Historic pic Back in Action Community An artist will paint the portrait of MUHS girls’ hockey and other Middlebury College recognizes the college’s first Black grad for the teams open the delayed winter four locals with its Citizen’s Statehouse. See Arts + Leisure. season. See Sports, Page 1B. Awards. See Page 11A. ADDISON COUNTY INDEPENDENT Vol. 75 No. 7 Middlebury, Vermont Thursday, February 18, 2021 40 Pages $1.50 Area restaurants still struggling, but they’re surviving Thanks to state and federal grants By ANDY restaurants are open KIRKALDY, JOHN “So much of fewer hours each week FLOWERS and Vermont’s than they were a year CHRISTOPHER economy ago, some have gone ROSS is based into hibernation and ADDISON on social likely some will not COUNTY — In this open again. Those that season of COVID-19, gathering in are keeping the lights many businesses have recreational on feel lucky to do so. been hamstrung by environments. They credit support social distancing, fear That’s what from government of people they don’t makes this so programs, community know and, for many, support and regular less disposable income. damaging for patrons. Restaurants depend everybody.” “We are so on drawing together — Matt Birong, appreciative for diverse groups of Three Squares the support we’ve people, sometimes in Café received,” said Holmes big groups, for shared Jacobs, co-owner of food prepared by Two Brothers Tavern strangers, often at indoor venues. in Middlebury. “We would not And they charge money that some be open now, but for our loyal people just don’t have right now. customers.” As a result restaurants have been Nationwide, 110,000 restaurants LIKE MANY RESTAURANTS operating in the COVID-19 pandemic, Cubbers in Bristol has had to limit its services to takeout, which requires among the types of businesses are closed with a little more than fewer staff and staff hours. Still, with the help of federal and state relief grants, the cherished downtown eatery — like many in Addison County — has been able to cut fewer employees than it otherwise would have. hardest hit. half of former owners saying they Photo courtesy of Cubbers Most Addison County (See Restaurants, Page 15A) Five vie for two MAUSD seats VTrans: Train By CHRISTOPHER ROSS That there is been hotly debated, depot must go BRISTOL — In recent years increased interest Five Bristol especially in Lincoln the town of Bristol has not always in the school board residents have and Starksboro, two By CHRISTOPHER ROSS been able to find enough candidates should come as no thrown their hats of the three towns NEW HAVEN — If all goes well to run for the Mount Abraham surprise to anyone in the ring for the that stand to lose their this year, and COVID-19 doesn’t Unified School District board. who’s been following elementary schools. slow things down even more, two school board Amtrak passenger train service could Not so this year. public discussions in seats that are After initially Five Bristol residents have the district these past planning to make a be extended from Rutland through thrown their hats in the ring for the few months. up for election decision about Reen’s Addison County to Burlington by the two school board seats that are up In December on Town Meeting plan in January, the end of this year, according to state for election on Town Meeting Day, MAUSD Day, March 2. board elected to transportation official Trini Brassard. March 2. Superintendent continue discussing it Once the service is up and Erin Jipner is challenging Patrick Reen unveiled until August. running, trains between Rutland incumbent Kevin Hanson for a a proposal to address declining MAUSD operates schools in and Burlington will make stops in three-year seat, while Pamela enrollment and rising costs by Bristol, Lincoln, Monkton, New Middlebury and Ferrisburgh. Jennings and Bill Mount are consolidating elementary schools Haven and Starksboro. As the They will not, however, be challenging Krista Siringo for a and merging with the Vergennes- largest town in the school district, stopping in New Haven, where the two-year seat. area school district. The plan has (See MAUSD seats, Page 13A) fate of a 19th-century train depot hangs in the balance. The building, which is located on the east side of Route 7, at the junction of Route 17, is owned by Monkton native makes her mark the Vermont Department of Historic Preservation and used by tenant Dennise Casey’s aim was true in field hockey – and politics Roundtree Construction for offices. The land it sits on is owned by Editors note: This is the latest in a series catching As a sophomore Political Science major at the (See Depot, Page 13A) up with student athletes from area high schools. University of Vermont she volunteered for Gov. By ANDY KIRKALDY James Douglas’s first campaign for governor. She SOUTH BURLINGTON — Over the years being became a statewide field director. the youngest in a group has