Composting with bears in mind

Vermont officials are providing tips on how to avoid attracting bears to composting areas. (VTF&W photo by John Hall)

Many Vermonters have seen some determined bears looking for food near their homes recently, state officials say. With the food scrap ban in effect, the state is providing tips for people who are composting at home so they can avoid attracting hungry bears. 

“We have been receiving lots of reports of bears on decks, tearing down bird feeders, wrecking beehives, killing chickens, and getting into trash, compost and garbage containers,” said bear biologist Jaclyn Comeau, of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. 

“First though, to deter bears, bird feeders need to be taken down until we have a foot or more of snow in December. Then, make sure anything else that might smell like food is picked up. And keep your trash container secured inside a sturdy building and don’t put it outside until the morning of pickup. Beehives, chicken coops and compost bins can be protected with electric fencing.”

If you know bears are active in your neighborhood, the best way to avoid attracting them is to take food scraps to one of the drop-off stations. You can locate them by contacting your local solid waste management district or town at www.802recycles.com, or ask your trash hauler if they pick up food scraps for composting. 

Composting at home while minimizing the chances of attracting bears can best be done with these tips:

• Use three parts of brown material for one part of green material. Browns can be dried leaf and yard debris, wood chips, which often can be delivered to your house free by a local tree service company, or shredded paper. Greens include kitchen scraps, vegetables and small amounts of fruits. Adding lots of brown material minimizes smells and speeds up composting.

• No meat, bones or seafood leftovers. They do not break down quickly and are strong wildlife attractants. The food scrap ban allows people who compost at home to dispose of meat, bones and seafood in the trash, so they can be kept in a freezer until trash day.  

• Give your compost oxygen by frequently mixing it or turning it over if it is in a container.  This reduces odors and speeds up composting.

• Does your compost smell? If so, turning it, adding more brown material and adding a layer of wood shavings or sawdust to the top should solve the issue.

• Enclose your composter with electric fencing or compost in a hard, durable container with a lid that will be challenging for a bear to open. Some types of tumblers are bear-proof.

• Electric fencing, with food scent added to the wires will discourage even persistent bears. 

• If you are currently having a bear issue, delay starting your new compost pile until the bear issue resolves. Until then, keep food scraps in the freezer or bring them to a collection site.

To learn more about properly composting food waste, go to the Department of Environmental Conservation’s website at www.VTrecycles.com.

The public is encouraged to contact their local warden if they are having a bear issue. You can find out who your local warden is at this link, and you may also submit a black bear incident report online. Contacting your warden or submitting an incident report helps wildlife officials keep track of bear issues around the state and may help shape future regulations regarding black bears.

Composting without attracting wildlife takes careful planning. For information about living with bears and to report bear damage, visit Fish and Wildlife’s website www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

— The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

More Route 4 paving to begin Monday in Woodstock

This stretch of Route 4 in Taftsville is part of a paving project that begins on Monday in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Another part of Route 4 in Woodstock is about to be repaved. 

On Monday, work will begin on a three-mile stretch of Route 4, located east of the village. The project will start near Sawyer Road and end at the intersection with Route 12 just beyond Taftsville, according to an announcement from the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), which is in charge of the project. Completion is projected for this fall. 

This coming week will involve excavation activities along that part of Route 4, state officials said. There will be alternating one-way traffic there, Monday through Friday, between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To learn more about this project, the public is invited to an open meeting with VTrans officials at the July 19 Woodstock Selectboard meeting at 6 p.m. For more information about attending the Selectboard meeting in person or via Zoom, please visit the Town of Woodstock website.

VTrans completed an extensive Route 4 paving project in Woodstock Village last year.

— Gareth Henderson

The project’s public information consultant, Delia Makhetha, can be reached at delia.makhetha@wsp.com. There is also a project hotline available to the public at 603-263-8881.

State: Help protect loons and their young

A nesting loon on Green River Reservoir in Hyde Park, Vermont. (VTF&W photo by Tom Rogers)

Few birding experiences rival hearing the haunting call of the loon or seeing them glide by in protected coves on a lake.  However, for the birds’ protection, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking boaters and anglers to enjoy loons from a safe distance this summer.

“Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005, but they face continued threats from human disturbance during the breeding season and ingestion of fishing gear,” said Doug Morin, wildlife biologist with Vermont Fish and Wildlife.

“Many areas where loons nest on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” Morin added. “We’re asking people to enjoy loons from a distance rather than approaching them, whether you are in a boat or on shore.” 

Morin also reminded people to avoid lead fishing tackle.  Every year Vermont loons die from lead poisoning after swallowing fishing tackle. Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited in Vermont, but larger tackle­­­ still has the capacity to slough off lead into the environment over time. Morin also recommended that anglers be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially to not leave any fishing line behind, as it can entangle and kill loons. 

Eric Hanson oversees the Loon Conservation Project for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  He and his colleagues monitor Vermont’s loon population and have put out game cameras around loon nests to monitor the behavior of people around them.  Hanson said most people are respectful of nesting loons and give them space, but people sometimes inadvertently harm loons without meaning to.

“Loon chicks can be difficult to see, so we ask motorboaters to note where loon families are and to avoid those areas,” Hanson said.  “We also ask that motorboaters obey ‘no wake’ laws within 200 feet of shorelines because boat wakes can flood and destroy shoreline loon nests.” 

As Vermont’s loon population continues to increase and canoeing and kayaking continues to become more popular, there is greater potential for people to come into conflict with loons. Hanson reminded boaters to avoid pursuing loons in a canoe or kayak, especially loons with young. 

“Occasionally a loon will be curious and approach people and if that happens, just enjoy it,” Hanson said.  “However, loons that are constantly swimming away from you are stressed and may abandon their young if they feel they are in danger.”

Hanson also urged shoreline property owners to maintain appropriate habitat for loons, including a forested area along shorelines where loons can nest.  Having shrubs and trees instead of lawns along shorelines also improves water quality which is essential for healthy lakes and loons.

Volunteers interested in monitoring loons for the Loon Conservation Project should contact Hanson at loon@vtecostudies.org.  Volunteers can monitor lakes all summer long with a focus on lakes with loon pairs and nesting. 

Volunteers can also survey one or two lakes on Loonwatch Day, being held on July 16 this year, between 8 and 9 a.m.  The goal is to survey all lakes greater than 20 acres at the same time, which provides a population count and checks on small lakes that are surveyed less often during the rest of year.  

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department 

Editor’s Note: Omni Reporter will return after the July Fourth holiday weekend. Happy Fourth, everyone!

Bookstock: A Vermont treasure returns with its full festival experience

The Green Mountains around Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The written word contains a simplicity and a majesty all its own. Its impact spans the history of the human experience. Writing can inspire, and beyond just that, it can be the catalyst for needed change. 

