Essex Reporter: July 12, 2018 by Essex Reporter

July 12, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 1

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Urban tree protection plan underway By AMANDA BROOKS

he selectboard officially adopted the Town of Essex Street Tree Management plan last month, setting into motion strategies to enhance Essex’s urban forest and protect it against the looming threat of invasive pests. Developed through collaborations between

Feds award town $54k toward windstorm repairs

the planning department, Essex Conservation and Trails Committee and the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program, the plan outlines several goals for Essex’s urban forest, including monitoring and maintaining its health, preventing pest infestations and obtaining Tree City USA designation for the town. The potential threat of the emerald ash borer and other tree pests was a major catalyst for the 2016 street tree survey that ultimately informed this plan, said Darren Schibler, Essex town planner. “The timing of the final document coming together and its adop-

tion I’d say worked out well in terms of when the emerald ash borer hit,” Schibler said. “Even though that was an unfortunate event, it was good that it was ready to go when it happened.” The emerald ash borer was discovered for the first time in Vermont in February of this year in northern Orange County, and as of June, has been found in five towns: Montpelier, Plainfield, Barre, Orange and Groton, according to VT UCF. Per their name, emerald ash borers threaten ash trees and can kill them within three to five years of infestation, according to VT UCF.

They can easily spread once a tree is infested and are also transported by humans when moving infested firewood and other products. Essex’s management plan recommends a combination of several strategies to deal with a possible future EAB infestation, including physical removal of ash trees, chemical treatments and public education and outreach. To reduce the town’s risk of EAB infestation, the plan recommends removing approximately 59 ash trees to reach the goal of 10 percent green ash. Currently, Essex’s

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'Expect delays' Construction projects kick off around town By COLIN FLANDERS Two construction projects in town are expected to cause traffic delays over the next several months. A road rehabilitation project along Route 117 kicked off late last month beginning in Essex where the state highway starts and carrying through to the Jericho town line. The Vermont Agency of Transportation and Pike Industries, Inc. plan to rehab the existing roadway sub-base and a new travel surface while widening the shoulder where feasible. The project will also upgrade drainage, guardrails and signage and place a new traffic signal at the intersection of the 289 off ramp and Route 117. Officials expect to maintain one-way alternating traffic during construction hours and motorists should expected to travel on a gravel surface from mid-July through August. The project’s anticipated completion date is Oct. 11, 2019.

By COLIN FLANDERS The town of Essex will receive $54,000 in federal funds to help offset repair costs from last October’s windstorm that downed trees and left hundreds of residents without power. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement covers 75 percent of the town’s $70,000 bill in response to last year’s storm, a price tag that includes staff labor and subcontracting costs. However, a portion of that reimbursement – $17,000 – has already been earmarked to replace a cut from the town’s operating fund vehicle budget for fiscal year 2019, leaving about $37,000 left to offset the town’s repair costs. Public works director Dennis Lutz shared the final calculation in a memo to the selectboard. Lutz explained staff has needed to learn how to use FEMA’s computer-driven reporting system, but good record keeping and photographic documentation moved the process along. He said the key in this storm, as in the past, was mobilizing resources and finishing as much work as possible in the first three days. That’s because work completed during that key timeframe doesn’t require the town to use FEMA cost reimbursement codes or competitive bids, allowing the town to complete the repairs quickly while avoiding any nit-picking from FEMA, Lutz wrote. The risk is that FEMA declarations are often made weeks or months after an event, so the town may have to absorb early costs if a FEMA disaster isn’t declared. FEMA’s reimbursement announcement comes nine months after hurricane-force winds topping 75 mph tore through the state, downing trees and causing See FEMA, page 2

See TREES, page 3

See DELAYS, page 4

Essex Jct. house 'total loss' after fire By COLIN FLANDERS

PHOTO BY JEREMY LACLAIR

Fireworks paint the fields in kaleidoscopic hues at Maple Street Park last week during the annual July 4th festivities.

A house fire that drove a tower of smoke above the treetops in Essex Jct. last week sent a woman to the hospital for treatment of minor burns. Despite extinguishing the blaze within 20 minutes, fire officials say the two-story home at 12 Juniper Ridge Rd. is a complete loss. They believe the cause of the fire was accidental. Local departments responded to the scene shortly after noon when a woman called the Essex Jct. station to report her garage was on fire. A firefighter who happened to be at the station at that time fielded the call and alerted Essex emergency dispatch. Minutes later, firefighters tore down Main Street See FIRE, page 4

United Way cuts prompt additional funding from selectboard By COLIN FLANDERS The town of Essex will provide an extra $1,000 in one-time funding to Steps to End Domestic Violence, which is facing a shortfall in the wake of changes to United Way’s grant process. The decision comes weeks after Gail Beck, a town resident who serves on the Steps board, asked the selectboard for $1,000 to help the organization withstand a blow

to its funding model. The United Way of Northwest Vermont typically funds area nonprofits, including Steps, on a threeyear cycle. But a new giving strategy this year saw some of those organizations lose out on reliedupon funding. Steps, which asked for $120,000, received nothing. “We've had to make some dramatic and drastic cuts,” Beck said at the June 18 meeting. Beck said the shortage forced

the organization to eliminate four positions and cut back on its emergency shelter program, which aids people who flee violent situations at home. She said they don’t even have enough money to provide snacks for children playgroups or extra food for the shelter. Funding human services agencies with taxpayer dollars is not a new concept: The selectboard has distributed 1 percent of the general fund budget toward such

initiatives dating back to the mid1980s. But members typically finalize their funding breakdown in late spring and did so June 4 for this cycle, distributing just over $140,000 to a slew of agencies, including an initial $3,5000 contribution to Steps. Still, some selectboard members Monday night said they were disappointed the organization had come back to ask for so little. Andy

Watts, explaining why he supported the $1,000 donation, said the town is already spending a lot of money on the potential changes to the shooting ordinances, a topic that impacts a “significantly smaller” number of people in town. The town is among Steps’ biggest benefactors, with more than 180 residents from Essex or Essex Jct. seeking the organization’s help last year alone, according to See STEPS, page 2

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The Essex Reporter • July 12, 2018

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By COLIN FLANDERS It’s not every day a local name finds its way to the White House. But that’s just what happened last month as President Donald Trump nominated former Essex Police Chief Brad LaRose to become Vermont’s next U.S. marshal. The president’s nod comes five months after LaRose earned dual support from Sen. Patrick Leahy and Gov. Phil Scott, who collaborated on the nomination. LaRose learned his name was heading to Trump’s desk the same day he officially retired from EPD after three decades. LaRose was one of three U.S. marshals nominated by the president June 20. If confirmed, he will oversee all U.S. Marshals Service operations in Vermont. The U.S. Marshals Service is considered the enforcement arm of the federal courts. The 94 district marshals, one for each federal judicial district, lead over 3,700 deputy marshals and criminal investigators. Marshals apprehend fugitives, transport federal prisoners and operate the witness protection program, among other duties. LaRose began with EPD in 1981 following two years with the Burlington Police Department and was named chief in 2012 after a yearlong stint as interim chief. He taught at the Vermont Police Academy for 25 years and is a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy graduate. Leahy and Scott cited this experience in their joint recommendation letter to Trump, also emphasizing the role in Vermont’s fight against the opioid crisis. “Brad understands the challenges of this epidemic and the value of interagency coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” they wrote. “As a police chief, Brad has contributed personnel to the joint drug task force and helped his officers transition into, and out of, undercover work.” Traditionally, senators from the president’s party make these recommendations,

STEPS from page 1 Beck. That number could be larger since some people choose not to identify their town of residence, she said. In her initial pitch, Beck said nearly 80 percent of every dollar goes directly into services, so even such a relatively small amount can make a difference. “A thousand dollars is a lot of money to us,” she said. Tied in with Monday night’s discussion was a reference to an expected surplus from fiscal year 2018, which closed two weeks ago. Unified manager Evan Teich said he’s not exactly sure how much the town will have left over – his finance director was on vacation, and some checks are still coming in ¬– but he called the surplus “sizable.” He credited town staff for some of the savings but noted the Essex Police Department’s struggle to fill some positions in the previous fiscal year made up most of the

FEMA from page 1 widespread power outages in nearly every region. Locally, crews began their response in the early hours of Oct. 30, 2017 and continued for the next week, while Essex schools were closed hours after the storm. About a third of Vermont lost power, Green Mountain Power officials said, and the storm is one of the biggest in recent history: All told, 115,000 homes and businesses were affected, including Gov. Phil Scott’s. The storm damaged several parks and cemeteries here in town, including Indi-