not held back Starksboro By 2006, the year Casey turned 26, she was native Dennise Casey. Douglas’s campaign manager, communications As a 13-year-old freshman at Mount Abraham director and deputy chief of staff. Union High School Casey started at midfield for the Casey, now 39, said that rapid rise was not part Eagle field hockey team. After her second year at of a master plan: She just did her jobs to the best of Mount Abe she was chosen as a Junior Olympian and her ability and kept her eyes open. By the way played in a national tournament in North Carolina. (See Casey, Page 14A) Teamwork DOG TRAINER EMMA Best smiles while holding the paws of We saw a faint glimmer of light her business partner Franklin, an Australian Shepherd. Best, owner of Mountain Ridge Dog Pack in Salisbury, credits Franklin at the end of this long COVID for helping her to truly understand the world of a dog. See the tunnel this week when we heard that the Marquis Theater in full story on Page 2A. Photo by Brooke Rubright downtown Middlebury will begin renting out its main theater — the one with the couches — for private parties beginning College eyes safety Thursday, Feb. 18. It’s only (See By the way, Page 15A) as students return By CHRISTOPHER ROSS students will go straight to the Index MIDDLEBURY — After a Virtue Field House to be tested three-month hiatus, Middlebury for COVID-19, then head to their Obituaries ........................6A-7A College students will return to dorms for a mandatory room Classifieds .....................9B-10B campus this Sunday and Monday, quarantine while they await the Service Directory ............7B-8B Feb. 21 and 22, to begin the spring results. A week later they will Entertainment ..... Arts + Leisure 2021 semester. undergo a second round of testing. Community Calendar ............5B Because the pandemic is still “Given the higher prevalence of Arts Calendar ..... Arts + Leisure very much with us, all incoming the virus worldwide, we expect that Sports ..............................1B-3B students were required to undergo some students will test positive for DENNISE CASEY, AN all-star field hockey midfielder at Mount Abraham Union High School, follows a two-week pre-arrival quarantine, COVID-19 on arrival, and we are her shot on goal. The 1999 Mount Abe graduate, who later played key roles in Gov. Jim Douglas’s and their first couple of weeks on prepared to offer support,” wrote administration, also played in a Junior Olympic tournament. campus will be carefully managed. Dean of Students Derek Doucet Photo courtesy Dennise Casey When they get to Middlebury (See Students, Page 12A) PAGE 2A — Addison Independent, Thursday, February 18, 2021 Middlebury eyes antiracist work Inclusion (DEI) Workgroup, a three- the national spotlight last year, with Hiking and dogs Town could ink person panel the selectboard formed the police killings of George Floyd consultant deal last month to evaluate potential in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor Twin passions prompt Salisbury consultants to help the town address in Louisville, among other cases. By JOHN FLOWERS local impacts of racism. The Middlebury DEI group — resident to launch dog-training camp MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury has — particularly which includes selectboard members By BROOKE RUBRIGHT bodies around her. Amazingly, Middlebury selectboard later this during the past year — borne Dan Brown, Lindsey Fuentes- SALISBURY — The snow they waited attentively for her month will consider inking a $32,000 witness to disturbing examples of George and Farhad Khan — has was lightly falling as Emma Best direction of what would happen pact with a consulting duo who would racist graffiti and white supremacist spent the past five weeks searching drove from one house to the next next. help municipal and police officials posters, and the theft of Black Lives for potential consulting groups picking up her clients for the day, “I’ve always loved animals, and identify and address systemic racism Mater signs from residents’ yards. qualified to help on racial justice, her windshield coated in a fog of they have always been a really within the town, and engage with the Last summer, a Black man bias and diversity issues. They breath. big part of my life,” said Best, a community on issues of racial justice, named Bashiru Abdulaziz voiced learned there aren’t many individuals The five dogs riding in the back 22-year-old Salisbury native and public safety and law enforcement. concern about his treatment by or companies in Vermont who are of her 2005 Honda CRV were 2016 graduate of Middlebury The proposed contract is with Middlebury police after a local girl qualified to do this work, but believe panting eagerly, ready to start their Union High School, as she Tabitha Moore Consulting LLC had erroneously reported that he was they’ve found a winner in Moore and day together.