For all those reasons, books have held a special place in my heart, and I've celebrated their profound influence by enjoying many of them over the course of my life. But this week, the ultimate celebration of the written word returns to Woodstock, in person. That's Bookstock: the Green Mountain Festival of Words.

It was a special experience to write about the first Bookstock, over a decade ago, and it's a great honor to write about it now. Now, as then, something exciting is about to inspire us. For the first time in three years, writers, artists and book-lovers of all ages will gather in Woodstock Village for this special event, running from June 24 to 26. It means the large book sale under the tent will be back, right in the middle of Woodstock's historic Village Green, starting on Friday. And, a great selection of fine vintage books will be available at the nearby Norman Williams Public Library. Around the village at speaker events, authors, poets and artists will share their work with festival-goers, and hearts will be enriched, and minds expanded, from the abundance of ideas imparted.

It's really that act of sharing that makes Bookstock special, unique, and so engaging. That can mean a new idea from the words of an author, or a discussion with friends after learning a new concept, or picking up a new book and finding new inspiration in its pages. For all these reasons, events like Bookstock are vital. This festival celebrates not only Vermont’s rich literary culture — with Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, and many other greats calling it home over the decades — but also humanity itself and the rich palate of expression that defines our world, and pushes us to understand it better. 

It goes to the very heart of sharing our deepest thoughts and experiences with each other. It marks our commonalities, the things that bring us together as people. In the era of podcasts and ubiquitous digital content, it is still important to read and celebrate the written word and to interact with its creators. That experience of learning loses something without that personal interaction, that face-to-face connection with no screen in between. So what a treat it will be, to have Bookstock back in person. 

At the end of the day, the literary gem that is Bookstock benefits humanity as a whole. It adds profound meaning to the myriad hues of the human experience. Through our love of the written word, it encourages us to take a moment to open one more door in our busy minds, and to think about ideas in deeper ways. And those ways help us learn, they enrich us, and we grow. What a treasure to share with the world.

— Gareth Henderson

Find the event schedule and full details for Bookstock 2022 at www.bookstockvt.org.

Hope and healing after tragedy

A view of the Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Even after a storm, the buds still blossom, and they turn toward the sunlight — their source of energy, of goodness and strength. Though tragedy may strike at different times in this life, and communities are impacted, we eventually turn to the ever-present good in the world, and we begin healing, we progress.

Woodstock, Vermont, is beginning to heal, after seeing a tragedy right here in the community. On Tuesday, Woodstock had to suddenly confront the reality of a fatal shooting, along with the uncertainty that comes when security is threatened and information is developing. In the end, two lives were lost, and now, families and friends are grieving, and a community is coming to terms with what just happened. 

Most of us have never been told to avoid a certain part of the village due to potential danger, but on Tuesday, this had to happen to keep the public safe. And residents near the impacted property had to shelter in place. 

The suspect was confirmed deceased late Tuesday night, but the healing process from this incident is ongoing. When families grieve such a sudden loss, there are no simple answers, no quick fixes for such pain. Neighbors and community members feel the shock from this incident. 

At that moment, the safety and peace of the village appeared shattered. In every situation, however, there are helpers and glimmers of light stretching forth to rise up and support those in need. This is evidence of a law of good which is in operation still, to guide and comfort the entire community. It is important for our community to come together and support one another, either through offers to help, friendly interactions, or even just simple acts of kindness, which can have such a calming impact. It’s a time to be lovingly aware of what our neighbors need. The Town of Woodstock has provided a web page with some mental health resources for those who would like to speak with someone following Tuesday’s incident. Here’s the link; please share it if you know someone who could benefit from this help.

Our community and its local resources have shined in difficult times, and now is another moment to see that support at work for the greater good. Such a heartbreaking tragedy shakes us to our core. It can make us feel insignificant in the aftermath, questioning what we can do. Despite these entirely understandable feelings, each community member can support the community’s healing process by letting love shine in, and by feeling compassion for one another. Even the simplest words of encouragement in a moment of fear and doubt can uplift someone when they need it most. Just a few kind words can help improve someone’s day for the better. The empowerment that comes with letting the love shine in helps settle thought and make room for light, where darkness may have been. The darkness of that day does not need to define our community, but the need to support others can empower the community. That progress through helping others, is part of the outstretched arms of love encircling our community, every day.

If we all do this, we are making a difference here and now. We’re contributing to the greater good. Even after tragedies strike, that network of love is still in motion, lifting up every heart and providing a precious healing sense of good that’s so needed at this time. It reassures us of progress and supplies much-needed hope as a community deals with the impact of tragedy. Even then, it shows us, a little more each day, that good will move us forward.

— Gareth Henderson

Shooting suspect found deceased; precautionary measures lifted in Woodstock

UPDATE FROM WEDNESDAY 6/15, 1 AM:

Jay Wilson, the suspect in a fatal shooting Tuesday afternoon at 13 Slayton Terrace in Woodstock Village, was located late Tuesday night deceased inside the house.

Precautionary measures that had been in place for residents of the area have been lifted.

Members of the Vermont State Police Tactical Services Unit discovered Wilson’s body with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound after 11 p.m. while searching the house room by room following a multiple-hour effort to persuade Wilson to leave the residence. TSU members reported hearing a gunshot after they made entry into the home. Police believed Wilson had been in the house since early afternoon, but his whereabouts were unconfirmed until the search of the home was completed. No one else was located inside.

Throughout Tuesday afternoon and evening, police attempted to communicate with anyone who might have been in the house, including by loudspeaker and by calling Wilson’s cellphone. After those efforts were unsuccessful, the Vermont State Police deployed a number of alternative tactics, such as devices that emit a percussive noise and a bright light, and then irritant gas, designed to encourage an occupant of a residence to come out or make contact with the police. Those approaches also produced no response from Wilson.

The police investigation into this incident remains in its early stages. Now that the area has been cleared and deemed safe, members of VSP’s Crime Scene Search Team will begin processing the scene. This work will continue Tuesday night and Wednesday. The bodies of Wilson and the victim he is believed to have shot — an adult man who is friends with his mother — will be transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for autopsies to determine the cause and manner of their deaths. 

Police will release the identity of the shooting victim following notification and next of kin. On Wednesday, VSP will release the name of the Woodstock police officer involved in an exchange of gunfire with Wilson at the outset of this incident. Per standard protocol, when the Vermont State Police investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office for independent reviews of the police officer’s use of force.

The Vermont State Police worked closely with members of the Woodstock and Hartford police departments and the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department during the response to this incident, along with the Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office. Fire department and rescue crews from the area also provided critical assistance.

VSP thanks members of the public for their cooperation as the situation developed throughout Tuesday afternoon and night.

