Weathersfield Weekly Blog March 13 edition
It's that time of year, Vermont's liquid gold is "on tap"
Winter Storm Coming!
(this could be a doozy!)
Prepare Now-Tips from the Red Cross
Winter Safety
Winter Storms
- Be a good neighbor - Check on elderly or special needs relatives, friends, and neighbors, to make sure they are keeping warm safely and have sufficient food and water.
- Carbon monoxide is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. CO poisoning can mimic flu-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Higher levels of exposure result in disorientation, drowsiness, and unconsciousness. If you experience any symptoms leave the home and contact help.
- Ensure all heating vents are clear of snow or other obstructions. Even if you don’t see significant snowfall, blowing snow can block heating vents. Blocked vents can lead to Carbon Monoxide buildup in the home. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors now.
- If you use a generator, ensure it is used outside, away from open windows, doors, or air intakes. Exhaust from a generator or heating source can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide in the home, which can be deadly.
- Take it easy while shoveling. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death during the winter.
- Be prepared. Have a well-stocked Winter Home Emergency Supply Kit that includes flashlights, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water and non-perishable food.
Power Outages
- If you see a downed power line, leave it alone – always treat power lines as if they are live. A live wire can kill you.
- If clearing trees or limbs make CERTAIN they are not in contact with a power line. Trees and branches can conduct electricity and electrocute you on contact.
- Report outages to your power company.
- Make sure your pipes are insulated. If your pipes freeze, know where the water shut off is and never use a blow torch or other open flame to thaw the pipes out. A hair dryer is one safe way to take care of the problem.
- Never use an “improvised” heat source like grill or oven as they can be fire or carbon monoxide hazards.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from any heat source.
- Check weather and road conditions before you leave.
- Slow Down: Driving too fast on wintry roads is the leading cause of crashes.
- Travel at a safe distance of at least 3 car lengths, leaving plenty of room to stop.
- Clear all snow and ice from the vehicle prior to travel.
- Be aware of black ice on what appears to be bare pavement.
- If your vehicle becomes stuck in deep snow, do not let your engine idle if your exhaust pipe is buried. Idling with a buried exhaust pipe could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Carry a cell phone and use 911 in case of an emergency, but do not become over dependent on a cell phone.
- Flares or reflectors.
- Ensure your home has a sufficient supply of whatever you use as “fuel” to heat your home.
- Have extra items on hand in case you can’t leave your house for a while.
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Battery powered radio
- Water
- Non-perishable foods
Vermont 2-1-1 has a list of shelters when there are shelters open.
Winter Weather Terms
Visit the American red Cross, Winter Storm Preparedness Site for more information
- Freezing rain: Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads and walkways
- Sleet: Rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground causing roads to freeze and become slippery
- Winter Weather Advisory: Cold temperatures, ice and snow are expected
- Winter Storm Watch: Severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two
- Frost/Freeze Warning: Below freezing temperatures are expected
- Winter Storm Warning: Severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon
- Blizzard Warning: Heavy snow and strong winds will produce a blinding snow, near zero visibility, deep drifts and life-threatening wind chill
Visit the American red Cross, Winter Storm Preparedness Site for more information
Get Emergency Notices from VT-Alert
from Weathersfield's Emergency Management Team
Did you know that you can get winter weather alerts (and more) sent directly to you?
VT-ALERT is a free service of the Emergency Management division of the State of Vermont Department of Public Safety.
VT-ALERT is used by the state and local responders to notify the public of emergency situations. Those include, but are not limited to, severe weather advisories, power outages, emergency shelter openings, roadway interruptions, boil water advisories, evacuation information, chemical spills, and shelter-in-place alerts. You can tailor the alerts to specific locations, types of alerts and on which devices you will be notified (SMS/TEXT, E-Mail, Mobile Phone, Work or Home Phone, and TTY/TDD Devices).
You can sign up for free notifications from VT-ALERT by going to https://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert and clicking on "Register for VT-ALERT"
The Town of Weathersfield now uses VT-ALERT to disseminate emergency information quickly and widely. We urge you to sign up for VT-ALERT if you have not already done so.
Roderick Bates
Emergency Management Director
Weathersfield, VT
emergencymanagement@weathersfield.org
VT-ALERT is a free service of the Emergency Management division of the State of Vermont Department of Public Safety.
VT-ALERT is used by the state and local responders to notify the public of emergency situations. Those include, but are not limited to, severe weather advisories, power outages, emergency shelter openings, roadway interruptions, boil water advisories, evacuation information, chemical spills, and shelter-in-place alerts. You can tailor the alerts to specific locations, types of alerts and on which devices you will be notified (SMS/TEXT, E-Mail, Mobile Phone, Work or Home Phone, and TTY/TDD Devices).
You can sign up for free notifications from VT-ALERT by going to https://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert and clicking on "Register for VT-ALERT"
The Town of Weathersfield now uses VT-ALERT to disseminate emergency information quickly and widely. We urge you to sign up for VT-ALERT if you have not already done so.
