s a man of the people! It was once noted that Levon was playing with a staff member’s hair through his cage when she wasn’t giving him enough attention. Silly guy!

My thoughts on: Cats: I have not lived with other cats, but would get into fights with the cats outside Dogs: I lived with a dog in my previous home and did well

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135

Lumber Mill Direct

Kiln Dried 6-8%

As projects move indoors....

HARDWOOD FLOORING 3/4” finished thickness. Random length 4’ - 12’ (some longer)tongue and groove, recessed back (not end matched). MAPLE, CHERRY, OAK, BIRCH Price & availability can vary. Call ahead to confirm.

HARDWOODS ROUGH Hard & Soft MAPLE, CHERRY, Red & White OAK, ASH, BASSWOOD MAHOGANY, WALNUT & YELLOW POPLAR. No quantity too small.

ALMOST WHOLESALE 500’ BF pkgs of lumber - Hard Maple, Yellow Birch, Cherry & Red Oak. Select & better. Ask Ken for details.

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8•

The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

classifieds & jobseekers TRUCK SALE

PAINTING SERVICES

FOR SALE Bicycles/Bikes

Furniture

Lost & Found

BICYCLE, BOYS, FOR a 7 year old, black and orange, like new. $40.

802-782-4125

SOFA - CHAISE, ENGLAND burgundy, 92” long. 2 years old. Excellent condition. $400.

BIKE, MEN’S, 26”, Please call 802-524red, excellent condition. 5464 $40. 802-782-4125 Furnishings

AUTO SALE

Building Materials TOILET, CLEAN, 14.5”H, complete. $10.

802-868-7469

EMPLOYMENT

GARAGE SALE

Camping Supplies TENT COT, COLEMAN with mattress, only used once. Bought new at Wal-Mart. $20. 802868-7613 Exercise/Sporting Equipment ELIPTICAL, GOLDS GYM brand, gently used, with original paperwork. New cost $469. Asking $200.

Call 518-578-5143 TREDMILL, NORDIC TRACK, New, still in packaging, model/sku NTL16915, purchased 2/20/17. Asking $500 OBO. 802-752-6394 Farm Equipment

LOST DOG “ARTEMIS” REWARD OFFERED Female, black and white, long-haired spaniel mix lost in Highgate Springs near Country Club Road on 5/17. She has vertigo and may be unsteady on her feel.

Please call: Health Supplies 802-868-6583 KNEE SCOOTER, 802-782-1229 KNEEROVER, new Wanted to Buy in box. Unused, with sheepskin knee pad.

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

May 14 - 20 Arrrests

2 - Driving with a suspended license 1 - Domestic assault; first degree 1 - Unlawful restraint; first degree

MondAy, MAy. 14

6:35 a.m., Citizen Assist on Upper Main St. 6:49 a.m., Suspicious on Maple St. 8:32 a.m., Citizen Assist on Kana Ln. 9:22 a.m., Vandalism on Perry Dr. 9:32 a.m., Larceny on Educational Dr. 11:06 a.m., Utility Problem on Clems Dr. 11:16 a.m., Property Damage on Main St. 11:34 a.m., Parking Problem on Market Pl. 1:46 p.m., Citizen Assist on Kellogg Rd. 5:03 p.m., Citizen Assist on Whitetail Ln. 5:56 p.m., VIN Inspection on South St. 6:54 p.m., Communications Offense on Upper Main St.

tuesdAy, MAy 15

1:29 a.m., Medical Assist on Joshua Way 6:52 a.m., Disorderly Conduct on Baker St. 9:56 a.m., Property Damage on Old Colchester Rd. 11:06 a.m., Citizen Assist on Saxon Hill Rd. 11:40 a.m., Citizen Assist on Oakwood Ln. 12:37 p.m., Suspicious on Ewing Pl. 1:46 p.m., Suspicious on Autumn Pond Way 4:21 p.m., Animal Problem on Cemetery Rd. 6:15 p.m., Suspicious on Susie Wilson Rd. 6:31 p.m., Citizen Assist on Railroad St. 6:42 p.m., Accident on Maple St. 8:53 p.m., Traffic Offense on Maple St. 10:13 p.m., Welfare Check on Greenfield Rd.