FILE PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Former Essex Police Chief Brad LaRose is pictured at his retirement ceremony earlier this year. LaRose learned about his nomination to become Vermont's next U.S. Marshal on the same day he retired from EPD after more then three decades in law enforcement. but when they’re not, the president defers to the state’s party leaders, the Congressional Research Service says. Scott, Vermont’s highest-ranking Republican, reached an “early agreement” with Leahy, the leading member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will act on the president’s eventual nomination, Leahy spokesman David Carle said. The full U.S. Senate must then confirm nominees. If confirmed, LaRose will replace Vermont’s most recent U.S. Marshal David Demag, who served as Essex Police Chief from 2001 to 2008. He retired from the federal post last October.

balance. He said the department has since hired new officers, and as of last week, was just one officer away from full staffing, including the two new positions in the current fiscal year budget – that is, until a resignation filed Monday set them back again. Teich approached the selectboard to see if members wanted to set aside some of the surplus money in case other organizations that rely on United Way funding ask for help, too. Members weren’t interested in that idea. But they did ask for more information about the surplus and its potential uses; staff planned to return with some information when the audit is finished sometime in August. Reached Tuesday afternoon, Beck expressed appreciation for the board’s decision. “We are absolutely so grateful to Essex for recognizing the need,” she said. “We are hoping to get our message across to as many people as possible.” an Brook, forcing its closure for weeks as the town cleared more than 60 trees from the main trail. Other trails in the park remained impassable for nearly a month after the storm. Scott requested FEMA assistance a month after the storm, citing the agency’s assessment that Vermont suffered $3.7 million in public infrastructure damage, far beyond the state’s $1 million requirement for consideration. Public assistance disaster declarations allow impacted communities to receive 75 percent reimbursement for storm response and recovery, including repairs to public roads, bridges and other infrastructure damaged.

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July 12, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 3

FILE PHOTO BY COURTNEY LAMDIN

The selectboard officially adopted the Town of Essex Street Tree Management plan last month, setting into motion strategies to enhance Essex’s urban forest and protect it against the looming threat of invasive pests.

TREES from page 1 public street trees stand at about 15 percent green ash. The town plans to remove approximately six green ash trees per year for nine years instead of all at once to spread out costs and maintain visual appeal for the town’s forest canopy. Removals will be supplemented by new plantings of different species. Town tree warden Chuck Vile stressed the importance of having a diversity of tree species in the urban canopy, citing the decimation of elms in Burlington in the mid-20th century. “You want to keep it diversified to give yourself protection in case of something like this happening,” Vile said. “If you have a lot of the same species and you get hit with the disease, you’re quite vulnerable.” While the town does have a good portion of ashlined streets, Ethan Tapper, Chittenden County’s forester, noted the street tree survey only covered trees in the public right-of-way, and there may be more issues when it comes to trees on Essex’s myriad private, rural roads. “Anecdotally, I can tell you that in many of the newer developments, there’s a ton of green ash,” Tapper said. “Those trees are not counted in the survey, so I think … there’s actually a much more pronounced problem in Essex than is even listed in the report.” Schibler realized much of Essex is rural and in private hands and said the management plan addresses this issue by calling for a rural areas survey. “[We’ll] go out along the rural roads and see what the general composition of the forest along those roads is,” Schibler explained. “[We’ll] do more outreach to private landowners to tell them about some of the issues with tree care and especially with invasive forest pests such as emerald ash borer.” Removing dead trees after an infestation is also part of the management plan; however, this can cost two to three times more than removing live or dying trees. The plan calls for reactive removal only in situations where high species diversity already exists,

which makes the spreading of pests less likely. Chemical treatments to combat EAB will also be considered if the pest spreads here. However, the

as effective or harm important pollinators. The plan also calls for working toward obtaining a Tree City USA designation through the Arbor Day

awarded the Tree City USA designation for three years in a row since adopting its own urban forest management plan in 2016. “Thus far we’ve planted 106 trees throughout the village, focusing on the downtown areas and the major roads coming in,” said Nick Meyer, chairman of the Essex Jct. Tree Advisory Committee. “We’ve

made some great progress over the years, and people are starting to notice, too.” The village celebrates Arbor Day every year in May, which Meyer said raises awareness of trees’ benefits. “We often take the forest landscape for granted,” he said. Plans are already in motion since the town’s tree

management plan was approved by the selectboard in June, and town officials are eager to begin implementation. “It's nice to know that there is a more comprehensive and strategic plan for urban forestry,” Schibler said. “A lot of people like seeing trees in their neighborhoods, and it really has a lot of benefits.”

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Essex Jct. Tree Advisory Committeee chairman measure will only be used to proactively treat trees at the beginning of an infestation and won’t be used in large quanitities. The town will consider using azadirachtin, similar to neem oil, for this purpose The insecticide is recommended by VT UCF because other alternatives are not

Foundation. This involves adopting a tree care ordinance, forming a citizen board, creating an urban forestry management budget spending $2 per capita on tree management and observing Arbor Day each year, according to the management plan. Essex Jct. has been

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The Essex Reporter • July 12, 2018

DELAYS from page 1 This week, motorists should expect delays as work crews continue underdrain and culvert work between Sand Hill Road and the Essex/ Jericho town line. Crews also plan to begin grinding down the existing roadway, so drivers should prepare for rough surface conditions. A similar project cover-

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ing about a mile of Route 117 eastward from its intersection with Elm Street finished up in 2016. Meanwhile, the replacement of the pedestrian portion of the Main Street Bridge over Indian Brook will cause some traffic delays along Route 15. After a November 2016 inspection by VTrans, the village learned the supporting beams under the sidewalk had failed, meaning besides the concrete connection to the Main St. bridge, nothing held the walkway up on either side. Public works staff erected a temporary fix at the time and this May awarded Engineers Construction, Inc. a $137,000 bid to complete the job. They will remove and replace the existing pedestrian portion of the bridge, and make minor repairs to the existing roadway bridge, as needed. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained throughout the project and pedestrians can access through the construction at all times. Still, officials expect delays and ask motorists to seek alternate routes, if possible. Town engineer Aaron Martin said the project is currently on schedule and should finish mid-August.

PHOTO BY DOLLY SHAREK

A fire that started in a garage tears through a house on Juniper Ridge Road on July 3.

FIRE from page 1 toward the smoke rising from the Fairview neighborhood. They arrived to find the garage starting to collapse as the fire spread to the home’s attic. Firefighters entered the residence and made

their way to the second floor, where they attempted to stop the fire’s progress through the attic. Other firefighters worked to extinguish the garage. But the blaze eventually broke through the roof in several spots, at which point crews pulled out of the house so that an aerial stream could knock down the rest of the fire from

above. Officials say crews worked for the next four hours extinguishing hot spots and overhauling the structure. Essex Jct. Fire Department Lt. Richard Smith said most of the home’s property inside was salvageable, but belongings inside the garage were destroyed. More than 50 firefighters worked in shifts throughout the afternoon to avoid heat exhaustion under the midday sun as temperatures peaked around 90 degrees. Officials say there were no injuries to emergency personnel. Fire damage was contained to the garage, attic and second floor, but the basement and first floor sustained severe water damage. Officials wish to remind residents that emer-

gency calls should be directed to 911 because most Vermont fire departments are volunteer and therefore don’t always staff their firehouses. Luckily, thanks to the volunteer at the station, the delay in this case was minimal, Smith said. Dolly Sharek and her husband were in the area on a mini-vacation when they saw the smoke. They followed emergency vehicles to the scene and watched from nearby, several chunks of ash falling around them. Sharek commended the firefighters for enduring the sweltering temperatures and said she’s glad no one was seriously injured. Residents shared a similar gratitude, providing hydration to fire crews as they worked throughout the day. “It was just incredible to watch,” Sharek said. “Such a scary event.”