Roderick Bates
Emergency Management Director
Weathersfield, VT
emergencymanagement@weathersfield.org
Mark Your Calendars
St. Patrick's Day In Springfield Vermont
WPL Announces Annual Town Challenge
Gesine Bullock-Prado Spreads Vermont Love Through a New Cookbook Out March 14
Gesine Bullock-Prado is enthusiastically enamored of many things. The list includes baking, teaching people to bake, maple syrup, Vermont and her pet goose named Mama. Oh, and brown butter. Of the copper-flecked, nutty liquid gold, the pastry chef gushed during a recent conversation in her White River Junction kitchen classroom, "What's not to love about brown butter? It brings happiness to everything."
The host of Food Network's "Baked in Vermont," frequent TV cooking show judge and prolific cookbook author regularly shares her enthusiasms with her 40,000-plus followers on both Facebook and Instagram. Preorders from a passionate fan base have already catapulted her forthcoming seventh title, My Vermont Table: Recipes for All (Six) Seasons, to a top slot in the seasonal cooking new releases category on Amazon. Unlike Bullock-Prado's previous pastry-focused tomes, this one includes many non-baked savory recipes and unabashedly celebrates her home state.
The host of Food Network's "Baked in Vermont," frequent TV cooking show judge and prolific cookbook author regularly shares her enthusiasms with her 40,000-plus followers on both Facebook and Instagram. Preorders from a passionate fan base have already catapulted her forthcoming seventh title, My Vermont Table: Recipes for All (Six) Seasons, to a top slot in the seasonal cooking new releases category on Amazon. Unlike Bullock-Prado's previous pastry-focused tomes, this one includes many non-baked savory recipes and unabashedly celebrates her home state.
The cookbook debuts on March 14, purposefully timed for mud season, one of the two "extra" Vermont seasons that are all too familiar to locals but may be new to many of the chef's devotees. Bullock-Prado, 52, often addresses those fans as "sweet people," as in an October 2022 Instagram post in which she wrote, "Sweet people, this morning at 5 a.m. as I was wiping down the school benches, I thought to myself, 'Crikey, I'm so happy.'"
SHS Exchange Students Share March 30 5:30-6:30 p.m.
FREE but you must RESERVE a spot to attend TICKET
Springfield Library Events
43 Main Street - Springfield, VT 05156Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE
43 Main Street - Springfield, VT 05156
Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE
Wed, Mar 15, 6:00 PM
Thu, Apr 13, 1:00 PM
Tue, Apr 18, 6:30 PM
Thu, May 18, 1:00 PM
Wed, Mar 15, 6:00 PM
Thu, Apr 13, 1:00 PM
Tue, Apr 18, 6:30 PM
Thu, May 18, 1:00 PM
Reading Shakespeare at the Weathersfield Library Tuesdays through April 4th
Weathersfield Proctor Library and presenter Patti Arrison are hosting an informal, fun-filled reading of Shakespeare's romantic comedy, As You Like It, Tuesday evenings March 7 through April 4 from 6:30-8 p.m.. About one act per week will be read.
Weathersfield Proctor Library and presenter Patti Arrison are hosting an informal, fun-filled reading of Shakespeare's romantic comedy, As You Like It, Tuesday evenings March 7 through April 4 from 6:30-8 p.m.. About one act per week will be read.
No prior experience is necessary. All are welcome.
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players
For more information, contact Librarian Mark Richardson: weathersfieldproctorlibrary@gmail.com
OR Presenter Patti Arrison: parrison93@gmail.com
OR Presenter Patti Arrison: parrison93@gmail.com
“The fool doth think he is wise,
but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.”
Little Mermaid Jr. March 24-25 at WS
The WS students will be performing the play The Little Mermaid Jr. on March 24 and 25. Rehearsals began on January 10 after a record number of students auditioning for positions.
Weathersfield Garden Club Meets March 29 at 6 p.m.
The Weathersfield Garden Club is a somewhat new group in town, although most members have been gardening for years.
The club is meeting on March 29 to plan an Earth Day Clean-up project in town.
Want to play at Do Good Fest 2023? 
The Weathersfield Garden Club is a somewhat new group in town, although most members have been gardening for years.
The club is meeting on March 29 to plan an Earth Day Clean-up project in town.
A previous club project was the planting of 200 daffodils at the Roman Tenney Memorial Park at the Exit 8 Park and Ride.
More details to follow.
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Zilly Zonka and the Chocolate Factory, May 10
If you haven't been to a Zack's Place performance, you'll want to attend this one. The shows are always well done and are a great community resource.
Here are some photos from previous performances: Zack's Place Theatre Guild
News You Can Use
ICYMI (In case You Missed It)
Town/School News
Hey Weathersfield dogs (and their humans)
Officer AJ says, don't forget to renew your dog's license before April 1
By law, all dogs and wolf hybrids six months of age (if first rabies vaccine 3 months) or older must be licensed by April 1st each year in the town where the dog resides. Licenses are only available through the Town Clerk's Office and may be purchased in person or by mail if there is a current rabies certificate on file. Licenses are available after mid January each year.
Weathersfield does not currently license cats.
In order to license your dog you must present the following items:
In order to license your dog you must present the following items:
A copy of a valid rabies certificate (unless one is already on file).