The state police will continue providing updates as the case proceeds.

FROM TUESDAY 6/14, 9 PM:

Vermont State Police are searching for a Woodstock man who is a suspect in a shooting that took place in the village Tuesday afternoon. State Police have confirmed that 1 person died in the incident. 

Anyone living near 13 Slayton Terrace in Woodstock Village is asked to shelter in place until further notice, and the rest of the public should avoid that area, police said.

Police have identified the suspect as Jay Wilson, 45, of Woodstock. Anyone with information about Wilson’s whereabouts is asked to call the State Police in Royalton at 802-234-9933, or leave an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. A photo of Wilson is visible at this link to the State Police website.

As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, State Police search efforts remained focused on the area where the shooting took place at 13 Slayton Terrace in Woodstock Village, according to Adam Silverman, public information officer for the State Police. Silverman said police believe the suspect may still be in the house, but as of 9 p.m. this wasn’t confirmed. With that, they’re asking people in the community to keep a watchful eye.

“We encourage people to be vigilant,” Silverman said. “People know what this individual looks like, but (if you see him) immediately call the police, don’t approach him.”

The investigation so far indicates this shooting was a “targeted incident” with a focus on specific people, Silverman added.

The situation began at about 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday, when Woodstock police responded to a report of a shooting outside 13 Slayton Terrace. The first officer on scene was fired upon from the vicinity of the house, and returned fire, a state police statement said. The officer was uninjured. It is unknown whether the individual who fired suffered any injuries in the exchange of gunfire. Police then established a perimeter and called additional resources to respond.

Since 5:30 p.m., members of the Vermont State Police Tactical Services Unit and Crisis Negotiation Unit have been operating in the vicinity of 13 Slayton Terrace. Members of the public should continue to expect a large and active police presence in the area this evening, according to state police.

— Gareth Henderson

Woodstock’s Tesha Buss running for state representative

The U.S. and Vermont flags in Bridgewater, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson File Photo)

Local entrepreneur Tesha Buss has announced her candidacy for the Vermont House. 

Buss, a Woodstock-based Democrat, is seeking the Windsor County-5 seat for state representative, serving Woodstock, Plymouth and Reading. She’s holding an official campaign announcement in Woodstock this Saturday.

“My Vermont businesses have been all about creating vibrant community,” Buss said in a campaign statement released this week. “I rise up to challenges. My experience has prepared me to step up to what we face now as Vermonters. I grew up in the service industry and now I am ready to serve Vermont.”

Charlie Kimbell, the incumbent state representative for Windsor County-5 and a fellow Democrat, is running for lieutenant governor. 

“Tesha has first hand experience of what it is like to run a business in Vermont, a perspective that is very important to have in the Statehouse when shaping policies,” Kimbell said in a statement. “And she has worked to solve local child care needs, a real priority for working people and the entire state.”

Buss opened two businesses in Plymouth during the 2008 recession — Good Commons, a retreat home; and The Good Bus. Using resources from Vermont’s Small Development Center and a grassroots marketing approach, Buss grew both businesses. She continues to welcome guests to Good Commons.

Buss is experienced at renovating and permitting businesses at the state and local level, according to this week’s statement. She led the Rainbow Playschool Renovation Project and has seen firsthand how much money can be saved in energy efficient building. Through her efforts, Buss enabled the creation of many new childcare spots for infants and toddlers serving the towns in the Windsor County-5 district, Woodstock, Plymouth and Reading. She was also instrumental in opening The Community Campus to serve K-6 students in the hybrid schooling days of the pandemic and as a summer and after-school program.

Buss entered public service in 2009, serving as an Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce board member and as the president of the Ludlow Rotary Club. She learned her business skills growing up on her family farm in Illinois. Her family’s other business, a tavern called The Buss Stop, is now employee-owned 38 years later. Following her passion for dance, she earned a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University, moved to New York City, and performed for 15 years including in the Broadway production of Cats. Seven seasons at The Weston Playhouse brought her to Vermont. 

“I want to see Vermont grow into a state where our next generation can make a living wage and small businesses can thrive,” said Buss, a single mother to an 8-year old. “I think of my own daughter and if she chooses a path of entrepreneurship when she’s older, I want Vermont to be a place of opportunity.”

— Gareth Henderson

Further campaign information can be found at www.teshabuss.com or by calling 802-245-4746.

Building peace, and starting with love

A view from Fletcher Hill Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

As springtime flourishes around us, we witness natural peace and harmonious progress all around us, the former season a distant memory. Familiar images come to mind, like that beautiful, slow-motion video of the flower blooming, and turning toward the sunlight, finding its natural place closest to the sun’s nurturing rays. A moment of seeking light, and finding it. 

These days, that moment can seem a distant thing. Pictures of peace, like the above, seem fleeting at best. The world longs for peace, one that lasts, one that goes beyond a feeling. Though it may be difficult to see at times, people have a natural leaning toward peace, just like the flower that seeks the sun. It’s not about what we feel from moment to moment; this peace is part of our being, joined to our innate ability to love one another. 

Knowing this, we have to seek peace where it all begins: within us. If we build peace within ourselves, the harmony that seems impossible to attain can shine through us, even if just a little bit at first. It starts with an individual’s chosen lens through which to view the world. Will it be through the love which comes to us so naturally? To build peace through loving others as ourselves, is really our most natural desire as people. Where rightly motivated desire lives, there is opportunity, and a possibility to join together for the greater good. In that space, we make a difference.

Amid the struggles of the past two years, we’ve seen this happen. Neighbors have helped one another and created unforgettable, inspiring moments leading to progress, and leading others to help their communities. It’s clear that this pattern of unselfishness awoke in us a collective propensity to lift each other up. There’s a history of this in the world, even in the darkest times, because that connection of compassion is natural and familiar to everyone.

However, this existence never allows us to sit still; it demands greater proof of what we can accomplish. Now, we, as a global community, are being asked to meet such a challenge. From the recent shootings in the U.S., to the war in Ukraine, the demand of the times is to muster compassion, love and grace to make a difference. That work will look different for each individual, but everyone has a way to contribute to the healing, the peace, that is so needed today. Every person can express peace and provide that gift to everyone they see, every day. By doing so, that natural, peaceful expression is established, takes root and grows in the world. It’s a meaningful part of the solution at this important time. And it shows us that the answer the world needs begins in our very hearts. Right where hopelessness tries to creep in, there is love, and the ability to build lasting peace. Each person can play a role in cultivating that framework, starting now.