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Children again torn from parents By Jack MaYER In 1942 a Polish Catholic social worker, Irena Sendler organized a network of nine other social workers and a group of young Catholic and Jewish liaisons, mostly women, to rescue 2,500 Jewish children from certain death in the Warsaw ghetto. Parents were desperate to save their children; some even flung babies over the ghetto wall. Irena and her co-conspirators knocked on doors in the ghetto and asked parents to give them their children to save them. I interviewed Irena Sendler in 2005, when she was 95 years old, and the last survivor of her rescue network. She told me of the anguish of the parents and grandparents at being separated from their children. They and Irena knew that this desperate act of love was necessary to save their lives and it caused her great suffering. Tears came to her eyes when she told me of the moment when parents held their children for the last time before letting them go. She lamented that for every child they saved, almost 100 went to their deaths at the Treblinka extermination camp where Warsaw’s Jews were murdered. When I said she was a hero, Irena Sendler said, no, she was only doing the decent thing. She was following a “need of her heart.” As she remembered that time she said, “It was the parents. They were the heroes. The babies were the heroes of their mother’s hearts.” Irena was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and tortured, but survived the ordeal and the war. Others in her rescue network did not. All but one of the

children she rescued survived. Irena’s history of heroic rescues was forgotten after the war. In communist Poland one did not admit to rescuing Jews. A resounding silence shrouded the Holocaust and the victimization of Poland and its Jews. Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust authority recognized her as a Righteous Gentile in 1965 and planted a tree in her honor in 1983, beside the tree of Raoul Wallenberg. Seventy-four years later the U.S.

the Border” (5/8/18). AAP President Colleen Kraft, M.D. was very clear. “Separating children from their parents contradicts everything we stand for as pediatricians — protecting and promoting children’s health. In fact, highly stressful experiences, like family separation, can cause irreparable harm, disrupting a child’s brain architecture and affecting his or her shortand long-term health. This type of prolonged exposure to serious stress — known as toxic stress — can carry lifelong consequences for children.” I believe the heart and soul of democratic jurisprudence is a balance of justice and compassion. Are we so consumed by fear and xenophobia that we will allow our government to perpetrate such violence against children in the name of “justice?” As citizens we are accountable for our government’s actions and for our inactions. “Never again” as words is a facile response to historical injustice and cruelty. Without action, our words are meaningless. Worse yet, if we remain silent, this cruelty indicts us all. Irena Sendler knew the pain of separating children from their parents and it caused her heart crushing sadness. But she acted for the benefit of the children and as a way of resisting those who sought to harm them. Shouldn’t it be a “need of our hearts” to reverse this cruel policy? Shouldn’t we, too, do “the decent thing.” Not to do so should be unbearable. Jack Mayer, M.D., M.P.H., is a Vermont primary care pediatrician and the author of “Life In A Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” and “Before The Court Of Heaven.”

If we remain silent, this cruelty indicts us all. Justice Department, the Dept. of Homeland Security, ICE, and Customs and Border Patrol are forcibly tearing children from their mothers’ arms — as cruel an act as I can imagine. As a pediatrician I am horrified that my country would have such little regard for the safety and well being of innocent children, inflicting horrific trauma on families fleeing for their lives from Central America. They have the right to seek asylum in our country. It is what our Statue of Liberty stands for in New York harbor. It is the foundation of our national integrity. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the organization that speaks for the nation’s pediatricians, has taken a firm stand against this cruelty in a “Statement Opposing Separation of Children and Parents at

Let’s work together to prevent suicide in Vermont By MaRk LEviNE & MELiSSa BaiLEY

everal high-profile deaths by suicide, along with a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have put this public health issue in the spotlight once again. In Vermont, where suicide is now the eighth leading cause of death, we are working to put systems in place that help people before a crisis. At the same time, we need to recognize the many contributing factors that lead one to self-harm or to attempt suicide. This will require a cultural shift for all of us. We must work together to remove the shame associated with mental health conditions like depression – and embrace social connection as a protection that supports people in crisis. We can save lives if we pay attention, show up and connect, ask questions, and remove lethal means from the homes of those who are at risk. What’s the vermont story? Since 2010, more than 100 Vermonters have died by suicide every year except 2012, and more than 1,000 were hospitalized or visited the emergency room each year as the result of a suicide attempt. Tragically, we have seen these numbers rise in our state by nearly 50 percent over the past 17 years, compared with a 30 percent increase nationwide. Over half of all suicide deaths in Vermont are caused by firearms, and most hospitalizations for self-harm are due to poisoning or cutting/piercing. Each data point represents a person in pain, and the numbers reflect only a fraction of the people who are suffering. Who are we worried about? One thing the data shows is that certain groups of people are at higher risk for suicide in Vermont. Males are more likely than females to take their own lives regardless of age, and females are more likely to be hospitalized for self-harm with poisoning or cutting/ piercing. Veterans are at much greater risk for suicide than non-veterans, as are older white men in general, and refugees/new Americans living in Vermont. The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that Vermont teens, especially those who are lesbian, gay,

bisexual or transgender (LGBT) and students of color are at higher risk than their heterosexual or white, nonHispanic peers. The CDC report also highlights an important fact: more than half of all people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. This means we should not be complacent about a person’s risk if they exhibit warning signs, but lack a prior history of poor mental health. Why do people attempt suicide? Suicide is rarely the result of any single factor, but research has teased out some common reasons that lead people to consider, attempt, and die by suicide. An individual’s emotional health changes over the lifespan. Some people have a mental health condition, like depression, while others do not. Personal challenges – difficult relationships, alcohol or drug use, stress due to illness, financial hardship, legal problems, divorce or job loss, social isolation – can add up to overwhelming feelings of hopelessness and despair. Loneliness and isolation are the common threads in stories of suicide, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation or race. And we know that positive human connections during a crisis saves lives. What to do if you’re thinking about suicide – If you’re in crisis, remember that even the worst feelings of sadness will pass, and the desire to hurt yourself is likely temporary. Crisis data shows that the time between thinking about suicide and an attempt is relatively short, so make a connection before you act. Find somebody you can talk to, and remember that you can make a verbal or written connection. • Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or dial 2-1-1 to speak with a counselor in Vermont. You can also call 9-1-1 or go to the closest emergency department. • If you don’t want to talk, then use the Crisis Text Line (text VT to 741741), which offers immediate counseling and support through text messaging. • 10 community mental health centers located around the state offer 24/7 crisis services and ongoing supports. Find the list of mental health servic-

es at mentalhealth.vermont.gov, then click on the red ‘In Crisis?’ button. How to help a person who is having thoughts of suicide – If you suspect that someone is thinking about suicide, the first thing to do is ask them. Asking shows that you care, and opens the door to connection; it doesn’t increase the likelihood that somebody will be prompted to think about or attempt suicide. Show up, listen, and help them get support from a professional mental health care provider. Since we know that most people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide later, helping someone get through a crisis can save their life. Reducing access to the most highly lethal means in a person’s home is an effective strategy. Firearms are the most lethal of all suicide methods, so lock up or remove guns from the home. Do not keep lethal doses of medications in the home, and reduce or remove alcohol because it can increase the chances that a person makes an unsafe choice. What we all can do – There’s much we can do to support those who are at risk for suicide. In Vermont, we often speak about our sense of community and tradition of helping in times of crisis. CDC recommends a public health/community-oriented approach that builds on that strong foundation and combines a range of strategies: teaching coping and problem-solving skills for managing life’s challenges, and promoting positive social connections at a time when many feel isolated; training people to recognize and act when they or someone in their world is in distress; reducing the shame associated with mental health concerns; making sure that people have access to mental health care and crisis services when appropriate; and restricting access to means for self-harm. It will take all of us – as individuals, families, communities, workplaces and schools, and with state government – to reverse the tide. Mark Levine, MD, is Vermont's Commissioner of Health and Melissa Bailey, MA, LCMHC, is Vermont's Commissioner of Mental Health.

July 12, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 5

Who is leading Vt. in vital health care discussion? By EMERSON LYNN Nurses for the University of Vermont Medical Center are set to go on a 48-hour strike Thursday if their demands for a 24 percent pay increase over three years are not met. Their contract expired on Monday; a negotiating session is scheduled for this afternoon. It is everyone’s hope that the strike is averted and that the hospital can return to its routine of taking care of patients. But it’s also an issue that extends beyond the medical center and its nurses. There are roughly 1,800 nurses at the medical center and a 24 percent increase will have an impact far beyond the hospital itself. The hospital has increased its offer from seven percent over three years to 13 percent, which would result in an additional $12,000 over three years for each nurse. A 24 percent increase would be roughly a $20,000 increase by the end of the three-year contract. A $20,000 increase for 1,800 nurses is an additional $36 million in costs. That’s a rough estimate, and there are other factors involved in the negotiations, but it’s a useful perspective when considering the overall picture of health care in Vermont and how it will be financed. In August, Vermont’s hospitals begin the process of defending their budgets to the Green Mountain Care Board, a five-person group that tells our hospitals what they can spend and what they can’t. The board sets limits based on a net revenue per patient figure. Hospitals are not allowed to drive more business through the door just to meet their budgets. It’s the board’s way of controlling costs. If the revenue is limited, hospitals have to manage their budgets to that figure. Hospitals are also being penalized if the board believes they have raised their labor costs more than what they think the market warrants. Medical inflation is already running at about five percent annually. Even with UVM Medical Center’s 13 percent offer, that will push the hospital’s budgeted costs to the limit, which begs the question: How does the Green Mountain Care Board respond? No one knows. The concerns don’t stop with the Green Mountain Care Board. Vermont is mid-step in its move to an allpayer health care system. The system is a dramatic switch from the fee-for-service that currently exists to a capitated system in which hospitals are paid in blockgrant form according to the populations they serve. If, for example, the UVM Medical Center is paid a lump sum each month for the population it serves, and if a portion of the payments comes from Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance is there a guarantee that the capitated amount takes into account large increases in a hospital’s labor costs? No one knows. UVM Medical Center is also a part of the Accountable Care Organization that includes a good share of Vermont’s health care system, and the group guiding the move to the all-payer system, how do the increased costs of one provider affect other hospitals? The concern is this: Typically, it’s a given that when a block-grant approach to funding is used the tendency is to restrict it; it’s easier to tie a block grant approach to inflation, or less, than if budgets are considered individually and in the traditional manner common to the health care system. We’re also talking about the federal government, and Congress, and the political world of Washington D.C. If it’s the Green Mountain Care Board’s responsibility to guide our health care system, and to manage its costs, then it would be useful if the board were to weigh in as to the potential effects of the on-going negotiations between the UVM Medical Center and its nurses. It would be useful if the board would begin guiding the discussion as to what Vermonters can anticipate happening as the all payer system begins to unfold. The all payer model’s goal is for 70 percent of the market to be covered by 2020, which is like tomorrow. If you were to talk a walk down Main Street and you asked the first 100 people to explain what the all payer health care model involved, you’d be lucky to find a single individual able to do so. All of these issues - payment reform, budgets, contract negotiations, health care outcomes, population health - are related. One affects the other. But no one, and no group, is assuming responsibility for engaging the public in a way that makes any of this understandable. That’s ridiculous. More to the point, it’s dangerous. Emerson Lynn is co-publisher of The Essex Reporter and the St. Albans Messenger, where this editorial first appeared.

