Weathersfield Weekly Blog April 10 edition
Fire Danger
It's that time of year. Until things green up or we get some rain, the danger of fire is high for our area.
The fire risk is high throughout Vermont today.
We're in that critical period where snow cover is gone and green up hasn't started yet. Combine those normal conditions with today's high wind and dry air, and you get very dry fuels.
Check with your local fire wardens before any lighting any outside fires and report smoke conditions early to prevent small fires from becoming large wildland fires. These conditions will exist until ground cover begins to green up in a few weeks.
Fire conditions will fluctuate daily based on temps, wind, precipitation, and humidity so check conditions regularly to stay informed.
Fire Danger
It's that time of year. Until things green up or we get some rain, the danger of fire is high for our area.
The fire risk is high throughout Vermont today.
We're in that critical period where snow cover is gone and green up hasn't started yet. Combine those normal conditions with today's high wind and dry air, and you get very dry fuels.
Check with your local fire wardens before any lighting any outside fires and report smoke conditions early to prevent small fires from becoming large wildland fires. These conditions will exist until ground cover begins to green up in a few weeks.
Fire conditions will fluctuate daily based on temps, wind, precipitation, and humidity so check conditions regularly to stay informed.
Mark Your Calendars
Springfield Library Events
Mark Your Calendars
Springfield Library Events
43 Main Street - Springfield, VT 05156Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE
43 Main Street - Springfield, VT 05156
Tickets and Info: CLICK HERE
Thu, Apr 13, 1:00 PM
Tue, Apr 18, 6:30 PM
Thu, May 18, 1:00 PM
Owl Festival at VINS Saturday, April 15, 2023 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Join VINS for a day of all things owly!
You never know whooo you’ll run into.
Included with General Admission* | VINS Members FREE**
Included with General Admission* | VINS Members FREE**
VINS Members:
No pre-purchase is necessary. Bring your VINS Member ID Card to the Admissions Window upon arrival on Saturday, April 15. As long as you have your Member ID Card in hand, you will be able to bypass the General Admission line. VINS Members without their Member ID Card in hand will have to wait in the General Admission line.
Gather with live owls from all over the world, discover their life stories, join in a craft, and play games. Spice up your experience by dressing as your favorite owl! You never know whooo you’ll run into.
Visit Open Hearth Pizza from 11:30 AM to 3 PM, located near the VINS Nature Store!
See the event schedule (subject to change).
Price increase for admission tickets effective April 1, 2023; $19.00 Adult, $18.00, Senior and $16.00 Youth. Purchasing tickets at the lower price will end on March 31, 2023. Take advantage now for the lower price!
Cancellation/Refund Policy:
Cancellations/Refunds are discouraged. If, however, you must cancel your registration, please be aware of our refund policy.
Refunds will be given according to the following schedule: If requested at least 7 days prior to the event date, you will receive a full refund.
If requested within 7 days of the event date, we are unable to provide a refund.
Cancellation/Refund Policy:
Cancellations/Refunds are discouraged. If, however, you must cancel your registration, please be aware of our refund policy.
Refunds will be given according to the following schedule: If requested at least 7 days prior to the event date, you will receive a full refund.
If requested within 7 days of the event date, we are unable to provide a refund.
On Saturday, April 22, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office, local, and state law enforcement agencies, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The Take-Back Day event is free and anonymous, no questions asked, with drop-off sites located throughout Windsor County.
Newly appointed Windsor County Sherriff Ryan Palmer shares, “This is a tremendous opportunity to get unwanted medication out of people’s home and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. We are incredibly grateful to be participating in such an impactful program.”
Supported by public health coalitions, Take-Back Day aims to prevent prescription drug abuse, a growing problem in the U.S. that claims lives through overdoses and accidental poisonings. A majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends.
Since inception of the Take Back Days, towns across Windsor County and the state have worked diligently to expand access to permanent drug collection units. Windsor County’s efforts align with the VT Department of Health’s “Do Your Part” campaign – asking residents to safely use, store, and properly dispose of any unused or expired medications.