WednesdAy, MAy 16

2:19 a.m., Larceny on Lamell Ave. 5:47 a.m., Accident on Jericho Rd.

7:45 a.m., Accident on Colchester Rd. 9:39 a.m., Animal Problem on Pearl St. 9:53 a.m., Suspicious on S Summit St. 9:57 a.m., Suspicious on Central St. 1:28 p.m., Citizen Assist on I-289 2:05 p.m., Citizen Assist on Central St. 2:57 p.m., Welfare Check on Sand Hill Rd. 3:13 p.m., Citizen Assist on Pinecrest Dr. 3:20 p.m., Citizen Assist on Main St. 4:11 p.m., Citizen Assist on Autumn Pond Way 5:26 p.m., Intoxicated Person on Pearl St. 6:43 p.m., Traffic Hazard on Sand Hill Rd. 7:40 p.m., Intoxicated Person on Central St. 8:14 p.m., Medical Assist on Old Stage Rd. 8:20 p.m., Animal Problem on Rustic Dr. 10:05 p.m., Disorderly Conduct on Baker St. 10:56 p.m., Welfare Check on Autumn Pond Way

thursdAy, MAy 17

PersoN als

2:20 a.m., Medical Assist on Sand Hill Rd. 7:15 a.m., Medical Assist on Abnaki Ave. 7:49 a.m., Suspicious on River Rd. 8:58 a.m., Larceny on Susie Wilson Rd. 9:34 a.m., Suspicious on Sand Hill Rd. 9:38 a.m., Animal Problem on Forest Rd. 10:34 a.m., Suspicious on I-289 1:12 p.m., LSA on Park St. 1:13 p.m., Utility Problem on Edgewood Dr. 1:23 p.m., False Info to Police on Pearl St. 3:05 p.m., Fraud on Park St. 3:10 p.m., Disorderly Conduct on Thomas Ln. 5:33 p.m., Suspicious on Fuller Pl. 5:37 p.m., Accident on Juniper Ridge Rd. 5:53 p.m., Accident on Beech St. 7:41 p.m., Fraud on Essex Way 8:32 p.m., Animal Problem on Maple St. 9:15 p.m., Suspicious on Tyler Dr. 9:33 p.m., Citizen Dispute on Kana Ln. 10:56 p.m., Suspicious on St. James Pl. 11:57 p.m., Attempt to Locate on Pearl St.

FridAy, MAy 18

3:49 a.m., Family Disturbance on Fuller Pl. 6:03 a.m., Accident on Upper Main St. 2 p.m., Traffic Hazard on Maple St. 2:12 p.m., Vandalism on Pearl St. 3:10 p.m., Suspicious on Towers Rd. 3:53 p.m., Medical Assist on Old Stage Rd. 4:04 p.m., Accident on Colchester Rd. 6:05 p.m., Trespass Violation on Sand Hill Rd.

sAturdAy, MAy 19

2:01 a.m., Suspicious on Kellogg Rd. 6:01 a.m., MV Complaint on Essex Way 8:15 a.m., Suspicious on River Rd. 10:27 a.m., Animal Problem on Pioneer St. 11:39 a.m., Citizen Assist on Dalton Dr. 1:07 p.m., Suspicious on Boxwood St. 1:35 p.m., Arrest on Warrant on Upper Main St. 4:10 p.m., Property Damage on Grove St. 4:33 p.m., Suspicious on Circle Dr. 7:23 p.m., Fire Dept Assist on Morse Dr. 11:53 p.m., Suspicious on Debra Dr.

