Category Archives: Addison County

News & events in Addison County, Vermont

‘Othello’ broadcast in Middlebury Thursday

MIDDLEBURY – Nicholas Hytner’s acclaimed National Theatre production of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” with Adrian Lester in the title role and Rory Kinnear as Iago, will be broadcast to Town Hall Theater at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3.
“A breathtaking show of emotional firepower. Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear are superb,” reported The Times.
Othello, newly married to Desdemona who is half his age, is appointed leader of a military operation to defend Cyprus from the Turks. Iago, his ensign, passed over for promotion in favor of young Cassio, persuades Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair.
Tickets are $17, $10 for students; call 802 382-9222, or go online to www.townhalltheater.org.

Man killed in cement truck crash

The passenger in a cement truck died on Route 125 in Hancock on Wednesday, after the truck went out of control on its way to a work site and overturned, police said.

Michael Thompson, 45, of Bristol, was killed, and Jason Barton, 35, of Winooski was airlifted to Darmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with serious injuries, police said. Barton was driving the truck to a job site, and neither man was wearing a seat belt, police said. The road was closed for most of the day while the crash was investigated and cleaned up.

The crash remains under investigation.

Middlebury stands up for laughs - Comedy Club at THT

MIDDLEBURY — Standup comedy is exploding in Vermont these days, and the Vermont Comedy Club is a big reason why. Its mission is to find and nurture funny people from all over the state, and after several years it has put together a roster of homegrown talent.
The VCC returns to Town Hall Theater for an evening of standup at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19.
“The Vermont Comedy Club did a cabaret here last spring that was a huge success,” says THT Artistic Director Douglas Anderson, “so we’re going to bring them back on a regular basis. We have a cash bar and snacks and an intimate room that’s perfect for a night of standup comedy.”
Headlining the event will be Tracie Spencer, who was recently at THT with the Vermont Comedy Divas. She was selected to perform in Boston’s Women’s Comedy Festival, and has been a finalist in the Higher Ground Comedy Battles for four years.
“She has a wonderful dry delivery and she really stands out because she’s a great writer, crafting these terrific jokes,” says Anderson.
Also on the bill are Chad Cosby and Patrick Tracy, both appearing at THT for the first time.
Tickets are $10; call 802-382-9222, or go online to www.townhalltheater.org.

Gas pipeline opponents pack Middlebury PSB hearing

Bruce Edwards / Staff Photo Opponents of a natural gas pipeline made their views known at a public hearing Tuesday night in Middlebury.

Bruce Edwards / Staff Photo
Opponents of a natural gas pipeline made their views known at a public hearing Tuesday night in Middlebury.

By BRUCE EDWARDS | STAFF WRITER
MIDDLEBURY - Opponents of a proposed natural gas pipeline packed the gym at Middlebury Union Middle School Tuesday night to tell the Public Service Board they want no part of a pipeline that will bring fracked natural gas to Addison County.
One after one opponents came to the podium to denounce in often sharp terms plans by Vermont Gas Systems to extend its pipeline 43 miles from Chittenden County south to Middlebury with the prospect the pipeline could be extended west under Lake Champlain to New York and further south to Rutland.
A common theme that came across from the public comments was that the world was near the tipping point when it came to climate change and global warming. Despite supporters’ claims that natural gas is cleaner burning than fuel oil or coal, opponents were unrelenting in their criticism that emissions from fracked natural gas in particular will only add to the climate change problem.
Fracking is the process that uses water and chemicals under extremely high pressure to disgorge otherwise hard to extract natural gas beneath the earth’s surface.
But those opposed to the pipeline that would bring gas down from Canada said that the fracking process can destroy the land and pollute drinking water. Continue reading

Bat man helps rescuers save injured man from cave in Weybridge

WEYBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says a bat researcher skilled at caving helped rescue an injured man from a cave in Weybridge last week.
The department says Joel Flewelling was among the first rescuers to reach the man, who had fallen and broken his ankle on Aug. 6.
Flewelling is a volunteer for Vermont Cave Rescue Network, a group of cavers who are experienced at safely navigating the state’s caves.
The man was pulled to safety after spending 14 hours in the cave, which is believed to be the largest in Vermont.
The department says Flewelling frequently goes into Vermont caves in winter to survey hibernating bats and had just finished a course on cave rescue several weeks ago.