Residents participating in Drug Take back on April 22 have the opportunity to learn more about permanent collection such as locations of drop boxes, hours of operation, and what medication types are accepted.
Where to go
The following police departments in Windsor County will serve as drop-off sites on Take-Back Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22 : Chester, Hartford, Ludlow, Norwich, Royalton, Springfield, Windsor, and Woodstock.
In addition, Weathersfield Transfer Station will host a site (operated by the Weathersfield Police Department).
The Take Back Day and permanent collection services are free to use. Powders and patches are accepted in addition to pills and capsules. Medication return venues are supported in part by the Green Peak Alliance, a regional network that promotes healthy communities in East Central Vermont.
In October of 2022, Windsor County Deputies emptied drop boxes at local police stations and took for incineration 291 pounds of medications collected. At any time throughout the year, households in Windsor County may take advantage of the permanent drop-boxes in the lobbies of the following Police Departments: Chester, Hartford, Ludlow, Royalton, Springfield, Windsor, and Woodstock. For a complete listing of locations and hours of operation, visit: www.twinstatesafemeds.org.
For more information about Take-Back Day, visit www.dea.gov or call the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department at 802-457-5211.
The Take Back Day and permanent collection services are free to use. Powders and patches are accepted in addition to pills and capsules. Medication return venues are supported in part by the Green Peak Alliance, a regional network that promotes healthy communities in East Central Vermont.
In October of 2022, Windsor County Deputies emptied drop boxes at local police stations and took for incineration 291 pounds of medications collected. At any time throughout the year, households in Windsor County may take advantage of the permanent drop-boxes in the lobbies of the following Police Departments: Chester, Hartford, Ludlow, Royalton, Springfield, Windsor, and Woodstock. For a complete listing of locations and hours of operation, visit: www.twinstatesafemeds.org.
For more information about Take-Back Day, visit www.dea.gov or call the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department at 802-457-5211.
Senior Solutions - Dinner, Dance, & Silent Auction
Join the Dinner, Dance, and Silent Auction at the American Legion Post 67 in Chester VT on Friday, April 28, 2023. They are also providing (dance only) tickets to community members so that they may join at no cost. The Deadline is April 6th at 5pm.
Want to play at Do Good Fest 2023? 
Ice Cream Lovers Rejoice-Villagers Opens for the Season Friday, April 28 at 11 AM
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Zilly Zonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wednesday, May 10 at 5:30 PM
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
Weathersfield Historical Society Announces
the return of the Frippery this August!
the return of the Frippery this August!
Questions please call Maureen at 603.252.0936.
Adventures
Little Cayman, BWI
April 1-8, 2023
Little Cayman Beach Resort and Reef Divers
We've been diving in the waters off Little Cayman since 2001. We absolutely love Bloody Bay Wall on the north side of this small island just south of Cuba.
Little Cayman is the least populous island of the three, with a permanent population of about 160 (2021) including seasonal residents/homeowners. The majority of the population are expatriate workers from Jamaica, the Philippines, and Honduras and from other Latin American countries as well as Canada, the USA, India, Australia, Scotland, England, and South Africa.
The island is only about 10 miles long and about one mile wide and most of the island is undeveloped. Almost the entire island is at sea level. The highest elevation is about 40 feet.
The first recorded sighting of Little Cayman, along with Cayman Brac, was by Christopher Columbus on May 10, 1503, on his fourth and final voyage, when heavy winds forced his ship off course. Columbus had found the two smaller sister islands (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) and it was these two islands that he named "Las Tortugas"
Purple Sea Fan
Bloody Bay, our place on earth to dive (so far!!), is consistently ranked as one of the world's top dive sites. Many dive operations claim that the late Philippe Cousteau declared the wall to be one of the three best dives in the world. (I wouldn't argue with this assessment!)At its shallowest point, the drop-off begins at a depth of 18 feet, allowing for easy safety stops (gas-off time) before getting back on the boat.