Proof of Spay/Neuter certificate (if applicable)
Cash or a check made payable to "Town of Weathersfield"
Fee Before April 1st:
Neutered/Spayed: $5.00 + $5.00 state = $10.00
Male/Female: $9.00 + $5.00 state = $14.00
Fee after April 1st:
Neutered/ Spayed: $7.00 + $5.00 state = $12.00 Male/ Female: $13.00 + $5.00 state = $18.00
Proof of Spay/Neuter certificate (if applicable)
Cash or a check made payable to "Town of Weathersfield"
Fee Before April 1st:
Neutered/Spayed: $5.00 + $5.00 state = $10.00
Male/Female: $9.00 + $5.00 state = $14.00
Fee after April 1st:
Neutered/ Spayed: $7.00 + $5.00 state = $12.00 Male/ Female: $13.00 + $5.00 state = $18.00
Local and State News
Threat to inbound flight leads to emergency response at Burlington airport
VTD Editor VT Digger report
Authorities closed Burlington International Airport for several hours Sunday to respond to an unspecified threat reported aboard an inbound flight.
Roughly 20 minutes before the United Airlines flight was scheduled to land at 4:30 p.m., its crew reported the threat to air traffic control, according to Nicolas Longo, the airport’s director of aviation. The plane was directed to an area away from the terminal and searched, but nothing suspicious was found, Longo said at a press conference Sunday night at the airport.
None of the approximately 65 passengers aboard the Embraer 175 traveling from Newark Liberty International Airport were injured during the event, Longo said.
“This investigation is ongoing and, at this time, there’s no reason to believe that this is anything but an isolated incident,” Longo said.
According to acting Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is taking the lead in the investigation because the incident began in federal airspace.
Neither Longo nor Murad described the nature of the threat.
“I’m not going to confirm the specifics of it,” Murad said at the press conference when asked by a reporter whether it had been a bomb threat. “But we know that the Vermont State Police (explosive ordnance disposal team) came, and we took the sorts of procedures that we take when we involve the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad.”
One passenger aboard the plane, Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D-Chittenden South, said officials told passengers that a note had been found on the plane saying there was an explosive device aboard.
According to Baruth, it was not immediately clear to passengers on the flight that it was the focus of the law enforcement activity taking place at the airport. That changed roughly an hour and a half after the plane landed and officials with bomb-sniffing dogs boarded the plane, which had been parked on the tarmac.
Passengers were eventually allowed to deboard the plane and were directed to a hangar until the security assessment was complete, according to Baruth. He said baggage and personal belongings became available around 8:10 p.m.
Ethan Weinstein reporting for VT Digger
Rocket pulled into the parking lot of Brownsville Butcher and Pantry 10 minutes behind schedule. He’d initially left his apartment in flip-flops — his trademark footwear — but decided to double back. It was 6 degrees.
The 31-year-old, one-named videomaker and social media personality arrived unannounced to make one of his typical videos showcasing a Vermont food-based business.
Inside, he did not go long unnoticed. Brownsville Butcher’s co-owner, Peter Varkonyi, quickly recognized him, and the two locked eyes. “You Rocket?” Varkonyi asked.
“Sorry it’s taken me so long to get here,” Rocket replied, the two falling into immediate conversation beside the cafe’s counter. They spent 20 minutes talking food systems and the pitfalls of operating a business in a small state before Rocket started shooting video. He’d been granted complete access to the store, and he was not shy about ducking into the kitchen and sneaking behind the butcher counter.
“What you’ve started for the state is amazing,” Varkonyi said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Rocket has had such interactions across Vermont, packaging his explorations into bite-sized video content. His “Rocket In Vermont” Facebook page, with more than 12,000 followers, documents his trips up and down the state, from Orleans County to Rutland. His “Eat Vermont” Instagram account beams classic food porn to more than 28,000 accounts a month.
Conversations with chefs and farmers become 20-second reels and five-minute videos, mostly self-funded, though occasionally underwritten by chambers of commerce and local businesses. His goal is to foster meaningful human connections, he says, not just for himself, but between other people, too.
READ MORE
If you're planning to visit the Green Mountain State, steer clear of these errors during your travels.
Caroline Bologna for the Huffington Post
From charming towns and scenic mountains to hip breweries and plenty of après-ski fun, Vermont boasts countless tourist attractions that draw visitors from near and far.
While many residents of the Green Mountain State welcome travelers with open arms, they’ve also noticed a pattern of mistakes that outsiders tend to make during their stays. We asked some Vermonters to break down the most common ones.
Read on for 16 missteps and faux pas, as well as some advice for avoiding these errors during your Vermont travels.
While many residents of the Green Mountain State welcome travelers with open arms, they’ve also noticed a pattern of mistakes that outsiders tend to make during their stays. We asked some Vermonters to break down the most common ones.
Read on for 16 missteps and faux pas, as well as some advice for avoiding these errors during your Vermont travels.