THE ESSEX

REPORTER EXECUTIVE EDITOR Courtney A. Lamdin

CO-PUBLISHERS Emerson & Suzanne Lynn

REPORTERS Colin Flanders Madeline Clark Amanda Brooks

GENERAL MANAGER Suzanne Lynn

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6•

The Essex Reporter • July 12, 2018

EssEx ArEA

Religious Directory

calendar July 19

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; Website: www.fccej.org ; Email: welcome@fccej.org Senior Pastor, Rev. Mark Mendes, Assoc. Pastor, Rev. Josh Simon. Summer Worship One Service 9 am, June 3 – September 2. Communion: first Sunday of every month. School Year Faith Formation. Jr. & High School Youth Groups. 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. 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.

courTesy PhoTo

What could be better on a summer evening than visiting a beautiful local farm, meeting new people and enjoying wood-fired pizza with ingredients sourced from that farm? Come to the NOFA-VT pizza social and add a tour of the beautiful Jericho Settlers Farm to that list. See Thursday, July 19 for complete details.

12 Thursday Musical PeTTing Zoo

2 - 3 p.m., Brownell Library. See and touch different instruments. If you want to bring your own instrument, talk to a librarian. For ages 5-12.

grouP druMMing circle

1 - 1:45 p.m., Essex Free Library. Join musician and drum circle facilitator Saragail Benjamin for this interactive, musical event! Make music with fellow drummers and explore rhythm with various percussion instruments.

MilTon FarMers' MarkeT

3:30 - 7 p.m., Hannaford Plaza, Route 7, Milton. Locally grown fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, maple syrup, prepared foods, baked goods, live music and so much more! EBT/ SNAP, Farm to Family coupons and debit cards accepted. Once again, the market will host craft days on the third Thursday of every month and will offer free activities, taste tests, Millie the Bookmobile and coupons for kids at the Power of Produce Club. For more information, visit miltonyouth.org/farmers or contact the market manager at 893-1009 or farmersmarket@ miltonyouth.org.

Trucks, TaPs and Tunes

5 - 8 p.m., HammerFit parking lot, 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Come to a family-friendly community food truck event featuring local food trucks, live music and craft brews. This food truck night happens every Thursday through August 30; check the Facebook event page for weekly updates on music, food trucks and more at facebook.com/ essexvt.

lang FarM FaMily concerT series

5:30 - 8 p.m., Lang Farm, 45 Upper Main St., Essex Jct. Talented musicians performing, delicious local food for sale and plenty of space for roaming and playing! Includes an activity center for children and a cash bar for adults. Performing this week will be The Tenderbellies.

Teenline Talk ParT 1: relaTionshiP sTaTus

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex CHIPS Teen Center, 2 Lincoln St., Second Floor, Essex Jct. There will be a guided group discussion about the stresses, highs, lows and pressures surrounding the relationships that teens are in and/or have the ability to be in. The discussion will be based on the workbook “Relationship Status” created by the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Free; grades 7 - 12.

13 Friday Music WiTh raPh

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

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.

larP

3 - 5 p.m., Brownell Library. Live Action Role Play is open to all middle and high school students who want to have adventures in a mythical land.

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.

14 saTurday laWn, BesT Bake and QuilT sale

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., United Church of Colchester, 900 Main St., Colchester. Find treasures, enjoy homemade pies and maybe even leave with a new handmade quilt. This annual sale is hosted by the Colchester Quilters.

VerMonT genealogy liBrary

10 a.m. - 4 p.m, 377 Hegeman Ave, Colchester. The library will be open for research.

Weekend sTory TiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend

with books, rhymes and songs!

MisTer chris in concerT

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Local kids’ rockstar, Mister Chris visits for a rockin’ summer concert!

VFW concerT

7 - 10 p.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Come enjoy the sounds of the band, Whirlwind. No charge; open to the public.

15 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 Club. The Winooski Farmers' Market, is distributing free meals at the Winooski Farmers Market for anyone under the age of 18.

French heriTage day celeBraTion

10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Winooski Falls Way, Winooski. There will be a Tourtiere contest along with Franco music and family genealogy. The Mill Museum and the Winooski Historical Society Museum will be open and the Winooski Farmers' Market will be taking place right there in the street. Join the fun! All meat pies must be at the Market Manager’s tent between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. See downtownwinooski. org or our Facebook page for details.

lake chaMPlain key To liBerTy: underWaTer archaeology oF The aMerican reVoluTion

2 p.m. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington. Join Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s archaeological director, Chris Sabick, as he shares information on the ongoing and future research efforts related to the Revolutionary War that LCMM is engaged in. Admission free; donations appreciated.

concerT series

7 p.m. Battery Park, Burlington. Enjoy band music every Sunday including musicals, show tunes, marches, popular selections, jazz tunes, novelty numbers and more. Free.

16 Monday MysTery Word challenge For kids and Teens Begins

All week, Brownell Library. Find the Mystery Word in a book to win a free small ice cream from Sam’s Scoop Shop in Essex Junction. For Independent Readers only. Word announced Monday.

sTory TiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Enjoy reading, rhyming and crafts each week! 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.

suMMer chess cluB

4 - 5 p.m., Brownell Library. Join other Chess players to learn the game and hone your skills. For ages 4-12.

17 Tuesday suMMer sTory TiMe

10 - 10:30 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, sign language, songs, rhymes, flannel stories and early math activities.

lake MonsTers sToryTiMe

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Root, root, root for your home team and welcome Champ and players from the Lake Monsters for a very special storytime.

WriTing/sPoken Word WorkshoP

11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Essex CHIPS Teen Center, 2 Lincoln St., Second Floor, Essex Jct. Discuss creative writing techniques, brainstorm ideas and discover ways to perform spoken word! This will include watching spoken word performances, and sharing poetry and writing

July 12, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 7

calendar LocaL meetings thUrsDay, JULy 12 6:30 p.m., town Planning commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

tUesDay, JULy 17 6 p.m., Village capital Program review committee, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

WeDnesDay, JULy 18 7 p.m., Joint meeting Village trustees/town selectboard, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

thUrsDay, JULy 19 6 p.m., Village Planning commission, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

in a small-group setting. A lunch snack will be provided at noon. We will provide any writing instruments youth might need (if they do not wish to bring their own). Grades 4 and above.

Dinner & ice cream in the Park

3 - 7 p.m., Maple Street Park. Tuesdays this summer there will be dinner and ice cream in the park! A dinner food truck and Dudley’s Delights ice cream truck will have items to purchase each week, in the Maple Street Park parking lot. Enjoy a night in the park and support your community as some of the proceeds from sales go directly to providing program scholarships. Food Truck Nights are weather dependent. Check facebook.com/EJRec for updates

Libraries rock! steam Program series

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Read "Ada's Violin" and create an instrument from recycled materials. For ages 5-12.

Vermont geneaLogy Library

3 - 9:30 p.m, 377 Hegeman Ave, Colchester. The library will be open for research on Tuesdays throughout the month of July.

UkULeLe cLUb

6:30 - 7 p.m., Essex Free Library. Tuesdays become Tunes-days this summer! Learn to play the ukulele and strum some uke tunes with other young musicians! For ages 7 and up; registration required by calling 879-0313.

DroP-in knitting cLUb 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!