But the wall is primarily famous because sections of it are so sheer it drops down to depths that recreational divers should NEVER attempt (recreational divers can go to 110 ft. but no deeper). We just call it the abyss.
Diving is so easy here, we just keep coming back for more.
Once off the boat you drop to about 70 feet, fin for about 25 minutes rise up to about 40 feet and fin back to the boat. Reef Divers, the dive operation we always use, makes it even easier by assisting you with your dive gear and even helping out if you need it getting off and back onto the boat.
They call it "Valet Dive Service". I call it fantastic!
There is so much to see in the ocean; we feel blessed to be able to enjoy the animals, corals and sponges-things only a small percentage of humans get to see up close and personal. Sure you can see stuff like this in an aquarium but being able to watch behaviors is a whole other experience.
Honeycombed cowfish, just one of the unusual critters you get to see.
And if it's a full moon, and your timing is right, you might get to see sponges spawning.
I can't wait to go back. But first I have to wash all our dive gear and my camera housing stuff.
More photos and videos from our adventure (I'm still editing some the photos!): https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Underwater/Little-Cayman/LCBR-2023
News You Can Use
ICYMI (In case You Missed It)
Town/School News
According to the April 3rd Selectboard meeting minutes:
"This is an old military road that goes from Charleston, NH to Crown Point, NY. Some of the roads have been turned into current roads, and in some places they are trails.
In 2004, the State of Vermont had to purge its system to do away with all old roads or to reclassify them. Weathersfield decided to keep Crown Point Road as a Town road but decided to classify it as a Class 4 road, which means motorized vehicles can use it, but it’s not maintained by the Town.
There are large sections of the road that the Town does not know where the road is and people are using historical records to speculate where it is as the Town never surveyed it.
There is a group of people in Town that claim the road runs through several residents’ property, however, it cannot be confirmed without a survey.
The Town needs to get a group of people together and have a discussion. This will be on the Select Board agenda at the April 17th meeting for discussion. The Select Board agreed that it would be good to speak with someone who was involved back when this happened as there is probably some records and a survey was likely involved. "
A number of "Crown Point Road Supporters" plan to attend the meeting, bringing their concerns of how discontinuing this historic road/trail will impact hikers and history buffs in town.
Selectboard seeks volunteers for various boards/commissions in town
The Selectboard is still looking to fill a number of volunteer spots on various town boards and commissions.
Budget Committee (5 Vacancies)
Conservation Commission (3 Vacancies)
Energy Coordinator (1 Vacancy)
Green Up Coordinator (1 Vacancy)
Lister (1 Vacancy)
Parks and Recreation (2 Vacancies)
Veterans Memorial Committee (5 Vacancies) Patience Bearse
Zoning Board of Adjustment (3 Vacancies)
Some people, with whom this reporter has spoken to, have suggested that the application process is deterring volunteers to step up. After searching the the town website, I was unable to find information on how to apply for these open positions.
The Volunteer Opportunities page does list a description of each volunteer opportunity but does not state how one can apply to serve.
If you feel like you'd like to volunteer for one of our town boards or commissions, I guess it's best to contact our town manager for more information.
Brandon Gulnick or call 802-674-2626
Local and State News
Burlington airport to be renamed for former Sen. Patrick Leahy
Patrick Crowley
More than a century after the first plane touched down at what’s now known as Burlington International Airport, Vermont’s aviation hub is poised to get a new name: Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport.
During his State of the City address Monday night, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced the rechristening, which comes months after former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., retired from the U.S. Senate.
“You have always understood what a critical link the airport is between Vermont and the world, and for 48 years you worked to strengthen that link,” Weinberger said, addressing Leahy, who he said was listening remotely. (Weinberger got his start in politics as an intern and mail clerk for the senator in the early 1990s.)