Relying Too Heavily On GPS
“In our most gorgeous, remote areas, cell service is unreliable. In fact, there are significant areas without coverage. Screenshot your maps just like we printed them out in the old days. You won’t regret it. Also, be aware that GPS can send you on some roads that might be listed as roads but probably are not actually in use. (No, seriously. Ask me about the time I drove up a remote hiking path in a minivan.) Don’t power through! Don’t be afraid to turn around.” ― Jemima Talbot, owner of Vermont Moms
“Blindly following your GPS will often route you through some pretty gnarly back roads, and you might wind up in the wrong town at the end anyway.” ― Jane Lindholm, Vermont Public Radio host
READ MORE
Vermont Conversation: The endangered ski bum
David Goodman for VT Digger
Are ski bums an endangered species?
The iconic “ski bum” is a romantic character who has forsaken ambition and material comfort for something purer: high mountains, big adventure and the pursuit of the perfect ski run. Vermont is filled with ski bums past and present who live for powder days.
Ski bums have had a tough go lately. Climate change and economic hardship have taken a toll. New England just endured the warmest January in history. Powder days are fewer and farther between. Airbnb and Covid-19 have dealt a blow to many of the affordable crash pads and couches that ski bums once surfed.
Then there is the matter of white privilege.
“There is only one subset of the population who can safely, comfortably, and consistently pull off this lifestyle: white, cis-gendered skiers, usually middle class or wealthier, usually men,” wrote racial equity advocate Mardi Fuller in an essay for SKI Magazine entitled, “Let’s Stop Celebrating the White Male Ski Bum.”
Journalist Heather Hansman explores the modern reality of ski bumming in her book, “Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns, and the Future of Chasing Snow.” She journeys from Vermont to Colorado and back to tell the stories of people who have built their lives around snowy mountains. Hansman is the environmental columnist for Outside Online and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic and other publications. She is also the author of “Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West.”
Hansman writes that ski bums are “part of an ecosystem of skiing which encompasses everyone from celebrity vacationers to the undocumented lifties.” A decade after her own ski bum journeys, she hits the road again, this time with existential questions.
“In the face of climate change, economic upheaval, and so much more, I’m trying to figure out if skiing as we know it will survive,” she said.
READ MORE
House panel moves to expand Vermont’s ‘bottle bill’ to cover most beverages
By Fred Thys for VT Digger
n overhaul of the state’s beverage redemption law — known as “the bottle bill” — has been recommended in a 10-1 vote by the House Committee on Environment and Energy. The committee moved to expand the law to cover most beverage containers and find new ways to pay for recycling.
The legislation, H.158, would update the half-century-old law to include water bottles, energy drinks and other popular beverages. It also seeks to reduce the burden on the state’s beleaguered redemption centers, which are responsible for sorting and recycling the containers.
“Our redemption centers have come to us asking for relief,” said Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, who chairs the environment and energy committee.
Redemption centers have to sort bottles by brand, according to Josh Kelly, solid waste program manager at the Department of Environmental Conservation — and they regularly encounter more than 100 different brands.
“Redemption centers are already exceedingly strained by sorting,” Kelly said.
Manufacturers now pay the centers a handling fee of 4 cents a bottle. The legislation would increase that to 5 cents a bottle.
Under the existing "bottle bill," plastic containers for carbonated beverages may be redeemed, but not plastic containers for uncarbonated beverages. As more beverages are bottled in plastic, manufacturers have expressed interest in getting their plastic bottles covered so they can recycle them, Sheldon said
The state’s biggest waste management company, Rutland-based Casella Waste Systems, opposes the bill, arguing that plastic bottles are already being recycled.
“If you take that material out of our facility, then we don’t have that material to sell back,” said Jeff Weld, a spokesperson for Casella. Consumers would end up being charged more to recycle less valuable material, such as cardboard or paper, he said.
READ MORE
David Goodman for VT Digger
Are ski bums an endangered species?
The iconic “ski bum” is a romantic character who has forsaken ambition and material comfort for something purer: high mountains, big adventure and the pursuit of the perfect ski run. Vermont is filled with ski bums past and present who live for powder days.
Ski bums have had a tough go lately. Climate change and economic hardship have taken a toll. New England just endured the warmest January in history. Powder days are fewer and farther between. Airbnb and Covid-19 have dealt a blow to many of the affordable crash pads and couches that ski bums once surfed.
Then there is the matter of white privilege.
“There is only one subset of the population who can safely, comfortably, and consistently pull off this lifestyle: white, cis-gendered skiers, usually middle class or wealthier, usually men,” wrote racial equity advocate Mardi Fuller in an essay for SKI Magazine entitled, “Let’s Stop Celebrating the White Male Ski Bum.”
Journalist Heather Hansman explores the modern reality of ski bumming in her book, “Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns, and the Future of Chasing Snow.” She journeys from Vermont to Colorado and back to tell the stories of people who have built their lives around snowy mountains. Hansman is the environmental columnist for Outside Online and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic and other publications. She is also the author of “Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West.”
Hansman writes that ski bums are “part of an ecosystem of skiing which encompasses everyone from celebrity vacationers to the undocumented lifties.” A decade after her own ski bum journeys, she hits the road again, this time with existential questions.
“In the face of climate change, economic upheaval, and so much more, I’m trying to figure out if skiing as we know it will survive,” she said.