sundAy, MAy 20

2:12 a.m., Suspicious on Lida Dr. 9:17 a.m., Traffic Offense on Pearl St. 10:46 a.m., Welfare Check on Greenfield Rd. 1:08 p.m., Animal Problem on Rustic Dr. 1:30 p.m., Medical Assist on East St. 1:33 p.m., Suspicious on East St. 3:31 p.m., Animal Problem on Rustic Dr. 3:44 p.m., Citizen Dispute on Central St. 4:43 p.m., Larceny on Center Rd. 5:08 p.m., Citizen Assist on Susie Wilson Rd. 6:34 p.m., Larceny on Educational Dr. 10:13 p.m., Traffic Hazard on Grandview Ave.

tickets issued: 19 WArnings issued: 42 Fire/eMs cAlls: 54

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

leG als TOWN OF ESSEX PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA-PUBLIC HEARING June 14, 2018-6:30 P.M. MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE ROOM, 81 MAIN ST., ESSEX JCT., VT 1. Amendments to Agenda (if applicable) 2. Public Comments 3. Consent Agenda: • MINOR SITE PLAN AMENDMENT & MINOR SUBDIVISION - Rick Bove d/b/a HDI Real Estate Inc.: Request to amend March 9, 2017 approval by increasing the residential market rate units from 34 to 39 units. The 4,041 s.f. commercial unit remains unchanged. The property is located at 10 Carmichael Street in the Mixed Use DevelopmentCommercial (MXD-C) District & Business Design Control (B-DC) Overlay District, Tax Map 91, Parcel 1.

• Al Senecal d/b/a Allen Brook Development Inc., Public Hearing-Boundary Line Adjustment between 150 Red Pine Circle (Lot 3) will provide 88 Red Pine Circle (Lot 2) 0.06 acres to bring the lot to a 2.01-acre lot. Lot 3 will be reduced to a 5.81-acre lot. Both lots are located in the Resource Preservation-Industrial (RPD-I) Zoning District, Tax Map 72, Parcel 12, Lots 2 & 3.

• Zach Librizzi, Agent for Linda Librizzi Revocable Trust: SIMPLE-PARCEL SUBDIVISION: Proposal to subdivide a 74.8-acre lot into a 67.51-acre lot and a 7.29- acre lot for property located at 151 Brigham Hill Road in the AgriculturalResidential (AR) Zoning District, Tax Map 014, Parcel 23, Lot 4.

4. EUROWEST CINEMAS LLC: PUBLIC HEARINGSITE PLAN AMENDMENT- Proposed site improvements to increase capacity to the T-Rex theatre; a 10’x20’ addition; and circulation & parking improvements. The property is located at 27 Essex Way in the Mixed Use-Planned Unit Development (MXD-PUD) Zoning District, Tax Map 92, Parcel 2, Lot 3.

5. ERIC MORRIS, d/b/a DAVID DRIVE PROPERTIES, LLC - PUBLIC HEARING-SITE PLAN AMENDMENT: Proposal to construct a 5,600 sq. ft. commercial addition to property located at 5A David Drive in the Retail-Business (B1) District, Tax Map 47, Parcel 3, 6. Minutes: May 24, 2018 7. Other Business: • PC File Folders Note: Please visit our website at www.essex.org to view agendas, application materials, and minutes. You may visit the office to review materials or discuss any proposal with staff. We are located at 81 Main Street; second floor (7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.).

Members of the public are encouraged to speak at the meeting when recognized by the chair.

This meeting will be recorded by Channel 17 and live streamed (YouTube)

May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 9

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sports

The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

LEFT: Senior Sarah Knickerbocker connects with the ball adding to the Hornets' high-powered offense as they beat up on the T-Birds on Friday. The girls varsity is undefeated on the season, only failing to score double digits during two of their 13 games. In baseball, Zach Seaver's complete game and Garrett Somerset's 3-run homer helped Essex move into the middle of a 3-way fight for the last home playoff game in Division I with a 13-2 victory over host Missisquoi on Friday. We have many more pictures, plus results from track and field online at EssexReporter.com.