Leahy’s wife, Marcelle Pomerleau Leahy, attended the ceremony in a packed City Hall, along with U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint.
“I can tell you that he is very humbled and deeply moved to have his name associated with the Burlington International Airport — oh, that name’s going to change,” Marcelle Leahy said.
She said flying to or from the Burlington airport was always a big part of his work.
“Many of you have heard him say, and I have too, when greeting us at the airport on the return flight, that familiar phrase, ‘It's good to be home,’” Marcelle Leahy said.
In addition to those applauding Leahy in person, two national figures and longtime colleagues of Leahy’s — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and President Joe Biden — celebrated him in short video messages played for the audience.
“It’s fitting the Burlington International Airport will be named after you,” Biden said. “Everyone that flies through will remember your tenacity, your service, honesty, dignity and the best of what you provided our country.”
More than a century after the first plane touched down at what’s now known as Burlington International Airport, Vermont’s aviation hub is poised to get a new name: Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport.
During his State of the City address Monday night, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced the rechristening, which comes months after former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., retired from the U.S. Senate.
“You have always understood what a critical link the airport is between Vermont and the world, and for 48 years you worked to strengthen that link,” Weinberger said, addressing Leahy, who he said was listening remotely. (Weinberger got his start in politics as an intern and mail clerk for the senator in the early 1990s.)
Leahy’s wife, Marcelle Pomerleau Leahy, attended the ceremony in a packed City Hall, along with U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint.
“I can tell you that he is very humbled and deeply moved to have his name associated with the Burlington International Airport — oh, that name’s going to change,” Marcelle Leahy said.
She said flying to or from the Burlington airport was always a big part of his work.
“Many of you have heard him say, and I have too, when greeting us at the airport on the return flight, that familiar phrase, ‘It's good to be home,’” Marcelle Leahy said.
In addition to those applauding Leahy in person, two national figures and longtime colleagues of Leahy’s — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and President Joe Biden — celebrated him in short video messages played for the audience.
“It’s fitting the Burlington International Airport will be named after you,” Biden said. “Everyone that flies through will remember your tenacity, your service, honesty, dignity and the best of what you provided our country.”
Emma Cotton reporting for VT Digger
Mud season has begun in Vermont, but soil isn’t the only thing that’s thawing. So, too, are the amphibians.
As species wake from their winter sleep — and, in some cases, soften from a fully frozen state — wood frogs, peepers, a variety of salamanders and other critters begin moving toward ponds or vernal pools to breed. Often, their journey becomes dangerous as they cross roads in search of wetter climes.
To guard against calamity, environmental groups around the state recruit and train citizen scientists to participate in “salamander crossings” on warm and rainy spring nights, during which they safely ferry the creatures from one side of the road to the other.
And for those who don’t participate, state officials and conservationists are asking motorists to consider the plight of the small, soft-bodied animals while they travel, particularly on roads near wetlands and forests.
In some areas, “there's high mortality of the amphibians trying to cross the road,” said Jim Andrews, who runs the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, which collects data about the creatures’ populations.
“In some cases, we're talking over 50%,” he said.
Much of the movement takes place on rainy nights after dark, when the temperature hovers above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the conditions are right, a flurry of movement can take place in a single evening, a phenomenon many herpetologists call the “big night.” In the Champlain Valley, many volunteers stationed themselves along roadways last weekend, when temperatures broke 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
But the migration isn’t over, and this week’s forecast calls for rain and ideal crossing temperatures in many areas of the state.
Peter D'Auria reporting for VT Digger
Vermont House lawmakers advanced legislation to tighten regulations on private schools that educate students paid for with public money, including a provision that would limit those schools’ ability to turn away publicly-funded students.
The House voted Wednesday afternoon to give preliminary approval to H.483, a bill that would strengthen anti-discrimination measures, place a moratorium on new independent school approvals, and make it nearly impossible for independent schools to reject publicly tuitioned students.