— Gareth Henderson

The donuts are back: Farmer & The Bell thriving at new location

April Lawrence, of Farmer & The Bell, grabs a tray of donuts at her business’s new location at the Parker House in Quechee, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

If you go to the Parker House building in Quechee, Vermont, on Saturday or Sunday morning, you’ll see a long line of people filling the wrap-around porch, and they have one thing in common: They’re all hungry for donuts made by Farmer & The Bell. 

The popular donut business, owned and operated by April Lawrence and her partner Ben Pauly, got its start as a pop-up in Woodstock for five weekends last December.  

Now the business has a new home at the Parker House, where ownership has welcomed them with open arms and their donut operation keeps thriving. April 30 was their first day at the new location.

“We can’t be effusive enough about their kindness, and everybody there,” Lawrence said of the Parker House. “It’s such a great place.” 

And donut fans near and far are loving it, too. 

Matt Ashby recently moved to Quechee, and going to Farmer & The Bell is now part of his weekend. In one of his first times taking his dog to the nearby dog park, he remembers people dropping by carrying boxes of donuts. 

“Everybody came over with donuts saying, ‘Oh my God, these are the best donuts in the world’, and they are,” he said, while waiting in line for another box last Saturday. “I don’t know what kind of magic they’re working back there, but it’s effective.”

On the same morning, Shelby Donahue, of Connecticut, was visiting the area for Mother’s Day weekend and showed up with her family, after a friend tagged her on Instagram, recommending Farmer & The Bell.

“It’s a great Mother’s Day gift,” she said. 

David and Anna Pauly prepare some donuts for Farmer & The Bell on May 7. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The idea for these donuts came about a couple years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. Lawrence and Pauly took a camping trip to Maine, and during those travels, they ended up tasting some French crullers nearby. That “life-changing donut experience” — as Lawrence called it — made the couple determined to make this art their own. 

“We said, ‘This is going to be our thing, we’re going to master this …. We need this donut in our life,’” she recalled. 

It was really a perfect match as far as ingredients: the crullers require about a half-egg per donut, and Lawrence has a farm with chickens.

And so, they spent six months perfecting the recipe, and trying out their budding creation and all its versions on family members and friends. Later on, Lawrence and Pauly’s young son asked for donuts for his birthday instead of a birthday cake. As if that wasn’t endorsement enough, multiple people at the party — who were wowed by the crullers — encouraged them to go into business. 

That they did. Thanks to Chy Tuckerman of Angkor Wat Restaurant in Woodstock, Farmer & The Bell was able to use the restaurant’s kitchen space last December. 

“For me, it was a perfect intersection between working with people, being creative, and working with food,” Lawrence said.  

Donuts on display at Farmer & The Bell in Quechee. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The pop-up experience helped them figure out their process, she added. Customers pre-ordered their donuts online, and they stuck with that system during their five pop-up days there. In 2022, real estate agent and customer Meredith Christiansen connected Lawrence with Simon Pearce CEO Jay Benson, which led to a lease to use the Parker House kitchen. Right now, the system is “first come, first served,” and to accommodate the long line usually waiting outside, the business always has lots of donuts ready to go. They’re open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday.

“We try to have 300 to 400 ready, and we’re still making them as we’re going,” Lawrence said. 

That’s no easy feat, either. Everything is measured in grams, and the measurements and timing are absolutely exact, down to the second.  

“If any part of it’s off, it’s all ruined,” Lawrence noted. 

But she says they’ve been able to make the entire process more efficient, and it’s become a true family business as well. Pauly’s parents, David and Anna, help out every weekend as the business keeps cranking out multiple flavors of donuts. Among the staples: sugar and spice, chocolate and coconut, and several berries & cream flavors (like raspberry and strawberry, for example). For a touch of springtime, this weekend, Farmer & The Bell will debut their viola and lemon donut — with a lovely viola flower on top. 

“We’re trying to do six (flavors) each week. Some of the popular ones we keep as standards, and we rotate others ones out,” Lawrence said. 

A popular one is brown butter-WhistlePig, made with local whiskey from WhistlePig — a business also located in the Parker House building. That’s one example of a big part of Farmer & The Bell: using ingredients grown or made right here. For instance, they use King Arthur Flour, butter from Cabot, and local eggs and milk. .

“We truly try to put as much local into it as we can,” Lawrence said. 

Running a business has its challenges, but for Farmer & The Bell, it’s about giving joy to others in the form of a delicious donut.

“It’s decadent, a donut is a treat,” Lawrence said. “You can’t have a bad day with a donut in your hand. … It’s a joyous experience, and I think that resonates with a lot of people.”

— Gareth Henderson

Farmer & The Bell is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday at the Parker House at 1792 Main Street in Quechee, Vermont (use the side porch entrance). For updates, check out @farmerandthebell on Instagram. The business can be reached by email at: farmerandthebellvt@gmail.com.

The first customers of the day step into the porch entrance for Farmer & The Bell at the Parker House in Quechee on May 7. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Welch: Allies standing strong for Ukraine; aid continues to be crucial

(Gareth Henderson File Photo)

Even amid the most treacherous and dangerous situations, acts of kindness and compassion shine through. 

A great many people have stepped in to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Neighboring Poland has given refuge to nearly 3 million Ukrainian refugees as of Wednesday, according to data from the United Nations. 

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., saw this in action when he recently went to Eastern Europe, visiting Latvia, Poland and Slovakia. He traveled with U.S. Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., Mike Quigley, D-Ill, and Jason Crow, D-Colo., with whom he serves on the House Intelligence Committee. Welch said the trip was meant to inspect how the U.S. policy of arming the Ukrainians and the coordination with humanitarian aid, is proceeding.

In a Tuesday interview, Welch reported that the coordination between European allies — both NATO, and non-NATO — is impressive.

For the Ukrainians who have fled their war-torn country, their neighbors in Poland have been answering the call to help from the beginning. 

“There are no camps. They're all sheltering in the homes of Polish families who have welcomed them and are willing to house them for as long as it takes,” Welch said.  

Working in partnership with U.S. aid efforts, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia have played important roles in bolstering Ukraine’s strong military operations against Russia, Welch noted.

“Even though they’re small countries, they've been sending an immense amount of military aid,” he said. “They're enormously grateful the U.S. is all in. They feel the U.S. is a full partner with them in their efforts to resist Russian aggression.”

These allies are spurred on in large part by their memories of World War II, and wanting to help their neighbors and prevent the tragedies of war from spreading.

“It’s like it was yesterday,” Welch said, of how they remember WWII. “It's just embedded in their psyche.”

Looking toward the long-term, Welch said there will be a vast amount of work for years to come, to rebuild the damage Russia has inflicted on Ukraine, with cities like Mariupol reduced to rubble. 

There will be a need for aid on many fronts, and Welch said there are ways Vermonters can play a role. 