READ MORE
By Fred Thys for VT Digger
n overhaul of the state’s beverage redemption law — known as “the bottle bill” — has been recommended in a 10-1 vote by the House Committee on Environment and Energy. The committee moved to expand the law to cover most beverage containers and find new ways to pay for recycling.
The legislation, H.158, would update the half-century-old law to include water bottles, energy drinks and other popular beverages. It also seeks to reduce the burden on the state’s beleaguered redemption centers, which are responsible for sorting and recycling the containers.
“Our redemption centers have come to us asking for relief,” said Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, who chairs the environment and energy committee.
Redemption centers have to sort bottles by brand, according to Josh Kelly, solid waste program manager at the Department of Environmental Conservation — and they regularly encounter more than 100 different brands.
“Redemption centers are already exceedingly strained by sorting,” Kelly said.
Manufacturers now pay the centers a handling fee of 4 cents a bottle. The legislation would increase that to 5 cents a bottle.
Under the existing "bottle bill," plastic containers for carbonated beverages may be redeemed, but not plastic containers for uncarbonated beverages. As more beverages are bottled in plastic, manufacturers have expressed interest in getting their plastic bottles covered so they can recycle them, Sheldon said
The state’s biggest waste management company, Rutland-based Casella Waste Systems, opposes the bill, arguing that plastic bottles are already being recycled.
“If you take that material out of our facility, then we don’t have that material to sell back,” said Jeff Weld, a spokesperson for Casella. Consumers would end up being charged more to recycle less valuable material, such as cardboard or paper, he said.
READ MORE
By Ethan Weinstein reporting for VT Digger
Sometimes, a name isn’t just a name.
Last summer, the owners of the ski hill formerly known as Suicide Six announced they’d changed its name to Saskadena Six.
Saskadena, in Abenaki language, means “standing mountain,” and the change was made alongside guidance from the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki, according to the Woodstock Inn & Resort, which owns the ski area.
The change away from the old name, which the owners called “insensitive,” was intended to honor Vermont’s original residents and reflect increased awareness of mental health, inn officials said.
Pomfret commemorated that change in its 2022 Town Report vital statistics.
“Suicide Six Ski Area of Pomfret VT, age 86,” was marked in the deaths category, and “Saskadena Six Ski Area, child of Woodstock Resort Corporation” under births.
But not everyone took the name change at one of Vermont’s oldest ski hills so lightly.
“This new name , well , I can not even get up the courage to laugh about it,” Doug Tuthill, a 62-year-old lifelong Pomfret resident, wrote on the town’s listserv late last month. “When folks ask me where it is , I just refer them to Snow Flake mountain , Named rightfully after the snow flakes that changed the name .”
Name changes of local institutions take up a growing portion of Vermont news. In Rutland, the retirement of the “Raiders” mascot for the local high school dragged on for two years. Green Mountain Union High School in Chester has similarly flip-flopped about retiring its mascot, the Chieftains. The Rochester/Randolph Area Sports Trails Association, often referred to as RASTA, changed its name to Ridgeline Outdoor Collective out of respect for the Rastafari religion and its culture.
By Kate O'Farrell reporting for VT Digger
he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued its annual “Conservation Order” for snow geese, which means Vermonters can obtain hunting permits for the geese for a month this spring.
From March 11 through April 23, licensed hunters can bag 15 birds a day as the geese pass through Vermont on their migratory path toward the St. Lawrence River Valley.
Since 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued this annual order to reduce the snow geese population in the Atlantic Flyway region. Between March and April, the birds pass through Vermont on their way north.
Although federal officials have said there is an overpopulation with over 1 million snow geese in the Atlantic Flyway, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s 2022 survey reports populations between 700,000 and 750,000 snow geese, according to David Sausville, the wildlife project manager with the department.
Overpopulation “has resulted in damage to agricultural crops and marsh vegetation in staging and wintering areas from Quebec to North Carolina,” Andrew Bouton, the waterfowl project leader for the department, said in the permit announcement.
“Hunting pressure to date has aided in reducing the population from its high point of just over one million birds during the period of 2000-2010,” Bouton said.
Snow geese often draw crowds of birders to observe the flocks, especially in protected wetlands such as the Dead Creek Wildlife area in Addison. Although the beauty of the snow geese draw birders, some conservationists say they have to look at the big picture.
“I can value or see, you know, that a bird is beautiful and then also recognize that in some instances, we need management in order to help ensure that everything has a place and space to be successful,” said Jillian Liner, the director of conservation at Vermont Audubon.
Liner knows that some birders don’t want to see hunting, and while she appreciates that, she says the knowledge gained from the annual snow geese hunt is powerful in sustaining populations.
READ MORE
Adventures
Theatre
Yoh Theatre Players, Dress Rehearsal March 9, 2023
Yoh Theatre, Woodstock Union High School, Woodstock VT
Normal is a myth when you’re a demigod.
The Lightning Thief is a musical with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Rick Riordan. And this past weekend, the Yoh Theatre Players performed this play; I was lucky to attend, and photograph, their dress rehearsal.