The legislation was written to underscore Vermont’s “core values, such as inclusion and freedom from bias and discrimination in admissions, educating our students close to family and home, and responsible and transparent use of taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, the chair of the House Education Committee, who reported the bill Wednesday.
Under the proposed legislation, independent schools — aka private schools — would need to affirm that they would comply with state anti-discrimination rules and would be subject to more oversight from public school officials.
The bill, which is up for final approval in the House Thursday, also would limit tuition payments to within 25 miles of Vermont’s border and would place a moratorium on new independent school approvals after August 1. Most of the other provisions would take effect in July.
But the bill’s thorniest provision is one that would effectively bar private schools from turning away students whose tuition was paid with public money.
Mill Moore, the executive director of the Vermont Independent Schools Association, said Wednesday that his organization had largely been shut out of testifying about the legislation. Moore said he had reached out to the committee “over and over” asking to testify, to no avail.
“We have been excluded all the way down the line,” he said.
Vermont House lawmakers advanced legislation to tighten regulations on private schools that educate students paid for with public money, including a provision that would limit those schools’ ability to turn away publicly-funded students.
The House voted Wednesday afternoon to give preliminary approval to H.483, a bill that would strengthen anti-discrimination measures, place a moratorium on new independent school approvals, and make it nearly impossible for independent schools to reject publicly tuitioned students.
The legislation was written to underscore Vermont’s “core values, such as inclusion and freedom from bias and discrimination in admissions, educating our students close to family and home, and responsible and transparent use of taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, the chair of the House Education Committee, who reported the bill Wednesday.
Under the proposed legislation, independent schools — aka private schools — would need to affirm that they would comply with state anti-discrimination rules and would be subject to more oversight from public school officials.
The bill, which is up for final approval in the House Thursday, also would limit tuition payments to within 25 miles of Vermont’s border and would place a moratorium on new independent school approvals after August 1. Most of the other provisions would take effect in July.
But the bill’s thorniest provision is one that would effectively bar private schools from turning away students whose tuition was paid with public money.
Mill Moore, the executive director of the Vermont Independent Schools Association, said Wednesday that his organization had largely been shut out of testifying about the legislation. Moore said he had reached out to the committee “over and over” asking to testify, to no avail.
“We have been excluded all the way down the line,” he said.
Several Vermont hospitals loosen masking restrictions for patients and staff
Erin Petenko reporting for VT Digger
Patients and employees at University of Vermont Health Network’s three Vermont hospitals will no longer be required to wear masks in public spaces beginning April 12, the organization announced Thursday.
The change will affect the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin and Porter Medical Center in Middlebury.
Dartmouth Health also announced a rollback of its masking requirements for patients, visitors and staff at all of its affiliated offices effective April 10. That includes Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor and the network’s flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, which is joining Dartmouth Health, is also doing away with mask requirements as of April 10, except for people with cold or flu-like symptoms.
Last month, Rutland Regional Medical Center did the same.
UVM Health Network hospital employees will be required to wear masks in patient rooms, in exam rooms and while providing direct patient care. But patients and visitors are no longer required to wear masks in those situations, the network said in a press release.
The network also removed Covid-19 visiting restrictions for most locations that did not have pre-pandemic rules, it said, with the exception of some high-risk clinical units such as dialysis clinics.
New York hospitals in the network will keep masking and visitation restrictions in place due to state regulations, according to the press release.
At a press conference, UVM Health Network President Dr. Stephen Leffler said the decision was made by a team of experts and clinicians based on scientific data and guidance. As Covid continues to evolve, he said, the network would continue to follow scientific recommendations.
READ MORE
Olivia Q. Pintair reporting for VT Digger
When the Vermont Department for Children and Families first announced that a federal spending bill would end additional food stamp benefits this Friday, it included a bulleted list of resources to refer to “if you need more help with food.”
The list drew attention to the fact that even though the extra benefits were part of an emergency response to Covid-19 and were always intended to sunset, hunger remains an urgent crisis in Vermont.