“Governor (Phil) Scott has expressed an openness to accepting Ukrainian refugees in Vermont,” Welch said. He added that the Biden administration is facilitating those opportunities for Ukrainians to relocate to the U.S.

Also, Vermonters and many Americans have contributed to the humanitarian relief effort by donating to organizations involved, and Welch encouraged that generosity to continue. Vermont recently approved a legislative bill to send more than $640,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

In a recent statement, Scott spoke of those displaced by the war and Vermont’s “moral obligation” to help.

“We are ready, willing and able to accept refugees from Ukraine if need be,” the governor said.

— Gareth Henderson

Public helps police locate 16-year-old girl

Update: Tuesday, April 12:

On Tuesday, April 12, Lillian Whalen was located safely. The Vermont State Police thanks the public for their assistance during this investigation.

6 p.m. on Monday, April 11:

The Vermont State Police is asking for the public’s assistance locating missing 16-year-old Lillian Whalen. She was last seen at her family’s home on Pepper Road in the town of Washington, Vermont, at about 10 p.m. Sunday, April 10, 2022, and last known to be home at about midnight. Her family reported her missing at about 6:30 a.m. Monday, April 11. Her disappearance is not believed to be suspicious, but there are concerns for her welfare.

Lillian, who goes by Lily, is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 115 pounds, with blue-gray eyes and honey-brown hair that is long on the top and shaved on the sides. She wears glasses. It is unknown what clothing she may be wearing. Lily might be operating a silver 2016 Honda Civic with Vermont license plate HTY 548.

Anyone with information that might help investigators in locating Lily is asked to call the Vermont State Police in Middlesex at 802-229-9191.

VSP will provide updates as the investigation continues at this link.

— Vermont State Police

Frogs and salamanders are on the move

Vermont Fish and Wildlife is asking drivers to be cautious when travelling at night to avoid salamanders and frogs, like the wood frog above, which are crossing roads during their breeding season. (VTF&W Photo by John Hall)

Vermonters are reporting a particularly horrendous mud season this year, keeping some off the roads.  But the warm, rainy nights in early spring give us another good reason to avoid even the paved roads: frogs and salamanders that are on the move during breeding season.

“At this time of year, amphibians cross roads in large numbers to reach vernal pools and other waters for breeding,” says Fish and Wildlife herpetologist Luke Groff.  “If you find a crossing, you can see many individuals and species in a short period and small area, and some species may not be seen the rest of the year.  Spotted and blue-spotted salamanders, for example, belong to a group called the ‘mole salamanders’ because after breeding, they retreat underground or under logs or stumps and are rarely seen until the following spring.”

Biologists rely on amphibian road crossing events to document rare or otherwise hard-to-find species.  For example, the four-toed salamander is rare in Vermont, and its distribution is not well understood. 

This information is used by Fish and Wildlife, the Agency of Transportation and other conservation partners to assess the need for wildlife passages and barriers in road construction plans that allow all wildlife, not just frogs and salamanders, to more safely cross roadways. 

Groff is encouraging Vermonters to explore their nearby roads and report amphibian road crossings to the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas. If you can safely take photos of the amphibian species crossing, please include them.

Vermonters who wish to contribute to the Fish and Wildlife Department’s work to help frogs and salamanders can donate to the Nongame Wildlife Fund on their state income tax form or on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

A spotted salamander crosses a Vermont road during breeding season. (VTF&W Photo by Luke Groff)

Harriet Worrell inspired students to soar to new heights, on and off stage

Harriet Worrell, the longtime director of the Yoh Theatre Players at Woodstock Union High School, had a profound impact on many students’ lives during her career. She recently passed away at age 78. (Photo Provided)

When Harriet Worrell directed her theater students, she wasn’t just building the next production, she was continuing to build a family of leaders, touching young hearts by showing them all they were capable of — even if they didn’t believe it at first. 

Worrell passed away on March 16 at age 78, surrounded by family at her home in Bridgewater Corners. For 28 years, as the director of the Yoh Theatre Players at Woodstock Union High School, she impacted generations of young people who went into various professions. Whenever Harriet Worrell directed a group of theater students, she taught them lessons about work ethic that extended far beyond the stage.

At her March 21 memorial service, Yoh Theatre alumni, their families and the wider community filled the theater auditorium, with Worrell’s director’s table in front of the first row, facing the stage, as it always had for many years.

One of speakers at the memorial, Sophie Shackleton, was part of the Yoh Theatre program throughout middle and high school in Woodstock. She attributed many of her accomplishments to what she learned from Worrell. That work ethic and passion for the arts led Shackleton to a Master's Degree in London, and she is now working for world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, producing events with artists and scientists all over the world. 

“I tell you this not to list my accomplishments, but to begin to tell her [Mrs. Worrell] and to tell you, the way she has fundamentally shaped my life, and I am not the only one. I know that every single one of her students feels the same way,” Shackleton said. “We are now teachers, technical consultants, doctoral candidates, digital producers, managers, nurses, librarians, business owners and parents. We have arrived where we are, because of who we are, but also because she taught us the art of being us. She gave us the keys to our universe, and told us to take it seriously. Mrs. Worrell, you gave us the greatest gift one could give: our future.”

Jordan Larson was also in the Yoh Theatre program, and he played football for Worrell’s late husband, Chuck, who was a longtime football coach in Woodstock and passed away last year. Reflecting on his Yoh experience, Larson told the audience he felt blessed to have so many great brothers and sisters. 

“I hope you found your voice, like I found mine,” he said.

Worrell’s daughter, Perrin, brought that Yoh Theatre energy by leading the audience in the “Yoh cheer”. And she knows it well, having spent her whole middle and high school career in the Yoh Theatre program, as well as helping out when she was back on college breaks. 

In an interview later that week, Perrin Worrell said that by making high demands on her students, she ingrained that style of leadership in them, and she and others have taken that out into the world. It’s a style that pushes against limits and doesn’t stop at boundaries that norms have laid out. 

“She bred leaders out of her program, because these kids went on to be the ones who were outspoken and be the ones that were challenging the status quo,” Perrin said. “She would always tell us to challenge the thought, don’t take it at face value.” 

Harriet Worrell helped many students find their voice, their inner confidence, and therefore their path in life. But Worrell’s path started far away from Vermont, in San Antonio, Texas, where she was born into a family deeply involved in the arts. In fact, her father, Leonard Ramsey Yelvington, was a well-known Texas playwright and a theater named after the family was built at Southwest Texas State College (now Texas State University).

As a young educator and mother in Texas, Worrell became very active as a high school theater director, community member, and eventually rose to the level of judging plays at competitions. Meg Scherbatskoy, Worrell’s eldest daughter, recalled the fast-paced lifestyle, between theaters, competitions, and travel. 

“Mother’s art was hers, she was creative, and she had stamina beyond belief,” Scherbatskoy said. 