More photos: CLICK HERE
Next up for Yoh Theatre Players: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Friday, May 6, 7pm
Saturday, May 7, 7pm
“Twelfth Night is a fast-paced romantic comedy with several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities and practical jokes. Separated from her twin brother Sebastian in a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy, calls herself Cesario, and becomes a servant to the Duke Orsino. He sends her to woo the Countess Olivia on his behalf, but the Countess falls in love with Cesario. Meanwhile Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch, gets drunk with his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek and they play a trick on Malvolio, Olivia’s steward. Eventually Sebastian turns up and causes even more confusion, chaos and comedy.”
Town of Weathersfield
Select Board
Select Board Minutes: The minutes can now be found at https://www.weathersfieldvt.org/node/586/minutes
All regular meetings are broadcasted live on Comcast channel 1087, VTEL Channel 161, and SAPA.org on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.David Fuller Vice Chair
Kelly O'Brien Clerk
Wendy Smith Member
Paul Tillman Member
Select Board Meets 1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month 6:30 p.m. March 13 Agenda Packet
March 20
Select Board Minutes: The minutes can now be found at https://www.weathersfieldvt.org/node/586/minutes
David Fuller Vice Chair
Kelly O'Brien Clerk
Wendy Smith Member
Paul Tillman Member
March 13 Agenda PacketKelly O'Brien Clerk
Wendy Smith Member
Paul Tillman Member
Select Board Meets 1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month 6:30 p.m.
March 20
*Vermont Open Meeting LawMinute posting: Minutes of all public meetings shall be matters of public record, shall be kept by the clerk or secretary of the public body, and shall be available for inspection by any person and for purchase of copies at cost upon request after five calendar days from the date of any meeting. Meeting minutes shall be posted no later than five calendar days from the date of the meeting to a website, if one exists, that the public body maintains or has designated as the official website of the body. Except for draft minutes that have been substituted with updated minutes, posted minutes shall not be removed from the website sooner than one year from the date of the meeting for which the minutes were taken.
Weathersfield Police Blotter
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeathersfieldPoliceVT
DUI #2 charges after driver found parked at Weathersfield park and ride
A 65-year-old man from Reading was arrested for his second DUI following an incident in Weathersfield March 6, 2023.
Authorities say they were notified of a vehicle operating erratically on Vermont Route 106 at around 6:30 p.m.
The vehicle was later reported to have pulled into the park and ride at the intersection of Vermont Route 106 and Vermont Route 131.
Police arrived and spoke with the driver, identified as Edwin Barton.
While speaking with Barton, police say he showed signs of impairment and was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.
Barton was transported to the Westminster barracks for processing.
He was released with a citation to appear in court on March 14.
From the police report:
OFFICER(S): Chief Daniels, Detective Prince, & K-9 AJ
DATE/TIME: 03/07/23 / 1500 Hours
LOCATION: Windsor Motel
VIOLATION: Possession of Heroin
Possession of Crack Cocaine
Possession of Controlled Substance
DATE/TIME: 03/07/23 / 1500 Hours
LOCATION: Windsor Motel
VIOLATION: Possession of Heroin
Possession of Crack Cocaine
Possession of Controlled Substance
ACCUSED: Justin Johnson
AGE: 37
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Cornish, NH
AGE: 37
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Cornish, NH
On March 7, 2023, suspected drug activity was reported to be occurring at the Windsor Motel.
Officers made contact with Justin Johnson and he was found to be in possession of suspected Heroin.
Officers made contact with Justin Johnson and he was found to be in possession of suspected Heroin.
A brief investigation took place and the Weathersfield Police Department seized a room at the Windsor Motel and applied for a Search Warrant.
Upon executing the Search Warrant, K-9 AJ alerted to the odor of narcotics on several areas of the room and a search revealed Heroin, Crack Cocaine, Controlled Substances, numerous heroin and crack paraphernalia.
Johnson was charged with the above listed offenses and issued a citation to appear in court at a later date. The Windsor Motel is cooperating fully with the investigation.
Weathersfield School
Weekly Newsletter: March 10
Save the Dates
March 14 Weathersfield School Board MeetingMarch 17 No School for Staff Development Day
March 18 Weathersfield Town Challenge
March 24 and 25 Little Mermaid Jr. Performances
March 30 Early Release Day for Students- Parent/Teacher/ Student Conferences
March 31 No School for Students- Parent/Teacher/ Student Conferences
Current Employment Opportunities at Weathersfield School
If you or if you know of anyone that has always wanted to work in a school setting, now is the time to apply.
If you or if you know of anyone that has always wanted to work in a school setting, now is the time to apply.
WS currently has three different opportunities for employment.
If you are interested, please apply on https://www.schoolspring.com/
World Language Teacher
Paraprofessional
World Language Teacher
Paraprofessional
Meeting Agendas may be found HERE
Weathersfield School Board meets on TuesdaysIn Person at Weathersfield School (135 Schoolhouse Road, Ascutney)
Location: 135 Schoolhouse RD Ascutney March 14, 2023
School Board MeetingsMeeting Minutes
February 14
January 10, 2023 (minutes not posted at press time)
January 10, 2023 (minutes not posted at press time)
Weathersfield Proctor Library
Route 5 (5181 US-5 Ascutney VT 05030)
Route 5 (5181 US-5 Ascutney VT 05030)
WPL Drop in Scrabble
Mondays at 1 p.m.