Lena Greenberg, food access coordinator at the Intervale Center in Burlington, said cutting federal funding for hunger relief is out of touch with communities’ public health needs.
“We have no reason to believe that material conditions have improved for all of the people who are benefiting from these programs,” Greenberg said. The expiration of the extra benefits "is a travesty. This is horrible.”
In 2022, 2 in 5 Vermonters experienced hunger, according to a study from The University of Vermont. Now that Covid-19 pandemic supports are ending, local food organizers worry that number could rise.
Vermont’s Food & Nutrition Program has issued almost $189 million in total food benefits since March 2020, according to Leslie Wisdom, director of the program. Most families who already qualified for 3SquaresVT, Vermont’s food stamp program, also qualified for the extra benefits, Wisdom said. Since 2020, more than 68,000 Vermonters have received the extra funds for food.
With final payments having gone out this week, the end of the program will mean reductions in monthly benefits of between $100 and $500 per month for recipients.
Sarah Mearhoff
The Vermont House advanced an $8.5 billion state budget with a late-night vote Thursday, bringing the so-called big bill one step closer to becoming law.
By a 98-34 vote, representatives advanced H.494, a spending plan dedicating tens of millions of dollars to alleviating Vermont’s ongoing housing crisis, offering lagging Medicaid reimbursement rates a boost, and setting aside funding for yet-to-be finalized child care and paid family leave proposals.
Debate on the bill was minimal. It faces a final vote in the House on Friday, after which it would head to the Senate for consideration. There, it’s likely to be altered significantly before the two chambers reconcile competing versions. And though Democrats hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate, the threat of a veto by Republican Gov. Phil Scott looms large.
“I think the message that our budget sends to Vermonters is that we have your back, that we are supporting you with affordable housing, with child care, with paid leave, with workforce development and other supports for health care and community providers,” House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, told reporters earlier Thursday ahead of the floor debate.
While Vermont is still enjoying healthy revenues, state economists have warned of potentially darker times ahead. The budget advanced Thursday marks the Legislature’s first spending plan in years that doesn’t rely on the flood of federal pandemic aid pouring in from Washington.
One day before the House’s spending plan hit the floor, Scott told reporters that he was “very concerned with the direction we’re heading” in response to Democrats’ newly proposed and expanded programs, which would rely on increased ongoing revenues. The House’s budget outspends Scott’s own budget — proposed in January — to the tune of $60 million in ongoing base expenditures.
“I’m truly worried about the seniors on fixed income, the working families who can’t afford to pay more and the communities who need our help. And I worry about how we will possibly pay for all of this as we look towards an uncertain economic future,” Scott said. “In my opinion, if this budget were to pass, with all the big-ticket initiatives that come all at once, it has the potential to hurt Vermont in both the short and long run.”
In her remarks to reporters ahead of Thursday’s debate, Krowinski appeared visibly frustrated with Scott’s tone and his dangling of a veto threat. (Democrats and Progressives hold a commanding supermajority, with a combined 109 out of 150 seats. Should Scott, in fact, veto the bill, it would take two-thirds of those present to override it — 100 if all members were present.)
READ MORE
Senate gives preliminary approval to child care overhaul, parental leave bill
Lola Duffort reporting for VT Digger
With little debate and by a 24-6 vote, the Vermont Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to a bill that would inject $150 million a year of new funding into the child care sector and create a new parental leave benefit.
Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, who presented the bill to colleagues on the Senate floor, began by recalling how, upon arriving in Vermont 21 years ago, she had begun to look for child care — before even unpacking her boxes. After signing up for waitlist after waitlist, Hardy finally landed a spot for her toddler. But each year, Hardy said, she “constantly did the math” to see if her wages would “come even close to covering the high cost of one, then two, then three kids in child care.”
“It didn’t,” she said. “And two decades later, this scenario has not changed. And the pandemic made it worse.”