18 WeDnesDay story time

10 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.

tech heLP With cLif

Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

archaeoLogy

afternoon

1 - 3 p.m., Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, 8 River Rd., Jericho. Join Jess Robinson, Vermont State Archaeologist, to learn how archaeologists use the clues they find to understand how people lived in the past. For children ages 8 to 14. Registration required, call 899-4962.

knitting cLUb

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Come learn to knit with needles or looms. All skill levels welcome. For ages 7 and up.

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.

teDx taLk: mUsic

7 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. TED Talk videos around this month’s theme will be viewed and reflected on. This is a great opportunity to connect with others! At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, selforganized events are branded TEDx, where x = an independently organized TED event.

ithieL faLLs camP meeting

7 p.m., Ithiel Falls Camp, 3662 Hogback Rd., Johnson. Worship Leader Dan King leads a praise service which kicks off the camp season. Through Sunday, July 29 at 11 a.m. each day, Evangelist Stephen Manley presents a bible study while teen evangelist John Williams meets with the teens and children’s evangelists Amanda and Brock Carlile captivate the children with a varied program. Call 6445580 or visit ithielfalls. org for more information.

19 thUrsDay yoga games With DanieLLe

10:30 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. Play with yoga games and movement and stretch out with instructor, Danielle Brown! For grades K - 3

Very merry theater Presents "cinDereLLa"

Noon, Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, 8 River Rd., Jericho. See this classic fairy tale perfromed on the library lawn. All ages; no registration required.

mUsicaL makersPace: tamboUrines

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library. Make your own tambourine at the library, then jingle all the way home!

karaoke Party!

3 - 4 p.m., Brownell Library. Come try out our new karaoke machine and sing your hearts out! For grades 5 and up.

trUcks, taPs anD tUnes 5 - 8 p.m., HammerFit parking lot, 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct. (See Thursday, July 12 for complete details.)

nofa-Vt Pizza sociaL

5:30 - 8 p.m., Jericho Settlers Farm, 22 Barber Farm Rd., Jericho. Enjoy farm-fresh pizza and a celebration of Jericho Settlers Farm! Jericho Settlers is a diversified farm producing organic vegetables and herbs for their year-round CSA and farms stands. They also produce pasture raised lamb, pork and chicken. Come and enjoy dinner baked in NOFA-VT's wood-fired pizza oven, followed by a farm tour. Free; $10 suggested donation. RSVP requested but not required; call 434-4122.

oPen mic night

5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex CHIPS Teen Center, 2 Lincoln St., Second Floor, Essex Jct. Join the open mic performance at the teen center stage, where you can listen to local musicians perform and take turns sharing their own music or spoken word (e.g. poetry slam)! We will have pizza dinner and any additional materials performers might need. Free; open to youths of all ages.

Lang farm famiLy concert series

5:30 - 8 p.m., Lang Farm, 45 Upper Main St., Essex Jct. Performing this week will be Shellhouse. (See Thursday, July 12 for details.)

firearms Discharge orDinance PUbLic forUm

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Essex Middle School, 60 Founders Rd., Essex Jct. An opportunity to reconvene in person before the online public comment forum closes. Participants will have a chance to review preliminary reports and trends resulting from the online engagement tools and share impressions of the public comment. The public comment period on PlaceSpeak will officially close at midnight on Sunday, July 22.

moUnt mansfieLD scaLe moDeLers

6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library, Essex Jct. An informal gathering of scale model enthusiasts and model builders encompassing all areas of skill level. Show off projects, discuss modeling tips and techniques and gain inspiration from fellow modelers. Call 8790765 after 6 p.m. for more information.

20 friDay mystery WorD chaLLenge for kiDs anD teens enDs

annUaL essex haLf marathon

8:30 a.m., Essex High School, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. Enjoy the biggest and best out and back loop half marathon that Essex has hosted! Starting and finishing at EHS, runners will be cheered on by friends, loved ones and fans as they sprint to the finish. Contact the EJRP at 878-1375 to sign up and for information regarding fees, packet pick up information,

All week, Brownell Library. (See Monday, July 16 for details.)

sUmmer story time

9:30 - 10 a.m., Brownell Library. Listen to picture book stories, sing, dance and create a craft. For children ages 2 - 6.

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.

WiLDLife rocks!

4:30 - 5:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Meet some live animals! Museum educators will bring five or six live animals native to New England for an up close look at their amazing skills and adaptations. They'll touch on Vermont’s history, ecosystems and how all of our wild creatures work together to keep the Northeast rockin’! For ages 3 and up.

famiLy moVie: "coco"

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Enjoy this month's free movie, Pixar's "Coco," in which a boy journeys into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors and lift a curse. Walt Disney Pictures, 2017; 109 minutes; rated PG. Free popcorn and drinks!

commUnity sWim meet

7 - 8 p.m., Maple Street Pool. Join Annie Cooper and friends as they offer the opportunity for people of all ages (kids, teens, and adults) to hop in the pool for a fun yet competitive swim. You pick your event(s) and how many you want to participate in. We will group swimmers by age and heat as best as we can. Spectators are welcome to come and cheer! Swim Ribbons will be given to every participant. Events may include 25/50 butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 100 individual medley. $7 per swimmer; pre-registration encouraged but not necessary. Visit ejrp.org for more information.

WeekenD story time

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

ongoing eVents harriet farnsWorth PoWeLL historicaL mUseUm

Thursdays 6 - 7:30 p.m., Sundays 1 - 4 p.m, Browns River Rd., Essex Jct. Special exhibits this season focusing on WWI and the 125th anniversary of the Village of Essex Junction.

ROSIE 11 year old Spayed Female Arrival Date: 3/5/2018

Breed: Domestic shorthair - black & white Reason here: My owner could no longer care for me Special considerations: I have hyperthyroidism Rosie is 11 years young and not only is she full of life, but she’s one of the best darn cuddlers in all of New England! Her favorite activities are sleeping, eating, and cuddling you. Hard. She would like to come to your house and casually doze off on your chest while watching TV. What’s not to love about this cat?! To us, she is the perfect snuggle buddy! Rosie has hyperthyroidism. What’s that, you ask? It is a fairly common glandular disorder seen in cats over eight years old. It means that Rosie’s thyroid glands overproduce hormones. She is on a very affordable daily medication for this disorder, takes her medication like a champ and otherwise lives a pretty normal cat life! Rosie is all cuddles and love, cuddles and love. She’s been at HSCC since March and we really hope she doesn’t see another winter here, won’t you come in and meet this gentle soul?! She’ll just take a nap until you get here. My thoughts on Cats & Dogs: I have lived with a dog and another cat in my previous home and did well!

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8•

The Essex Reporter • July 12, 2018

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FOR SALE W34-30 (5), W34-32, shape. $50. Call 802W32-30. $10 each. Call 868-7613 AIR CONDITIONER, 802-868-3269 XBOX GAMING SYSSEARS, fits small win- SAFETY BOOTS, TEM, good condition, dow, comes with manu- WOMEN’S Wolverine, comes with paddles al, removable. $25. Call size 8.5. Brand new, and games. Asking 802-524-9786 worn 2 weeks, paid $35. 802-868-7613 Exercise/Sporting AIR CONDITIONER, $130. Selling for $30. Equipment WINDOW mounted, re- Call 802-868-3269 Children’s Items & conditioned. $50 each. EXERCISE BIKE, STAToys Call 802-868-3515 TIONARY Marcy ELECTRIC PERCOLA- BASSINET, FOR BOY Brand, low impact, TOR, GE, like new. $15. blue, zip up net, great good shape. $45. Call shape, smoke free 802-524-4538 Call 802-868-7469. home. $20. Call 802- HOME GYM, TOTAL Bicycles/Bikes 582-5557 Gym brand, good conAppliances

ROCK ‘N PLAY, for boy or girl, great shape, smoke free home. $20. Call 802-582-5557 Electronics/ Cameras/Etc. FLATSCREEN TV, 32”, Camping Supplies Emerson brand, comes SLEEPING BAG, PEN- with remote. $100. 802NY’S, good shape. $15. 782-4184 Call 802-868-7469 NINTENDO GAME SYSTEM, comes with Clothing & paddles and games, Accessories BOXTON WALLET, good condition. $35. MENS new, in great Call 802-868-7613 BIKE, SCHWINN, COLLEGIATE, Sport 5, 26”, like new. New tires and tuned up. $150. 802-527-7235, leave a message.

shape. $10. Call 802- WII GAME SYSTEM, 868-3269 comes with Wii Fit CARPENTER JEANS, game, balance board, MEN’S Lee, sizes and other games, good