Rescuers pull man out of cave

WEYBRIDGE — Officials say a man has been pulled to safety after spending 14 hours in a Weybridge cave, believed to be the largest in Vermont.
Rescuers were called to the cave at about 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Rescuers say the man was hospitalized with a broken ankle and other injuries. He was taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.
The man’s name was not released.
WCAX-TV (http://bit.ly/143j66P ) reports the Weybridge Fire Department, Middlebury Technical Rescue, New Haven Technical Rescue and the Vermont Cave Rescue Team helped with the operation.
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation site says the Weybridge cave should only be attempted by experts.

Two drown in separate incidents

GROTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont State Police say the body of a Massachusetts man has been found in Lake Groton. Police say they were called about a possible drowning just after midnight on Friday morning.

Police say the victim — 24-year-old Kirk Biancardi of Grafton, Mass. — was found in about 2 feet of water before troopers arrived.

Authorities say there is nothing suspicious about the incident and there were no signs of foul play.

An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death.

Crews have also recovered the body of a missing Vermont swimmer who was swept over Bartlett Falls in Bristol. Police say two men had gone swimming in the New Haven River on Thursday but lost sight of one another. Search efforts were suspended Thursday night due to dangerous conditions, and the body was recovered Friday morning.

More heavy rain in Vermont has caused rivers and streams to spill over their banks and flood roads.

The state Department of Public Safety is warning swimmers of the hazardous conditions. The high waters have created conditions that are not safe for swimming.

The National Weather Service says scattered showers and thunderstorms are in Friday’s forecast for much of the state.

Officials investigate Fern Lake fish deaths

LEICESTER (AP) — Vermont state agencies are investigating whether a pesticide sprayed to control mosquitoes caused a fish kill in a lake.
Leicester resident Zachary Saxe tells Vermont Public Radio (http://bit.ly/1bX32Z1) he saw and smelled dozens of dead fish in Fern Lake earlier this month.
The area near the Addison County lake is part of a mosquito control district that sprays pesticides to control larvae and adult mosquitoes. A report by state aquatic biologist Rick Levey said the die off “may be related” to the spraying.
He said the active ingredient in the pesticide, malathion, is extremely toxic to fish. Eight species of fish died.
Gary Meffe, who chairs the board of the mosquito control district, said it has a 20-year history of spraying in the area with no problems.

Handel’s ‘Guilio Cesare’ to close out Town Hall Theater opera season

MIDDLEBURY – The opera that conquered London in Handel’s time is the final broadcast in this year’s Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD” series. David McVicar’s production of Giulio Cesare stars countertenor David Daniels, in the title role, opposite Natalie Dessay as Cleopatra. Baroque specialist Harry Bicket conducts.  The broadcast can be seen at Town Hall Theater at 7 p.m. Monday, May 6.
The Huffington Post calls it “the Met’s “smashing new production … a thrilling operatic experience that is a feast for the eyes and ears.”  The New York Post called it “a masterpiece the Met is treating with just the right mix of respect and irreverence.”
Tickets are $24, $10 for students; call 802-382-9222, or go online to www.townhalltheater.org.

‘Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!’ broadcast debut at Town Hall Theater

MIDDLEBURY – For many people, Saturday morning wouldn’t be complete without it. Radios all over the country carry the one-two punch of “Car Talk” followed by the laughter and political commentary that is “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!”
Now those who wonder what the hosts of “Wait, Wait!” actually look like will be able to see them live, via satellite broadcast at Town Hall Theater. Peter Sagal, Carl Kassel and show regulars make their live cinematic debut at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2.
The broadcast will feature the show’s most popular panelists – Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca, and Tom Bodett – in a broadcast originating from the Skirball Center at New York University.
Tickets are $17, $10 for students; call 802 382-9222, or go online to www.townhalltheater.org.

‘Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!’
MIDDLEBURY – For many people, Saturday morning wouldn’t be complete without it. Radios all over the country carry the one-two punch of “Car Talk” followed by the laughter and political commentary that is “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!”
Now those who wonder what the hosts of “Wait, Wait!” actually look like will be able to see them live, via satellite broadcast at Town Hall Theater. Peter Sagal, Carl Kassel and show regulars make their live cinematic debut at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2.
The broadcast will feature the show’s most popular panelists – Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca, and Tom Bodett – in a broadcast originating from the Skirball Center at New York University.
Tickets are $17, $10 for students; call 802 382-9222, or go online to www.townhalltheater.org.