The bill, S.56, has undergone a major rewrite since it was first introduced last month. Gone, for example, is a centerpiece of the original legislation: free, full-day pre-K in public schools for all 4-year-olds.
But Hardy, who had championed the pre-K provision, told her fellow lawmakers that while the bill before them did not have “all the elements” she had initially hoped it would, it still represented “a monumental step forward in expanding access, affordability and equity in the provision of child care in Vermont.”
Most agree the economics of child care are broken in two ways: Families can ill-afford the cost, and workers can’t make ends meet. By increasing reimbursement rates to providers by nearly 40% and expanding who is eligible for subsidies, the bill attempts to address both problems.
Currently, Vermont’s child care subsidy program pays the full cost of tuition for families living at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. (That’s $45,000 for a family of four.) The Senate bill would eliminate co-payments for those making up to 185% of that threshold ($55,500 for a family of four) and extend partial subsidies to families making up to 600% ($180,000 for a family of four.) Under current law, child care subsidies end for families with incomes above 350% of the federal poverty level.
Child care is a shared priority between the House and the Senate, but the Senate’s bill nevertheless sets the stage for tense negotiations with the House.
S.56 now also includes a new 12-week parental leave benefit, the inclusion of which came late in the process. The upper chamber has long been lukewarm on paid leave, and key Senate Democrats have argued this year that child care should be the priority.
Lola Duffort reporting for VT Digger
With little debate and by a 24-6 vote, the Vermont Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to a bill that would inject $150 million a year of new funding into the child care sector and create a new parental leave benefit.
Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, who presented the bill to colleagues on the Senate floor, began by recalling how, upon arriving in Vermont 21 years ago, she had begun to look for child care — before even unpacking her boxes. After signing up for waitlist after waitlist, Hardy finally landed a spot for her toddler. But each year, Hardy said, she “constantly did the math” to see if her wages would “come even close to covering the high cost of one, then two, then three kids in child care.”
“It didn’t,” she said. “And two decades later, this scenario has not changed. And the pandemic made it worse.”
The bill, S.56, has undergone a major rewrite since it was first introduced last month. Gone, for example, is a centerpiece of the original legislation: free, full-day pre-K in public schools for all 4-year-olds.
But Hardy, who had championed the pre-K provision, told her fellow lawmakers that while the bill before them did not have “all the elements” she had initially hoped it would, it still represented “a monumental step forward in expanding access, affordability and equity in the provision of child care in Vermont.”
Most agree the economics of child care are broken in two ways: Families can ill-afford the cost, and workers can’t make ends meet. By increasing reimbursement rates to providers by nearly 40% and expanding who is eligible for subsidies, the bill attempts to address both problems.
Currently, Vermont’s child care subsidy program pays the full cost of tuition for families living at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. (That’s $45,000 for a family of four.) The Senate bill would eliminate co-payments for those making up to 185% of that threshold ($55,500 for a family of four) and extend partial subsidies to families making up to 600% ($180,000 for a family of four.) Under current law, child care subsidies end for families with incomes above 350% of the federal poverty level.
Child care is a shared priority between the House and the Senate, but the Senate’s bill nevertheless sets the stage for tense negotiations with the House.
S.56 now also includes a new 12-week parental leave benefit, the inclusion of which came late in the process. The upper chamber has long been lukewarm on paid leave, and key Senate Democrats have argued this year that child care should be the priority.
Ethan Weinstein reporting for VT Digger
A Windsor County man previously accused of stealing a Dartmouth-Hitchcock shuttle bus was arraigned in a new case on Tuesday after state police said they discovered him in possession of another stolen truck and a loaded handgun.
Mitchell Horton, 35, pleaded not guilty to possessing a deadly weapon while committing a crime and violating conditions of release, among other charges.
Horton has eight previous felony convictions and nine pending court dockets in Windsor County. He was out of prison on conditions when police arrested him on Monday, according to Emily Zukauskas, deputy state’s attorney in Windsor County.
