This Week’s News
The lasting lessons of Mister Rogers and the plastic pool: a conversation with Middlebury’s François Clemmons
By STEVEN JUPITER MIDDLEBURY—As soon as you walk into François Clemmons’ apartment at The Residences at Otter Creek in Middlebury, you know you’re dealing with someone who’s comfortable with himself. Now pushing 80, Dr. Clemmons still exudes an immediate, disarming warmth that puts you at ease because the man seems so at ease with himself. […]
Six contenders for Brandon Selectboard meet voters at Candidate Forum
In a particularly competitive election cycle, six candidates for Brandon Selectboard faced Brandon residents at a “Candidate Forum” at the Brandon Town Hall on Thursday, February 13.
Names lost in Vermont, Part 43: Wood, Baker, and Poutier
Christa Wood, now a nurse at Rutland Regional Medical Center, was my student in several classes during my last two years at Otter Valley. I called her “Christa Bois,” surmising that she likely had some French-Canadian ancestry.
Brandon Blue Seal raises $8K for Wounded Warriors
On Tuesday, February 11, the Brandon Blue Seal store hosted a guest speaker to celebrate the culmination of their fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Photos of the Week
Sports
OV wrestler Isaac Whitney earns title at big N.H. meet
Otter Valley Union High School wrestling made an outstanding showing at the 2025 Annual Minickiello Wrestling Tournament in Keene, N.H., on Saturday.
OV’s Lucas Politano signs deal to play Div I golf for Rutgers U.
The Politano family of Brandon extended its golf dynasty even further last Wednedsay when OV senior Lucas Politano signed a letter of intent to play golf for Division I Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Otter Valley puts up a fight, but loses in Championship game to powerhouse Woodstock
The Otter Valley football team made an unanticipated trip to the Vermont Division 3 championship game but lost 65–14 to a fast and dominating Woodstock team that featured 13 seniors.
OV football stuns BFA Fairfax; will play division championship
Last Saturday, in a show of outstanding football, the Otter Valley Otters defeated the BFA Fairfax Bullets in a show of stellar offense and gutsy defense. On a raw day with occasional sleet, a crowd of 300 showed up in Fairfax to witness the semifinal game which looked to be a sure thing for the Bullets, who were undefeated at 10-0 versus the Otters at 5-4.
OV Football wins big in playoffs, moves to state semis
Isaac Whitney had a huge game, gaining 180 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns to lead the Otter Valley football team to a 46–14 playoff win over rival Mill River Saturday night under the new lights at Markowski Field.