But she noted community was very important to her mom. She would meet Chuck Worrell while still in Texas, and they would move their young family to the Green Mountains. Having a theater community was such a big part of her mom’s life, Scherbatskoy said. 

“She’d lost the one in Texas long ago; she found it again here,” Scherbatskoy remembered. 

Worrell’s son Ramsey, who coaches football at Woodstock Union High School, remembered theater as being a part of life growing up, and the way his mother strove for excellence left a strong impact. In an interview, Ramsey noted that, for Harriet, she never set out to create a high school play; she was looking to make theater of the very best quality. Part of the result was multiple trips for the Yoh Players to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival — a world-famous event you don’t just waltz into. 

“She took it to the heights she took it to because she demanded it, and she knew the kids were capable of it,” Ramsey said. 

The last part of that quote speaks to a lesson from his mother Ramsey employs as a football coach: seeing the potential in young people, and urging them to strive for it. 

“If you take a group of kids and push them all to that level, then you end up with the kinds of performances, the kinds of kids, she ended up with,” he said. 

And, Ramsey said, she loved them like family, the way Ramsey cares about his players as well. “You genuinely care about them to the level of love,” he said. “She never asked any student to dedicate themselves, anymore she would ask me, Deacon, Temple, Perrin, or Meg to. She loved them the same as she loved us.” 

Harriet Worrell led the wedding ceremony of Brooke and Toph Brown, shown here, in 2017. (Photo Provided)

For Toph Brown, Worrell wasn’t only his theater director — she led his wedding ceremony in 2017. Brown, a 2005 Woodstock Union High School graduate and Yoh Master, said how honored he and his wife, Brooke, were to have Harriet lead such a profound, meaningful moment in their lives, a celebration of who they were. As Brown put it, Worrell was like a mother to him. 

“So much of who I am I owe to Harriet, not just obvious things like interest in the arts and in theater and some of the performative skills, but also things like an interest in words, and a respect for being able to express yourself clearly, and teamwork and commitment and dedication to something,” he said in a recent interview. “These are all things she taught me, and that she taught us. That was all just present in that moment when we were getting married.” 

Worrell also chose challenging material, including Ionesco, Beckett, and some Shakespeare plays many people didn’t know about. By going far outside the “norm” of high school theater, she taught the students to rise to the next challenge. For his senior project as a Yoh Master, at age 16, he memorized 40 pages of an Old-English script for a one-act play called “Everyman”. 

Brown said that’s part of the respect she treated her students with, that she treated them as adults, with their own unique ability to achieve great things. 

“That is part of being a parent, treating your kids with respect,” Brown said. “She was never patronizing to us, ever, ever, ever. She was seeing that potential in all of us. That’s a wonderful gift she had, something I aspire to, being able to see someone’s potential, seeing through the fog that a child puts up, of ‘I can’t, I’m not good enough, I’ve never tried it.’”

Through the many lessons they impart, people like Worrell keep on teaching us, even after they leave this world, he noted.

“I’ll be learning from this woman the rest of my life,” Brown said.

That gift for courageously seeing potential came through in how Worrell worked and taught, as Rev. Gwen Groff shared in the eulogy at the recent memorial service. 

“She chose scripts fearlessly, she taught young people fearlessly,” Groff said. “Taking students to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and to theater contests all across the country, was fearless.”

At the service, Brown was one of a group of Yoh alumni who joined together for a Speakchorus, an art form Worrell taught to her students, truly a chorus of the spoken word. Sophie Shackleton conducted it at Worrell’s memorial; it was titled “The Art of Me,” written by Worrell herself.

During Shackleton’s remarks before the Speakchorus, she said, “I am still learning, but I say this to all of us: This is officially the end of rehearsal. We are the grown-ups, and we are the children she believed in. When this service ends, go back to your family, your children, your community, your job, your region, your planet, your universe. Take her with you. All the world a stage. All God’s children have a place. Dare to disturb, try again, fail again, fail better, make art, make love, make poetry, make humans, make humanity, make magic. It is essential, and we will do it together.”

— Gareth Henderson

Epic mud season having statewide impact

A warning sign posted at the bottom of a very muddy Prosper Road in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

After a sudden spring thaw, Vermont is stuck in the middle of an epic mud season.

“I’m 80 years old and I’ve lived here 55 years, and I’ve never seen the roads this bad,” Ted Kenyon told the Valley News on Saturday. The South Royalton resident has been helping cars out of the deep mud with his tractor, the Valley News reported. In some cases, roads have been impassable, forcing some folks to stay home from work.

From East Barnard to Woodstock, to Rutland County and throughout the state, the muddy conditions continue to have a widespread impact, with multiple vehicles getting trapped in mud, and some tow vehicles not being able to get there due to the treacherous conditions.

Photos from recent days in East Barnard, Vt. (Mollie and Katrina McHugh Photos)

On Tuesday, Woodstock Town Manager William Kerbin said some roads are slightly better than they were over the weekend, but the mud still poses a big challenge in a lot of places. Prosper Road remains closed to thru-traffic, for example.

“The roads are hardening up a little bit, but it’s still a wait-and-see and keeping our fingers crossed,” Kerbin said. 

In these muddy times, Waterbury Municipal Manager Bill Shepeluk shared this safety tip with the Rutland Herald on Friday: “If you don’t have to travel on a gravel road, don’t.”

Sound advice, since the weather pattern doesn’t seem to be changing much over the coming week, though freezing temperatures tonight and on Wednesday night might help somewhat. As things stand now, rain is in the forecast for Friday, with daytime temperatures hovering around 40 or higher (including 51 degrees on Friday).

Motorists are asked to obey all signs saying roads are closed. And if you have to walk up a muddy road to get home, or to help someone out, be careful — there’s been at least one instance of someone’s boots getting stuck in the mud as well.

Mud season is a great example of neighbor helping neighbor. Vermonters’ spirit is always inclined to help some one out with a tow rope, the farm tractor pulling the vehicle out, or even car-pooling to get where they need to be. Vermonters so often join forces to lend a helping hand. It brings us a little closer and shows once again that this spirit can’t be stopped, even by the trappings of mud.

— Gareth Henderson

Cox District Road in Woodstock, Vt., on Tuesday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

State: With bears roaming, time to take bird feeders down

With snow melting everywhere, bears are starting to emerge from their winter dens. (VTF&W Photo by Kris and Norm Senna)

As I look over the wildlife adventures we’ve had over the past two years, nothing compares with bear encounters. And I’m not talking about encounters I’ve had. It’s my wife who has been lucky enough to cross paths with multiple bears over the past two summers. If this happens during your next hike, she recommends remaining calm, and no, don’t run (more safety tips here). In fact, over this time, our ursine friends became such a part of the neighborhood that a neighbor of ours named one of the bears Ursula. 