Vermont State Police Trooper Eric Clemens wrote in an affidavit that officers responding on Monday to a report of a suspicious man in Cavendish discovered Horton in the back of a white Ford utility truck with “what appeared to be a pump to collect fuel” and “multiple fuel containers.” A similar vehicle had been seen attempting to steal fuel from the Cavendish town garage on Sunday, Clemens wrote.
Once police detained Horton, they discovered he had a loaded .380 pistol, according to the affidavit. After checking the utility truck’s vehicle identification number, the troopers discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen from a Pittsfield auto shop the previous week, along with a Harley Davidson motorcycle and tools. All in all, about $35,000 in items were stolen, the shop’s manager told police.
Horton’s arraignment in Windsor County criminal court on Tuesday was briefly delayed when a defendant in an unrelated case picked up a landline phone within the video conferencing room at the Springfield prison, where Horton was lodged, and used it to beat the video kiosk until it stopped working.
Once court resumed, Windsor County Superior Court Judge John Treadwell ordered Horton held on $20,000 cash bond.
Horton has a long history in the Windsor County judicial system. More than a decade ago, he pleaded guilty to four counts of felony burglary after breaking into properties around Springfield and West Windsor.
Horton engaged in a day-long crime spree last June, police have said, first stealing and crashing a car before requiring treatment at Springfield Hospital and later Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Police allege Horton fled DHMC, stealing a hospital shuttle that was idling in the parking lot and driving the bus south on Interstate 91 at speeds of 70 to 80 mph before getting the vehicle stuck behind a barn in Springfield.
READ MORE
Graduation Dates Across the SU
Here are the upcoming graduation dates and times across the Supervisory Union.
Weathersfield School Board meets on Tuesdays
Bistro Midva Midva is open Wednesday-Saturday 4:30-9:30 p.m. (Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) Call (802) 299-1553 or visit their FACEBOOK PAGE for more information.
Inn at Weathersfield (802) 263-9217
Maebellines (802) 591-4311
VT Digger Coronavirus Report: CLICK HERE
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.Select Board Meets 1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month 6:30 p.m. April 17May 1
Select Board Minutes: The minutes can now be found at https://www.weathersfieldvt.org/node/586/minutes
Select Board Meets 1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month 6:30 p.m.
*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
Weathersfield School
Weekly Newsletter: April 7
Save the Dates
April 10-April 14th Spring Break
April 17-28 MRA Grades 3-8
April 18- Weathersfield School Board Meeting
April 20- Puppets in Education
April 26- Spring Pictures (Optional for Purchase)
April 28- Kindergarten Screening
May 2-19 VTCAP Testing Grades 3-8
April 10-April 14th Spring Break
April 17-28 MRA Grades 3-8
April 18- Weathersfield School Board Meeting
April 20- Puppets in Education
April 26- Spring Pictures (Optional for Purchase)
April 28- Kindergarten Screening
May 2-19 VTCAP Testing Grades 3-8
Here are the upcoming graduation dates and times across the Supervisory Union.
WINDSOR 12TH: June 2nd 6:00 p.m.
ABS 6TH: 6/15 during day 9:00 a.m.
HARTLAND 8TH: 6/13 4:00 p.m.
WEATHERSFIELD 8TH: 6/14 6:00 p.m.
WINDSOR 8TH: 6/15 6:00 p.m.
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 April 18, 2023 Agenda
School Board MeetingsMeeting MinutesApril 18
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
Mud, Sweat and Tears
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.
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-Safety 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.
April 10, 17, 24
Slow Flow, Rest + Restore Tuesday Morning 9-10 a.m.April 11, 18, 25
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.
April 11, 18, 25
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.
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
Inn at Weathersfield (802) 263-9217 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.
Breakfast and Brunch Restaurant
202 route 131, Ascutney, VT, United States, Vermont
exitaterestaurant@gmail.com
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 Re-Opens Friday, April 28th at 11 AM
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