Mondays at 1 p.m.
Please call Maureen Bogosian for details
@ 603-252-0936
Please call Maureen Bogosian for details
@ 603-252-0936
@ 603-252-0936
Weathersfield Historical SocietyFollow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weathersfieldhistoricalsociety
Weathersfield Historical Society
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weathersfieldhistoricalsocietyWeathersfield Center Church and Meeting HouseFollow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeathersfieldCenterChurch
Weathersfield Center Church and Meeting House
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeathersfieldCenterChurchThings to Do In and Around Weathersfield
Get Outdoors, Entertainment, Classes, Workshops
Upper Valley Spike Hikes
The Upper Valley Trails Alliance's Kaitie Eddington checks in with a little gift: a compilation of trails and trail networks good for winter walking and hiking that also have easily accessible parking.
Eight suggestions, from Hanover's Britton Forest to Woodstock's Ottauquechee River Trail to Eastman's northern trails in Grantham, plus plenty of others. And an added bonus: an updated list of stores in the region that sell spikes for your boots (and other hiking stuff).
More Hiking Trails
Vermont Land Trust MAP
All shows are at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo March 14 TICKETS
David Sedaris, March 31 TICKETS
Guster, Sunday, April 2, 7 p.m. TICKETS
Youth Education Serie: Dance of Hope, April 6, 10 a.m. TICKETS
Dance of Hope, April 6, 6:30 p.m. FREE TICKETS
(you must reserve a seat to attend)
Fly Fishing Film Tour April 13 7 p.m. TICKETS
City Center Ballet presents-Alice in Wonderland May 5-7 INFO and Tickets
Silent Film-Saftey Last! May 12 TICKETS
Zach Nugent's Dead Set May 19 TICKETS
GA Orchestra Seating and Reserved Balcony Seating
Paul Reiser, Saturday, May 20 TICKETS
Ali Siddiq June 4 6 p.m. TICKETS
Meet and Greet Tickets available, hosted by Hartford Dismas House
Pat Metheny Side-Eye, Wednesday June 7 TICKETS
LOH-Hootenanny June 10: Beecharmer, Cold Chocolate, Jacob Jolliff Band
4-8:30 p.m. Gates at noon, River Park West, Lebanon NH
LOH PRIDE Picnic 6 p.m. June 16 Learn More
with a Silent Disco 9-11 p.m. HEADPHONES
Cavalcade July 7-9, 2023 TICKETS
Bizet's Carmen July 16-21, 2023 TICKETS
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel July 27-30, 2023 TICKETS
Exercise
Yoga
Whole Roasted Tro
Whole Roasted Tro
Within Reach Yoga
at the 1879 Schoolhouse in Perkinsville, VT
You must Register for each class at least a day ahead by emailing Lisa. (Class sizes limited to 7.)
March Classes Mondays and Tuesdays
Candle Glow Gentle Flow
Monday evenings 5:30-6:30 p.m.
March 13, 20, 27
Slow Flow, Rest + Restore Tuesday Morning 9-10 a.m.March 14, 21, 28
Walk-ins can register up to 24 hrs. ahead by emailing Lisa and are available on a first-come, first served basis (classes fill early!).
Please arrive 5-15 minutes early with your own props and mats.
REFRAIN FROM: Wearing ice cleats (into the building), shoes, perfume, or cologne in the practice space. Do not come to class if you are feeling ill.
Slow Flow, Rest + Restore
Tuesday Morning 9-10 a.m.
March 14, 21, 28
Workshops Online
Vermont Online Workshops
Lots of events and movies online. Contact: AARP Vermont Email: vtaarp@aarp.org with questions.
Visit Our Local Restaurants
The Copper Fox 56 Main St., Ste. 1 Springfield, VT 05156 (802) 885-1031
Dinner 5:00pm - 9:00pm Sunday Hours 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Wednesday through Sunday (Closed Monday and Tuesday)Dinner 5:00pm - 9:00pm Sunday Hours 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Daily Grind Café Call ahead for take out (802) 674-9859
93 Pleasant St. Claremont, NH (in the space formerly occupied by Dusty’s Café)
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Daily Grind Café
Call ahead for take out (802) 674-985993 Pleasant St. Claremont, NH (in the space formerly occupied by Dusty’s Café)
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Exit Ate (802) 674-4673 Daily 6 a.m.-3 p.m.
Breakfast and Brunch Restaurant
202 route 131, Ascutney, VT, United States, Vermont
exitaterestaurant@gmail.com
Breakfast and Brunch Restaurant
202 route 131, Ascutney, VT, United States, Vermont
exitaterestaurant@gmail.com
Inn at Weathersfield (802) 263-9217
Dine inside or outside Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, call for a reservation 802-263-9217. 1342 VT Route 106 Perkinsville, VT 05151
12 Clinton Street, Springfield, VT Open for breakfast and lunch, daily except Sundays.
Outer Limits Brewing (802)-287-6100
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; Wednesdays and Thursdays 3-8 p.m.; Saturdays noon-8 p.m. with LIVE MUSIC; Sundays noon-6 p.m..