Furniture SPOOL BED, REFINISHED, in good shape. $100. Call 802-868-7469 Furnishings ALEXANDRIA LIGHTHOUSE SHELF, metal, from 7th Avenue Catalog sold for $179.95. 19.5”d X 80”h. Never used. Great gift. Asking $75. 802-868-7613 Lawn/Garden

dition. $45. Call 802- A D I R O N D A C K CHAIRS, (4), white. 524-4538 Brand new, still in boxes. Farm Equipment Value of one is $60., sellBARN FAN, LARGE, ing for $50. each, or all electric. $50. 802-309- for $185. obo. Moving, must sell! 802-578-7606 4062

BISTRO TABLE, WROUGHT Iron with BOW, HUNTER INDI- two chairs. Hampton AN, right handed, comes Bay. Brand new, still in with soft case. Asking box. Paid $159.99, sell$15. Call 802-868-7613 ing for $85. obo. Moving, must sell! 802-578-7606 BOW, LEFT HANDED, Bear, comes T R I M M E R / E D G E R , B&D with hard shell case, CORDLESS, 70 pound draw. $25. Grasshog, comes with Call 802-868-7613. extra battery, great condition. $40. Call 802868-4158 Firearms,Bows, Etc

buying! Fair prices paid! Call Ed Lambert 802-528-5651 or GUITAR, ACOUSTIC, 802-782-1223 OSCAR Schmidt St. Albans brand, great shape. $90. Call 802-524-4538 FREON R12 WANTED: BUYER PIANO, KINCAID CERTIFIED CONSOLE, great will PAY CA$H for R12 shape, 59”L x 25”W x cylinders or cases of 41”H. $200. Call 802- cans. (312)291-9169; www.refrigerant 524-4538 finders.com KITTENS, (3), FREE, GUITAR WANTED! six weeks old, beautiful, litter box trained. Moth- LOCAL musician will er is half Maine Coon pay up to $12,500 Cat. 802-527-1998, for pre-1975 Gibson, Fender, Martin, and 802-582-2327 Gretsch guitars. Fender Pet Supplies amplifiers also. Call toll free! DOG CRATE, LARGE, 1-800-995-1217 36”L x 24”W x 30”H, good condition. $20. 802-524-4538 Musical Items

Tools/Accessories WEED EATER, GAS powered, curved shaft, comes with manual. $25. Call 802-524-9786 Wanted to Buy BUYING ANTIQUES Complete households, most anything old/of good quality. 45+ years

ESSEX POLICE REPORTS

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

July 2 - 8 Arrests

1 Disorderly conduct (language) 1 Aggravated domestic assault (first degree) 1 Resisting arrest

MondAy, JULy 2

11:14 a.m., LSA on Pearl St. 11:56 a.m., Lost/Found Property on Lavoie Dr. 2:38 p.m., Citizen Assist on Lincoln St. 6:06 p.m., Medical Assist on Pinecrest Dr. 6:45 p.m., Larceny on Brickyard Rd. 9:50 p.m., Animal Problem on Pinecrest Dr. 10:30 p.m., Citizen Assist on Carmichael St. 10:39 p.m., Aggravated Assault on Main St.

tUesdAy, JULy 3

9:02 a.m., Citizen Dispute on Morse Dr. 12:05 p.m., Fire Dept Assist on Juniper Ridge Rd. 1:15 p.m., Welfare Check on Carmichael St. 2:02 p.m., Suspicious on Maple St. 2:03 p.m., Lost/Found Property on S Hill Dr. 3:41 p.m., Welfare Check on Pearl St. 4:53 p.m., Untimely on West St.

6:37 p.m., Suspicious on Center Rd. 7:21 p.m., Animal Problem on Drury Dr. 8:01 p.m., Lost/Found Property on Pearl St. 9:45 p.m., Suspicious on Sleepy Hollow Rd. 10:05 p.m., Fireworks on Susie Wilson Rd. 11:23 p.m., Suspicious on West St.

WednesdAy, JULy 4

2:58 a.m., Citizen Assist on Carmichael St. 10:07 a.m., Animal Problem on Brickyard Rd. 11:42 a.m., Suspicious on Central St. 12:36 p.m., Attempt to locate on Central St. 1:05 p.m., Fire Dept Assist on Blair Rd. 3:56 p.m., Suspicious on Pinecrest Dr. 3:58 p.m., Assault/Intimidation on Maple St. 4:17 p.m., Animal Problem on West St. 8:02 p.m., Noise Disturbance on Rosewood Ln. 9:16 p.m., Suspicious on Upper Main St. 10:02 p.m., Disorderly Conduct on Maple St. 10:19 p.m., Disorderly Conduct on East St. 11:02 p.m., Aggravated Assault on Maple St.

thUrsdAy, JULy 5

12:42 a.m., Suspicious on Allen Martin

Pkwy. 3:58 a.m., Suspicious on Main St. 8:13 a.m., Welfare Check on Carmichael St. 8:34 a.m., MV Disturbance on South St. 10:22 a.m., Welfare Check on Joshua Way 10:35 a.m., Suspicious on Pearl St. 10:39 a.m., Suspicious on Main St. 11:46 a.m., Suspicious on Carmichael St. 12:52 p.m., Suspicious on Baker St. 3:41 p.m., Welfare Check on Iroquois Ave. 5:20 p.m., Larceny on Susie Wilson Rd. 5:37 p.m., Missing Person on South St. 5:44 p.m., Citizen Assist on Pearl St. 5:50 p.m., Welfare Check on Alder Ln. 6:31 p.m., Larceny on Prospect St. 6:59 p.m., Citizen Dispute on Central St. 7:55 p.m., Welfare Check on Wrisley St.

FridAy, JULy 6

12:09 a.m., Suspicious on Pearl St. 12:29 a.m., Attempt to locate on North St. 12:34 a.m., Suspicious on Sand Hill Rd. 12:35 a.m., Simple Assault on West St. 12:45 a.m., Family Disturbance on Old Stage Rd. 1:22 a.m., Suspicious on Brickyard Rd. 5:33 a.m., Welfare Check on Old Colchester Rd. 7:57 a.m., Vandalism on School St. 11:15 a.m., Welfare Check on Pearl St.

12:01 p.m., Safety Hazard on Pearl St. 1:15 p.m., Property Damage on Old Colchester Rd. 2:10 p.m., Property Damage on Essex Way 2:22 p.m., Welfare Check on Pearl St. 2:58 p.m., Welfare Check on Joseph Ln. 5:06 p.m., Family Disturbance on Perry Dr. 5:38 p.m., MV Complaint on Lincoln St. 6:01 p.m., Traffic Hazard on I-289 6:18 p.m., Lost/Found Property on South St. 6:41 p.m., Larceny on Pearl St. 7:40 p.m., Suspicious on Brigham Hill Rd. 8:19 p.m., Suspicious on Old Colchester Rd.

sAtUrdAy, JULy 7

1:34 a.m., DUI on School St. 2:22 a.m., Citizen Assist on Oak St. 2:59 a.m., Noise Disturbance on Clara Hill Ln. 9:22 a.m., Property Damage on Ira Allen Dr. 9:35 a.m., Citizen Assist on Maple St. 11:20 a.m., Citizen Assist on Drury Dr. 1:31 p.m., Car vs. Deer on River Rd. 2:56 p.m., Lost/Found Property on Pearl St. 4:00 p.m., Welfare Check on Baker St. 6:33 p.m., Family Disturbance on Wrisley St. 7:49 p.m., MV Complaint on Pearl St.

9:30 p.m., Unlawful Burning on Upland Rd. 10:53 p.m., MV Complaint on I-289

sUndAy, JULy 8

1:21 a.m., DUI on Maple St. 2:52 a.m., Suspicious on S Summit St. 8:50 a.m., Citizen Assist on Wrisley St. 9:04 a.m., Larceny on Orchard Terr. 9:57 a.m., Lost/Found Property on South St. 11:01 a.m., Welfare Check on Maple St. 11:33 a.m., Larceny on Main St. 12:02 p.m., Suspicious on Susie Wilson Rd. 12:39 p.m., Larceny on Orchard Terr. 1:15 p.m., Citizen Dispute on Birch Ln. 1:18 p.m., Larceny on Prospect St. 3:06 p.m., Animal Problem on Lincoln St. 3:12 p.m., Suspicious on Pearl St. Park 3:50 p.m., Suspicious on Joshua Way 5:36 p.m., Citizen Assist on Maple St. 7:33 p.m., Suspicious on Baker St. 7:58 p.m., DUI on Jericho Rd. 8:28 p.m., Citizen Assist on Maple St. 10:44 p.m., Alarm on Founders Rd.

tickets issUed: 12 WArnings issUed: 38 Fire/eMs cALLs: 57

This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For a more complete report, visit our website essexreporter.com.