Cute as that might be (and I’m smiling as I write this), the folks at Vermont Fish and Wildlife are hoping Vermonters can help cut back on the number of times that bears wander into residential areas. To that end, they’re asking Vermonters to take down their bird feeders now — about two weeks earlier than usual. 

With the spring thaw advancing, and reports of bear sightings starting to trickle in, wildlife officials hope this small request will make a difference, so that everyone can live together without too many frequent visits from the bears, whether walking near your home, or trying to take out the trash — which bears love to get their paws on. Hopefully less bird seed for bears means less of those other visits. Though for sure, we don’t mind seeing them once in a while - we do, after all, share a beautiful state together. 

To see Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s full press release, keep on reading. And thanks! 

— Gareth Henderson

_

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says warm spring weather and melting snows will cause bears to come out of their winter dens in search of food.  The department recommends taking down bird feeders and keeping them stored until December, to avoid attracting bears. 

“Although we typically recommend taking down bird feeders by April 1, we are asking Vermonters to take them down early this year,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the department’s bear biologist.  

The department is already receiving bear reports as of March 7, and encourages Vermonters who experience a conflict with bears to submit a report through the Living with Black Bears web page.  The warmer temperatures predicted now will stimulate more bears to emerge from their dens to seek any food sources they can smell. 

“Preventing bears from having access to human-related foods, such as bird seed, is key to successful coexistence,” Comeau added.   

Bird feeders are just one of the things that can attract hungry bears.  Other sources of food that bears find appealing are garbage, open dumpsters, backyard chickens, pet food, barbecue grills, campsites with accessible food, and food waste.  

“Purposely feeding a bear is not just bad for the bear,” said Comeau. “It is also dangerous for you, it causes problems for your neighbors, and it is illegal.” 

The department offers the following tips to coexist with bears: 

• Take down birdfeeders between late March and December. 

• Store garbage in bear proof containers or structures—trash cans alone are not enough  

• Follow the steps on our web page for composting in bear country 

• Use electric fences to keep chickens and honeybees safe 

• Request a bear-proof dumpster from your waste hauler 

• Feed your pets indoors 

• Never feed bears, deliberately or accidentally 

And for Vermonters who wish to connect with and appreciate songbirds after taking down their birdfeeders this spring, the department will be partnering with Audubon Vermont to highlight alternatives like the Native Plants for Birds Program.  

“Birds and native plants co-evolved over millions of years together,” said Gwendolyn Causer, Audubon Vermont’s communication coordinator and environmental educator. 

“Native plants provide essential food resources for birds year-round and also host protein-rich native butterfly and moth caterpillars, the number one food for songbird nestlings.  And best of all, they do not attract bears.”  

To help better understand peoples’ interactions with bears and inform measures for coexistence with this species, the department asks Vermonters to submit reports of bears engaging in potentially dangerous behavior like targeting bird feeders or garbage bins, feeding on crops or livestock, or investigating campgrounds or residential areas, through our website’s Living with Black Bears tab.

Woodstock Village to vote on cannabis ballot item

On March 24, voters will decide whether to allow cannabis retailers to do business in Woodstock Village. 

A total of nine items will be on the village ballot, and, unlike past years, all items on the village warning will be decided by Australian ballot. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 24 at Woodstock Town Hall. 

A public informational meeting will be held this Tuesday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall and on Zoom. Read the Village Report by clicking here.

By state law, cities and towns have to vote whether to allow cannabis sales in their communities. If communities approve it, businesses can start applying for a state license on April 1. A state board will review the license requests.

Woodstock's town and village are separate governing bodies, and, earlier this month at town meeting, town voters decided to "opt in" for allowing cannabis retail establishments. That means cannabis retailers who apply for a state license and meet the requirements, will be able to do business in the town.

However, the village — like any municipality — must hold its own vote to opt in or out, and that happens on March 24. Village Trustees Chair Jeff Kahn wanted village voters to understand that the town's vote does not impact the village, and village voters on March 24 still get to decide whether or not to authorize cannabis retail sales within the village limits.  

"I think there's been quite a bit of confusion (on that point)," Kahn said.

In response to recent questions from voters, Kahn added that, if the village votes to opt in for cannabis retail sales, the village will not see any new tax money as a result. All additional tax money from those sales will go to the state, and the same is true for the town.

In other business for March 24 village voting: Two candidates are running unopposed for seats on the Village Trustees board. Incumbent Brenda Blakeman is seeking reelection for a three-year term, and Gabe DeLeon is running for a two-year term. Incumbent Daphne Lowe, who has served for two years as a trustee, is not seeking reelection.

— Gareth Henderson

Town Meeting 2022: Woodstock defeats 1% option sales tax

At the polls on Tuesday, Woodstock voters narrowly defeated a proposal for a 1% local option sales tax that would have funded the budget for the town’s capital expenditures. Voters rejected the tax, 426-417.

All other ballot items passed, including the town and school budgets.

In the Select Board race for a two-year term, Susan Ford won handily over Ernie Fernandez, by a vote of 519-318. Incumbent Mary Riley was unopposed in her bid for the open three-year seat.

The armor of courage and love

The sun rises over the mountains in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

This past weekend, a priest at a Catholic church in Ukraine told his congregation, their faith is their armor. Even after Russia began bombing the country, congregations still continued to meet in Ukraine, bolstered by faith and courage. 

“The enemy is attacking us, but we are with God, and if we are with God, who can be against us?” the priest resolutely stated, quoted on the PBS NewsHour Monday evening. The church’s choir sang out a battle hymn for Ukraine, reflecting the country’s resolve, even as it faces the first major land war in Europe in over 70 years. 

Amid war and violence, are signs that faith, courage, and dedication to one’s country are fueling many efforts to repel this invasion. Early on Monday, a line of vehicles 20 miles long on the road into Poland grows; some locals have brought food to those waiting in the seemingly endless line. All the while, the Ukrainian forces fight on, as Russian aggression continues. 

Amid war and violence, are signs that faith, courage, and dedication to one’s country are fueling many efforts to repel this invasion, and help those in need. Early on Monday, a line of vehicles 20 miles long on the road into Poland grew; some locals have brought food to those waiting in the seemingly endless line of families fleeing the conflict. All the while, the Ukrainian forces fight on, as Russian aggression continues.

After watching the news coverage in recent days, an understandable question is, Can the world repel such an invasion? More to the heart of it, Can peace and stability win? 

Over the past two years, the world has seen strong, encouraging reflections of support, love, and collective strength, where they’ve been most needed. The example of a congregation standing up, resolute, for the higher goal of faith and love, is a reminder how the human spirit can shine its brightest amid adversity. And it shows why the answer is “yes”, to the two questions posed above. 