PHOTO BY JOSH KAUFMANN

SPORT SHORTS

By JOE GONILLO

Hornets softball 13-0

By WYNN PARADEE Messenger Sports SWANTON — It was feast or famine for the Thunderbirds in Friday's softball game against Essex at The Pit. Offensively, Missisquoi put seven runs on 13 hits up on the board against the undefeated Hornets. Defensively, too many walks, errors, pitching behind in the count, and mental mistakes resulted in Essex (120) notching 16 runs in its 16-7 victory.

It was a case of whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for MVU (9-3).

“One of those games,” admitted coach Jay Hartman. “Really no explanation. They jumped on us early, and never took their foot off our throat. We couldn’t shut them down, couldn’t get their leadoff hitter out.”

The Hornets scored in every inning except the second and built a 7-0 lead through four.

Missisquoi had only one runner until the fourth, when it broke through for two runs. It started with Sarah Harvey’s double with one out, followed by Emily Bourdeau’s triple to drive in Harvey. Caylin Bessette’s fly ball to center drove in Bourdeau, and faint hope of a comeback was in the air.

That was dashed when Essex scored three in the fifth to make it 10-2.

By the sixth inning, the Thunderbirds

were going through the lineup for the third time and began to tee off on Hornet pitcher Caitlin Toth. With two outs, Harvey hit a ball where nobody could catch it, well over the center-field fence for a solo home run.

Bourdeau followed with a double, went to third on Bessette’s single, and scored on a Mae Gates single for MVU’s fourth run.

The problem for the Thunderbirds is that Essex was still scoring, and by the time the bottom of the seventh rolled around it was 16-4.

It would have been easy to mail in the last inning down by 12. Instead, the Thunderbirds batted around and scored the final three runs. McKenna Conley and Emmery Dunphy singled and were on first and second with two outs when, even with the lopsided score, Essex opted to intentionally walk Harvey.

Bourdeau (3-for-4, 3 RBI) responded to the move by driving one up the middle to score two runs. Then Bessette (3-for-3) followed with an infield single, and Gates drove in Harvey with another hit.

"The more we are able to do behind her, the less that will happen," Hartman said.

"Sarah would have pitched today, but she injured her finger yesterday in warmups.

This was our third game in three days, and playing a good team like Essex you don’t get a lot of second chances.

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The last week of May brings the final week of regular season contests and the largest track and field meet in our state, which happens to be right here at the high school Saturday. Playoffs for ranked teams are scheduled to begin next week unless, of course, the weather does not cooperate. Conference finals in the NBA and NHL may be over depending upon the individual series. They all have been exciting and enjoyable to watch. Memorial Day, the Vt. City Marathon and the prom all arrive at about the same time. Please be smart and safe.

Essex High School will host the annual track and field Essex Invitational. The meet doubles as the Vt. New England Qualifier which takes the top six place finishers to the New England Track and Field Championships held at the University of New Hampshire in Durham on Saturday, June 9.

Hornets that are favored to qualify include (among others) all relay teams, Michael Baker, Jamaal Hankey, Jacob Rigoli, Hannah Neddo, Breyer Sinor, Ryan Guerino, Henry Farrington, Jackson Baker, Lizzie Martell, Maria Campo, Ali Green, Nejla Hadzic, Spencer Towle, James Boldosser, Peter Alden, Hannah Poquette, Ciera Manrique and Wyatt Lamell. The Vt. state meet is next week on Saturday, June 2 at Burlington High Sschool. Pavel Dvorak and crew will be in charge of both meets. Last weekend a small contingent of Hornets traveled to Schenectady, N.Y. and competed in the famed Eddy Meet. Hankey ran a PR 23.33 in the 200m.