July 12, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ The Essex Reporter â&#x20AC;˘ 9

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10 •

REGIONAL

The Essex Reporter • July 12, 2018

Vallee and friend file diverging-diamond lawsuit By MIKE DONOGHUE

tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Administrative Procedure Act, the lawsuit maintains. The Vermont Agency of Transportation and its secretary, Joe Flynn; and the Federal Highway Administration and its secretary, Elaine Chao, are among the defendants named in the 38page lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Burlington. Federal, state and town officials have said the $8 million road project is properly designed and will improve traffic flow and safety for

The owners of two major gas stations chains and convenience stores have filed a federal lawsuit to try to block the construction of the so-called “diverging diamond” traffic project on U.S. 2 & 7 by Interstate 89 near the Colchester-Winooski line. Rodolphe “Skip” Vallee, on behalf of R. L. Vallee, and David Simendinger, on behalf of Wesco and Timberlake Associates, believe the project violates the Na-

about a one-mile stretch of U.S. 2 & 7, also known as Roosevelt Highway. It is a major northsouth corridor, including for those traveling to or from the Champlain Islands or Canada. About 24,000 vehicles use the road each day, landing it in the top five sites for daily traffic in Chittenden County, according to Michael LaCroix, project manager for VTrans. The location also has the eighthmost crashes and the thirdmost with serious injuries. The federal lawsuit is a second attack by Vallee, who is leading the charge to try to block Costco over its plans to offer low-cost gasoline at its nearby wholesale store. Costco has added 12 gasoline pumps but cannot turn them on until certain road improvements are made nearby. The project also is before the Vermont Supreme Court following an appeal by Vallee and Simendinger. The Costco project received the green light from Act 250, the state’s land development law, and was upheld by a Vermont Environmental Court after a five-day trial. The 78-page decision by Judge Thomas Walsh on June 1 is now before the state’s highest court. Flynn said he expects state and federal officials

will contest the federal lawsuit on the long-planned project. Formal written responses are due at the court in several weeks. “VTrans and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office will be reviewing this new federal court lawsuit with the Federal Highway Administration and it’s legal counsel,” Flynn said in a prepared statement. “Meanwhile, VTrans and other state agencies are continuing to work with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office to defend an appeal that the same project opponents recently filed with the Vermont Supreme Court.” The project would run between the Winooski city line and the intersection of Sunderland Woods Road in Colchester. It includes a redesign and reconstruction of the Exit 16 interchange area. Both Upper and Lower Mountain View drives and would be expanded with turn lanes. Vallee, who is based in St. Albans, operates various convenience stores, including the Maplefields chain. One of the stores, which sells Mobil gasoline, is at 414 Roosevelt Hwy., north of Exit 16 on I-89. The store operates 24 hours a day. Wesco and Timberlake Associates are related companies based in South Burlington. Wesco operates

a Champlain Farms convenience store with Shell gasoline at 156 Roosevelt Hwy. next to Burger King near the Winooski line. The store, which also is open 24 hours a day, is about a quarter-mile south of Vallee’s store. Timberlake owns the land on which Wesco operates its store. The state still has to acquire the right-ofway to proceed, but construction to replace and relocate utilities is expected to begin in spring 2020. Actual roadwork would start in spring 2021, LaCroix said. In conjunction with the utility work, Champlain Water District will replace a major waterline that is more than 40 years old that serves much of northern Chittenden County. Doing the work at the same time makes sense, LaCroix said. The plaintiffs are concerned that construction and blasting may require some traffic disruptions or road closures. They said there is a projected 30 percent decrease in some traffic. Vallee and Simendinger want the federal court to step in and block the defendants until they comply with NEPA. They also ask the FHA be enjoined from disbursing any funds for the project until these requirements are addressed.

The lawsuit maintains the defendants rushed the project through the regulatory process and did not perform an Environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. Flynn and LaCroix said state and federal officials believe they have acted properly. “We are just moving forward,” LaCroix said. The project also impacts more than 18,000 square feet of wetlands, according to Vallee and Simendinger. Three final were considered: widening U.S. 2 & 7, the diverging diamond or a roundabout. The double diamond provided the best option to reduce gridlock, move traffic and improve safety. Vallee said in the lawsuit that VTrans discharges pollutants and stormwater containing phosphorus and chloride on his land, and he theorizes more might be deposited when the project is done, the lawsuit said. Vallee discharges its stormwater, including entrained chloride, into Sunnyside Brook, his lawsuit said. LaCroix said those same arguments were raised and resolved during Act 250 hearings and at the Environmental Court.

Disabled Vermonters gain confidence on the water By MADELINE CLARK

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atrick Standen is no stranger to sailing. The 53 year-old St. Michael’s College professor has won regattas “from Miami to Montreal,” competed at the national level and was a certified sailing coach. While Standen may not be the only Vermonter with these skills and accolades, he was the first paraplegic sailor to earn the Level 2 coach certification. Standen has used a wheelchair for 37 years, since an automobile accident on a rural Vermont road left him with a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. “If a person has a disability later in life they may think, ‘I’ll never be able to do certain things,’” he said. “Then when they find they can do those things, the excitement they encounter fulfills them.” This prompted Standen to co-found the North-

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Northeast Disabled Athletic Association, a non-profit organization that helps disabled persons participate in competitive recreational activities. east Disabled Athletic Association, a non-profit organization that helps disabled persons participate in competitive recreational activities, as well as lend his sailing skills to create an adaptive sailing program on Malletts Bay. The program started in 2006 at The Moorings marina in Colchester. With the help of a $15,000 Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation grant, Standen and the team at the NDAA purchased a Martin 16 sailboat. The Canadian-built, 16foot, 330-pound boats have keels that rise four feet above the water. “The potential for the boat really going over on its side because of the wind is really slim, but it would right itself pretty quickly," according to Peter Hogg, a

volunteer and supervisor of sailing activities with the NDAA. According to Hogg, the boats can be outfitted with electronics to help disabled sailors. For people with quadriplegia, the Martin 16 can be equipped with a sipand-puff joystick, or basically two straws: one that controls the sail and the other that controls the rudder. “It’s neat to see,” he said. “It’s an enthusiasm for something [NDAA participants] can do … on their own.” For Steven Safford, a disabled Navy veteran, the program offers independence and an opportunity to boost his confidence. “I just like the peace and serenity,” he said. “I need the confidence of doing different things.”

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In 1976, Safford had an accident in Point Sur, Calif. while serving in the Navy. “I rolled a car over: concussion, fractured skull, paralyzed half of my face and tore my knee cap off. I was pretty banged up,” he said. The lasting effects include a traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depression and three knee replacements. The bone in Safford’s ear that helps with equilibrium was also broken, which is why Hogg and other NDAA volunteers have to aid Safford in and out of the vessel. “I can hardly walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said. “It’s stupid.” Out on the water, it’s another story. Safford controls the boat and feels peace, he said. He’s building his selfesteem through sailing and hopes to compete in a regatta in the future. For now, he goes out sailing as many times per week as the NDAA can take him. “I’m finally learning what’s good for me and I’m able to do it,” he said. “It’s a good thing to feel good about yourself.” Standen said partaking in sports after a disability is a “riveting experience where people can return back to life and find that life is worth living again.” The NDAA adaptive sailing program has more than a dozen volunteers for practices and twice as many for regattas, according to Standen. Its services are offered at no cost to participants. “We squeak by,” Hogg said. “We’ve thought of putting in some kind of a fee, but have just kept it at, ‘If you can afford to do something please do.’” Standen said the NDAA wants to give access to all and hopes participants fall in love with the sport. The organization raises funds through grants, donations and its annual regatta in Malletts Bay. Looking out at the bay where Safford had just glided and tacked the Martin 16, Hogg smiled. “This program gave me another purpose,” he said. To learn more about the NDAA’s activities and volunteer opportunities check out http://www.disabledathletics.org/htm/contact.htm, call 802-862-NDAA or follow the organization on Facebook @disabledathletics

OVATIONS Dean's and President's Lists Spring 2018 Emily Dramstad earned dean's list honors at SUNY Oneonta by maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The University of New Hampshire had several students from the EWSD on their dean's list. Morgan Randall and Amanda Reardon achieved high honors for GPAs between 3.65 and 3.84; Braeden Hughes and Sarah Dramstad achieved highest honors for GPAs of 3.85 or higher. Lauren Irish and Rosemary Barrows of Westford also made the list with highest honors. Grace Elizabeth Murphy has been named to the dean's list at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. for maintaining a GPA of 3.3 or higher with no course grade below 2.o. Jason Mailman made the University of Maine Dean’s List for completing 12 or more credit hours in the semester and earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Celine Hoffman and Amanda Pendergrass qualified for the dean's list at Quinnipiac University. They achieved this honor by earning a GPA of 3.5 with no letter grade at a "C" or below. Sarah E. Abeling and Danielle J. Couture have been selected for inclusion on St. Lawrence University's Dean's List for academic achievement for having completed at least four courses and having an academic average of 3.6 or higher for the semester. Kevin James Svarczkopf, Erin Paige Church, Emma Brawn Grindle, Carter James Leo, Macall Lucy Meslin and Kaitlin Austin Smith earned positions on the dean's list at Norwich University for academic achievement. Kristyn VanAllen was named to the Marist College Dean's List for academic achievement. Laura Sturm and Molly Noel made the dean's list at Ithaca College for academic achievement. Jacob Botelho was named to the dean's list at Muhlenberg College in Al-

July 12, 2018 • The Essex Reporter • 11

lentown, Penn. for a term GPA of 3.50 or higher. Chris Abajian, Espen Peterson, Brian Sandon and Dan Laskarzewski made the dean's list at the Rochester Institute for Technology for a GPA of 3.4 or above. Sarah W. Eustis, Jillian B. Kenny, Jasmine A. Powell, Drake Rivas, Catherine G. Combs, Allison M. Matthews, Aidan J. Whitney and Carolyn C. Leccese were all awarded positions on the St. Michael's College Dean's List for their academic achievement. Maria Reed and Riley Groll was awarded a position on the Merrimack College dean’s list for academic achievement.