60 Village Green, Proctorsville, VT 05153
4261 Route 106 in Perkinsville, Downers Four Corners to the locals.
Outer Limits Brewing (802)-287-6100
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; Wednesdays and Thursdays 3-8 p.m.; Saturdays noon-8 p.m. with LIVE MUSIC; Sundays noon-6 p.m..
60 Village Green, Proctorsville, VT 05153
Springfield Diner-seating inside/outside daily 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Ice cream shop open Thursday-Sunday 1-7 pm. Daily specials.
Villagers Ice Cream Restaurant-(802) 795-0063 CLOSED For the Season
Tuesdays-Sundays 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. (they stop cooking at 7:30 p.m.) 4261 Route 106 in Perkinsville, Downers Four Corners to the locals.
Unicorn Sundae at Villagers Rtes. 131 and 106, Downers Four Corners, in Perkinsville
Food Assistance
Weathersfield Food Shelf in Perkinsville.
The food shelf is open 2:00 pm-4:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. The Weathersfield Food Shelf is located in the 1879 Perkinsville Schoolhouse at 1862 Route 106 in Perkinsville. The Food Shelf has lots of good food to offer!
Call the Weathersfield Town Office to be refereed to a volunteer, visit the Weathersfield Food Shelf Facebook page and leave a message, email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com
Donations of non-perishable food are always welcomed and may be dropped off at the facility during open hours or placed in the collection box at Martin Memorial Hall. For more information, call 802-263-5584 or email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com.
Hartland Food Shelf in Hartland. 4 Corners UU Church Fridays 8-10 a.m., Saturdays 10 a.m-2 p.m.
Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf in Reading. Mondays 2-4 p.m. and Thursday 4-6 p.m. Stone School 3456 Tyson Rd, Reading.
Weathersfield Food Shelf in Perkinsville.
Call the Weathersfield Town Office to be refereed to a volunteer, visit the Weathersfield Food Shelf Facebook page and leave a message, email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com
Donations of non-perishable food are always welcomed and may be dropped off at the facility during open hours or placed in the collection box at Martin Memorial Hall. For more information, call 802-263-5584 or email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com.
Hartland Food Shelf in Hartland. 4 Corners UU Church Fridays 8-10 a.m., Saturdays 10 a.m-2 p.m.
Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf in Reading. Mondays 2-4 p.m. and Thursday 4-6 p.m. Stone School 3456 Tyson Rd, Reading.
The food shelf is open 2:00 pm-4:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
The Weathersfield Food Shelf is located in the 1879 Perkinsville Schoolhouse at 1862 Route 106 in Perkinsville. The Food Shelf has lots of good food to offer!
Call the Weathersfield Town Office to be refereed to a volunteer, visit the Weathersfield Food Shelf Facebook page and leave a message, email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com
Donations of non-perishable food are always welcomed and may be dropped off at the facility during open hours or placed in the collection box at Martin Memorial Hall. For more information, call 802-263-5584 or email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com.
Hartland Food Shelf in Hartland. 4 Corners UU Church Fridays 8-10 a.m., Saturdays 10 a.m-2 p.m.
Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf in Reading. Mondays 2-4 p.m. and Thursday 4-6 p.m. Stone School 3456 Tyson Rd, Reading.
Vermont State Resources and
COVID-19 Response Information
GET VACCINATEDand GET YOUR BOOSTERDo it for Yourself, Your Family, Your Community
GET VACCINATED
and GET YOUR BOOSTER
Do it for Yourself, Your Family, Your Community
Vermont Department of Health COVID-19 Information Page.
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is now offering walk-in service on weekday afternoons for people ages 2 and older, according to a news release.
The visits are available for urgent, but non-emergency medical needs Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. Patients can check in at the hospital’s central registration, through the main entrance.
Some of the conditions appropriate for care through walk-in services are minor cuts and burns; urinary tract infections; strains and sprains; minor fractures; rashes; and ear, sinus and eye infections. In addition, X-ray and lab services are available on-site.
A nurse will be on hand to determine if a patient’s condition calls for transfer to the emergency department.
The visits are available for urgent, but non-emergency medical needs Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. Patients can check in at the hospital’s central registration, through the main entrance.
Some of the conditions appropriate for care through walk-in services are minor cuts and burns; urinary tract infections; strains and sprains; minor fractures; rashes; and ear, sinus and eye infections. In addition, X-ray and lab services are available on-site.
A nurse will be on hand to determine if a patient’s condition calls for transfer to the emergency department.
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Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is an Upper Valley freelance photographer and writer who loves paddle, hike, attend concerts and local events in and around Weathersfield and the Upper Valley.
Scan this QR Code to see all the latest photos in my Galleries
or visit: www.photosbynanci.com
Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is an Upper Valley freelance photographer and writer who loves paddle, hike, attend concerts and local events in and around Weathersfield and the Upper Valley.
or visit: www.photosbynanci.com