Friday evening was senior night for the Essex boys’ lacrosse team. Seniors and parents that were honored included: Cam Quinn (Samantha and Shaun), Seamus Chisholm (Micki and Paul), Casey Keenan (Kathleen and Colin), Rowan Mahoney (Audra and Brian), Jordan Hines (Judy and Lonnie) and Andrew Cooledge (Leezanne and Scott). The Hornets won 15-5 as Cooledge scored five goals and added two assists, Grady Corkum 3g 3a, Luke Meunier 2g 1a, Chris Labonte 2g, Chris Davis 2g, Chisholm 1g and Aidan Hag-

gerty made eight saves. The team is now 8-5 and broke a small two-game losing streak with the win. They have won seven of their last nine, have beaten all D-I teams with the exception of the Red Hawks but threw a huge scare into the top-seeded Hawks, who came back to edge the Hornets 9-7. Listen, no matter what their ranking – it will be in the top 3-4 - they will be a tough matchup as they are peaking at the right time. The JV’s are 3-7 as they lost to both CVU 8-5 and Rice 5-3. In the latter Jason Smith and Tobias Martin scored. They play road games at CVU and BHS this week. The frosh are 1-3-1 as they fell to CVU 8-2 and end their season versus South Burlington.

The girls’ lacrosse team went 2-2, is 4-7, and is improving daily going into their final four games this week. Wins over BHS and Vergennes/Mt. Abe with losses to second-ranked Middlebury and thirdranked SB. In the latter versus the Wolves, Maddy Young, Lindsey Centracchio, Abby Robbins, Olivia Miller-Johnson and Lucy Miquel all notched goals.

Goalkeepers Ella Frisbee and Madi Larson stopped six shots. Games versus Burr & Burton, Rice, CVU, and Colchester end the regular season. The first three games are home with senior night Thursday versus the D-1 topping Red Hawks. The JV’s are 6-4 after a 1-1 week.

They lost 8-4 to MIDD and beat SB 7-5. The JV-b squad drubbed Harwood 13-1 and is 3-1.

The baseball team is heating up winning three of four last week to raise its record to 7-6. The Hornets beat Mt. Mansfield 23-5 and 22-4 as their offense was on fire. They closed the week with a 13-2 drubbing of Missisquoi Valley. Anthony Hope pitched the five inning complete game giving up five hits and seven K’s.

Garrett Sommerset went 2-4 Ryan Young drove in two runs, Robbie Meslin, Mav King, and Ty Millette had RBI hits. They lost a one-run walk-off to CVU in the Red Hawks’ Strikeout Cancer game in support of sophomore infield/pitcher Storm Rushford. Essex contributed $400 to the fund before the game. CVU is coached by ex-Hornet and New York Yankees fan Tim Albertson.

The Red Hawks own a 12-1 record and are the top seed in D-I; obviously an excel-

lent team. Please take note here: Essex’s last two losses have been to CVU by a scant run each game. Our boys are coming on! They will play three games this week versus North Country Union, SB, and BFA St. Albans.

The JV’s won twice and are 6-5 playing three times this week. The freshman complete their season with away games versus Enosburg and SB. No report on the Rutland doubleheader Saturday.

The softball team is riding a 13-game winning streak. This top ranked, high octane offense won four more games last week scoring double digits in all, winning three in mercy-rule, five inning games. In Friday’s 16-7 win in Highgate, Caitlin Toth pitched another complete game with ten K’s. Maddie Catella and Kaitlyn Butkus smashed three hits. Jamie Moran also had three hits and three RBI’s.

Makenna Thorne added two more hits. The JV’s defeated CVU (no report on MVU) and improved to 8-0. They play NCUHS, SB, and BFA before playoffs begin.

The girls’ tennis team lost 7-0 to CVU and is 4-5 with no result versus Stowe.

The boys defeated CVU 4-3 and are 9-0. Matches versus St. Johnsbury and MMU to close out the season.