Indeed, this represents a far stronger history than that of violence. As seen in times past, churches, organizations and other groups join together to rally around their communities and offer support in the toughest times. Today, at this moment people from around the world are praying and holding vigils in support of love. One of the greatest resources is the constant amount of prayers being offered to Ukraine worldwide, every day. This has happened amid all other challenges the world has faced, and this support has its foundation in love — a quality we all know, a power we’ve all felt.

This love, this resolve, grows and multiplies; it never diminishes. It is greater and more powerful than any bomb or military force, and it’s a force for good that won’t be turned back. This love offers protection when material resources cannot meet the present need. Love’s armor remains, as the light that still shines in darkness. Wherever we live, we have a role in sustaining that armor, by the love and support we maintain in our hearts for Ukraine. And we can know that the hearts of those who need to feel that love, will feel it, and be nurtured by it, because it knows no borders, no limits. 

The best part of history will repeat itself. Love has seen the world through its darkest hours, and it will do so again.

— Gareth Henderson

Woodstock to decide select board contest on busy Town Meeting Day

Woodstock Town Hall on Friday afternoon. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Next week on a busy Town Meeting Day, Woodstock voters will head to the polls to decide on a number of key items — including who will become the town’s newest Select Board member. 

In the Select Board race, Susan Ford and Ernie Fernandez are vying for a two-year term. That position opened up when incumbent Mary Riley decided to run for the three-year seat held by longtime board member John Doten, who is retiring from public office. Riley is unopposed in her election bid.

Though the Select Board contest includes two different candidates, several issues came up as common priorities between them, including improvements for the town’s financial system, and addressing the lack of local housing. 

Susan Ford has lived in Woodstock since 1988, and she and her husband Jim raised their two sons in town. She had her law practice in Woodstock for 30 years before retiring in June 2020, and has also served multiple times as a Justice of the Peace. 

Ford said several local people approached her about running for the Select Board, and she eventually opted to run, since she thought it was the right thing to do for the community. She sees opportunities to use her professional expertise for the good of the town. 

“As an attorney, I think I was in front of probably every single [town] board there is,” Ford said, noting her wide-ranging knowledge of Woodstock. “I’m not only familiar with all the non-profits and the community, but also the government structure.”

As for priorities, Ford said it’s important to get the town’s “financial structure in better shape.” She was encouraged by a recent audit meeting the Select Board had, where establishing a finance committee was discussed. 

“We really need to step back and make sure we’re spending taxpayer dollars in a responsible manner,” Ford said. 

The town’s infrastructure, including the Town Hall, roads, and the high school were also important priorities for Ford. She said the housing shortage is also a key issue to focus on. 

“It breaks my heart to talk to local people in their 30s who can’t even think about buying a house here, and they work here,” Ford said. 

When speaking of priorities, Fernandez also emphasized a shortage of housing and local workers.

“We obviously have a labor issue in town; there just aren’t folks here to work,” he said. “People can’t afford to live here.”

He admitted it’s not an issue the Select Board can resolve alone, but he thought the town could provide incentives and proactively partner with the business community on solutions. 

Fernandez and his fiancé, Alexandra Catherine Williams, left the Boston area and moved to Taftsville in 2020, in part because of Alexandra’s deep family roots in Vermont and Hampshire. Fernandez, originally from Miami, Florida, moved to Boston 10 years ago. He works for the Harvard Business School, collaborating with the fundraising and alumni relations departments to improve business processes. Fernandez is also the president of the Cambridge Masonic Temple, a community organization in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a 45,000 square-foot facility and over 500 members. 

Fernandez said he has always become locally involved with the community wherever he lives, and running for the Select Board seemed like a good way to do that. As a Select Board member, Fernandez said he’d like to see the town make more efficient use of the volunteer hours people provide. 

“I have a special aversion to seeing good people’s gifts of talent and time being wasted. … I want to do better by our volunteers,” he said.

Like Ford, Fernandez was concerned about the town’s financial structure, but was also encouraged by the recent audit meeting. 

“I was very pleased at how positive, constructive, open and mature the conversation was,” he said. 

Fernandez also spoke about improving the transparency of the town’s finances, and wants to see the Select Board find new ways to communicate more clearly, and with more of the community, about how taxpayer money is being spent.  

—

A host of other ballot items await Woodstock voters on Town Meeting Day. For example, voters will decide whether cannabis retailers will be able to open in town, according to the Valley News. If this measure passes, retailers could open in the town as soon as October 2022.

In a separate ballot article, residents will decide whether the town will assess a 1% local option sales tax that would fund the budget for capital expenditures, the Valley News reported.

Also up for vote is the proposed $7,025,832 Woodstock town budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget plan includes $2,070,796 for the highway department, and another $1,267,134 for the ambulance department. The proposed budget includes $5,398,766 to be raised by taxes.

The town will hold an informational meeting on Zoom and in Town Hall at 31 The Green, this Saturday, Feb. 26, at 10 a.m. Voting by Australian ballot will be held at Town Hall on Tuesday, March 1, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

— Gareth Henderson

Flooding on Rt. 4 at Lincoln Bridge in West Woodstock

Flooding across Route 4 in West Woodstock by the Lincoln Bridge, late morning Wednesday.

The situation with rising water and the ice jam around Lincoln Bridge in West Woodstock has been addressed.

Update, 2/23 at 4:30 pm: The ice was moved out by the town excavator and the river is flowing normally, police confirmed. Route 4 is safe for travel as of mid-afternoon Wednesday.

Update, 2/23 at 10:10 am: Route 4 is still open but has a lot of water across the road past the Lincoln Bridge going west. There are police and town road crews posted on each side of the flooded section. The state has not shut down the road as of yet. Motorists are advised to seek alternate travel routes and use caution.

Update, 2/23 at 8:16 am: Bridges and Fletcher Hill Road are closed. A large excavator is on its way to try to break up the ice jam along Route 4 in West Woodstock so the water can drain, according to police. This post will be updated.

From Woodstock Police tonight, 2/22:

Because of the rain we are expected to receive tonight there is flooding possible along Route 4 in the area of the Lincoln Covered Bridge due to ice jams.

Possibility of flooding in low lying areas is also possible. WPD Officers will be monitoring the ice jams in the area of the Lincoln Covered Bridge as well as the Woodstock Mobile Home Park for flooding during the evening and overnight hours.

WPD requests that if flooding of roads or low-lying areas is observed to please call Woodstock Emergency Services at 802-457-1420 to report it. In addition, motorists are advised to use caution in the area of Rte 4 from the Lincoln Covered Bridge west towards Bridgewater.

Thank you for your assistance!