College Graduates Victoria Bean graduated from SUNY Canton and majored as a physical therapy assistant. Grace Elizabeth Schonberg graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in applied health science and a minor in

Spanish from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. Laura Sturm of graduated summa cum laude from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science in speech language pathology and audiology. Two students from Essex graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology this semester. Robert Busch was awarded a Bachelor of Science/Master's of Science as a physician assistant. Amy Guthrie garnered a bachelor of science in electrical engineering.

Academic Honors Jamie Duke won the Outstanding Senior in Geography Award presented during the College of Arts and Sciences Awards Ceremony at the University of Vermont on May 18. This award is given to the top senior geography major based on academic performance and commitment to the field of geography.

Wedding announcements TRACY – WERMER Carl and Alison Wermer happily announce the marriage of their son John Knox Wermer to Hannah Hadley Tracy on Sept. 2, 2017. The wedding was in Westhampton, Mass. A reception followed at Intervale Farm, owned by the bride's family. The best man was Lucian Benway of Essex Junction. The maid of Honor was Ruth Tracy, sister of the bride. John is a graduate of Johnson State College and Boston College with a Masters degree in Social Work. He is a school-based clinician in the Mt Abe School District. Hannah is a graduate of Penn State University and Simmons College with a masters degree in library science.

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OKTAVIANI – RENCA Robert and Carole announce the marriage of their son, Dylan Renca, to Martina Oktaviani of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The two were married at Holy Family Catholic Church in Essex Junction on Saturday, July 29, 2017 and their reception was held at Holy Family Parish Hall. Dylan and Martina met for the first time in 2011 at Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia where Martina was enrolled as a nursing student and Dylan was studying abroad. Over the next six years, they maintained a long

distance relationship with frequent trips between the U.S. and Indonesia and were engaged in a traditional ceremony at Martina's parent's home in Yogyakarta in 2015. Dylan is a graduate of St. Michael’s College, class of 2013, with degrees in English and religious studies, and was a recipient of a 2014 Fulbright teaching award to Indonesia. Martina is a graduate of Gadjah Mada University where she received her nursing degree in 2015. The happy couple is currently relocating to Cambridge, Mass. where Dylan is beginning graduate studies at Harvard University and Martina is pursuing her RN licensure. WILLS–TRUSTS–ESTATE PLANNING–MEDICAID–ELDER LAW–PROBATE

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sports

Standouts of summer

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ABOVE: On Sunday, June 10 at UVM's Virtue Field, the Essex Boys 7/8 Lacrosse Team beat South Burlington in the Northern Vermont Youth Lacrosse League Division I Championship by a final score of 6-2. Congratulations to the team and Coach Keith Walcott and Assistant Coaches Andy Bowen and Andy Harris. BELOW: Swimming against a strong Vermont competitor, Essex standout swimmer Jake Crock (GMA) raced in the 200M breaststroke at the L'International SAMAK 2018 swim meet at Parc Jean-Drapeau Aquatic Complex in Montreal, Quebec. Green Mountain Aquatics (GMA) sent 26 athletes ages 11-17 to compete in 32 Individual Events June 22 - 24.

SPORT SHORTS By JOE GONILLO July brought us some steaming hot weather. AC, fans, fireworks, pools and even some golf helped a bit. Thank God the heat wave broke! The fireworks from Essex Junction Recreation and Parks wowed The Junction on the Fourth. A long-time iconic Essex High School teacher/coach officially retired from the classroom. More from the summer swimming and women’s soccer leagues. World Cup soccer moved into the semifinals. Heart-warming swimming story from Seattle below. Congratulations to my good friend and colleague, Bill O’Neil, who retired last month after 45 years of teaching English and coaching soccer, hockey and softball at EHS. I met Bill at Sand Hill Pool in the summer of 1980 after I graduated from St. Michael’s College and became his student teacher. He has been an incredible person, mentor, teacher, coach and friend. The man coached three sports for almost his entire time here. His coaching career is nothing short of remarkable and is unmatched in Vt. He’s been honored nationally as well. His place in Georgia overlooks the lake. That will be an enjoyable transition...heard a rumor about coaching that I need to investigate! My wife, niece and nephews took in the Junction fireworks on the Fourth. They were fantastic! Lights, explosions, color and double explosions ooooohed and ahhhhhed the crowd at Maple Street Park. They were easily the best I have seen since the Dave Neil / Pete Selkowicz eras. Actually ran into Mr. Neil who shared how EJPR began hosting the fireworks. He became rec director early in 90’s and went with his family, the Johnstons, and the Mayvilles to

the Colchester fireworks. Well, they got delayed, things went wrong and their young kids were cranky and crying. Somebody made a comment that if Essex Junction hosted, they could walk home if they had to. A few think-tank meetings later and the idea became reality. Glad the tradition continues! Results from last week TEST swim meet in Middlebury went to Essex. With 94 swimmers traveling down Route 7, TEST outscored MIDD 330-135. Full results will be posted online at essexreporter.com. TEST swimmer Zada Anderson was one of two swimmers among 14 athletes representing Vermont last week in Seattle at the Special Olympic Games. Zada competed in the top female division in 50 fly, 50 free and 100 free events and earned silver, bronze and bronze medals respectively. The swim venue was amazing. Vermont's two swimmers, Zada and Chris Mitchell, who won a silver in the 100 free, 50 back and 50 free, and coach Chad Phalon were featured in an MSN interview. For that article go to www.msn.com/en-us/news/special-olympics/coaching-up-the-coach-in-swimming/ ar-AAzAZUD Zada graduated from Mt. Mansfield Union in June and will be attending Purdue in the fall. She has been swimming with TEST for six years works at the Maple Street Pool as a lifeguard and swim instructor. She started as volunteer swim instructor at MSP when she was 12 and has been there for six years as well. Chris is from Sudbury. The officials for each event were from all over the U.S., and together with volunteers ensured an Olympic experience for all of the athletes. Women’s Soccer League Standings 1. Vt. Energy Legs 4-1-0 2. Shenanigans 3-1-0 3. Huff N’ Puff 3-2-0 4. 802 Cross Fit 3-2-0 5. 2 Sisters 2-1-1 6. ESDI 1-3-0 7. Tha Warriors 0-3-0 8. NE Kingdom Warriors 0-0-4 The MLB All-Star game is Tuesday

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night. No surprise that the Red Sox, Indians, Yanks, Astros and Braves have the most players on the squad. AL should be the favorite with Sale, Severino, Kluber, Chapman, and Kimber heading the cast of pitchers. Have you seen “Ant Man and the Wasp” yet? It’s fantastic. The Marvel movies have some interwoven thread in them. I used to be strictly a Spiderman fan but have branched out and have totally enjoyed the movies. As an extremely PROUD uncle, I will brag and mention that my niece, Stacey (EHS and UMASS Amherst grad) worked wardrobe and sets on the film and

got her name up in lights on the big screen for the second time. She worked on “Black Panther” too. Birthday wishes going out to Kyran and Wakely McNulty, Linda L'Esperance, Eileen Pavlovich, Ethan Curtis, Ashley Besaw Barry, Dan Hagan, Chris Kirkpatrick, Kim Martin, Jay McCormack, Aaron Lords, Matt Warren, Gabrielle Velasquez,and soon-to-Fla. Donna Kaynor. Happy Anniversary to niece and nephew Sunny and Trevor Rushford on their twentieth, son and daughter Josh and Karen on their sixth, Adam and Eva Slocum on their first.

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