The girls’ rugby team was crowned league champs for the Vt./Capital N.Y. District. Essex went 3-0 in tourney play, defeating Saratoga 24-0 behind tries by Nicole Frank (2), Val Bessette, and Tovah Coe; Frank had two conversions. They crushed Rutland/ADK 43-5 – Maddie Folsom 2 tries, Amelia Duffy, Courtney Volk, Ella Hughes, Meredith Payson and Bessette. Tia Kane 3 conversions and Rachael Foell; and a squeaker over SB 20-15 as Bessette, Folsom, Payson, and Ale Alonso Bell had tries. Their senior game is Thursday, May 31 under the lights versus SB at 8 p.m.

The boys went 2-1 playing well but lost in finals.

Though Notre Dame lost in the NCAA playoffs, former Hornet Brendan Gleason was named Lax AllAmerican last week. Here is a note from Notre Dame: “Despite missing three games due to an injury, Gleason (Essex, Vermont) managed to be one of the most productive players in the Irish attack in his junior campaign. The attackman/ midfielder scored 19 goals and tied for the team lead in assists with 14. Gleason totaled six points on three separate occasions in wins over Richmond (three goals, three assists), Duke (three goals, three assists) and Army (four goals, two assists).” Congrats!

Sad to hear news on the passing of former student Dave Gaworecki (EHS ’95 and St. Michael’s College ‘00) last week. Dave was a wrestler, an Eagle Scout, a Springsteen fan and baseball fan. His scouting project was to build the Essex Little League press box. He leaves his wife, Jennifer, and beautiful daughter, Ava, and will be missed.

Happy Birthday to one of the greatest Hornet soccer players ever David DeeJae Johnson, who also made his mark at UVM, Traci Patterson, ex-hurdler and all-star Hoagies employee, Madison Stephenson, former 400m state champ Zac Farnham-Haskell, TJ’er Curtis King, Dave Cobb, officer Ryan “Big Foot” Brady, John “Horseman’ Borch, Katie Bucke Sonnick, Wtby’s Terry Saginario-Lanese, and Flip Krizanac.

P.S. Thanks for all the congratulatory notes in person and on Facebook. Appreciated.

May 24, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 11

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Baseball: Senior

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omerset homered twice in three days, collecting a total of five hits in a 22-4 rout of Mt. Mansfield and a 13-2 win at Missisquoi. against MMU on May 16, Somerset went 3-for-4 with a home run, driving in three runs. Two days later at MVU, Somerset homered again, finishing with two hits while driving in six runs for the 7-6 Hornets. after a 2-4 start to the season, Essex has gone 5-2.

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he Hornets followed a string of wins against overmatched opposition with a visit to perennial Division I contender Missisquoi on Friday, and Morin's big day at the plate helped Essex cruise to a 16-7 win for a 13-0 record and the top spot in the standings entering the final week of the regular season. Morin had three hits in a 20-2 win over Mt. Mansfield on Monday (May 14) to start the week, and finished it with three hits and a half-dozen runs batted in to beat the Thunderbirds.

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The Essex Reporter • May 24, 2018

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with 2-year agreement Equipment, taxes and other charges extra, and subj. to change. See details below.

Go to xfinity.com, call 1-800-xfinity or visit an Xfinity Store today.

Offer ends 6/3/18. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. New residential customers only. Limited to the Standard Triple Play with Limited Basic TV, Kids & Family, Entertainment, Sports & News, Performance Pro 150 Mbps Internet and Voice Unlimited services. Early termination fee applies if all Xfinity services (other than Xfinity Mobile) are cancelled during the agreement term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including regulatory recovery fees, Broadcast TV Fee (up to $8.00/mo.), Regional Sports Fee (up to $6.75/mo.), and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after agreement term. After term agreement, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular rates apply. Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. Voice: If there is a power outage or network issue, calling, including calls to 911 may be unavailable. Mobile: New Xfinity Internet customers limited to up to two lines pending activation of Internet service. Savings claim compares regular monthly charges for Comcast’s data options and weighted average prices of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint as of 12/17/17.

Taxes/fees included with T-Mobile. Savings does not take into account Xfinity Mobile taxes/fees. Actual savings vary. © 2018 Comcast. All rights reserved. NPA213762-0002 WNE18-202-A4-V1