This Week’s News
Blast from the past: The Thomas Answering Service of Brandon
This was the era before beepers and cell phones. After hours, if you called the doctor, dentist, or veterinarian, you got Joan or Bob.
Passing the baguette: Gourmet Provence under new management
After 18 years, Robert and Line Barral—who also own Café Provence just up the street—have sold the bakery to fellow Brandonites Matt and Carrie Lewis.
Guest Essay: Compassionate communication/communication that blocks compassion
In a classroom environment, it is easy to give accolades to the students who do the right things, while tending to negatively recognize the same students over and over again who struggle to make the right choices.
Bear conflicts expected to increase in June
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is increasing outreach efforts to encourage Vermont residents and visitors to get ahead of an anticipated jump in bear conflicts this June.
Hard Tellin’: Welcome to Vermont, home of the garden zealot!
I write today about nothing less than fanatical gardening excess.
Photos of the Week
Sports
Otter Valley wins on Senior Night
The Otter women welcomed the Wasps of Woodstock to Senior Night at the “House of Noise” on Friday, February 11 before a raucous crowd.
Otter Valley defeats Hartford, 36–34
The Otter Valley girls basketball team defeated the visiting Hartford Hurricanes, 36-34, on Friday, January 28 at the “House of Noise” in Brandon.
OV, Proctor, Westside winter sports teams kick-off the season
The COVD-shortened winter of the 2020-21 high school sports season is behind us, and the teams at Otter Valley are happy about that. The pandemic forced the school’s basketball programs, like those elsewhere, to play abbreviated seasons, and wrestling was sidelined for the entire season.
OV girl’s basketball drops opener
In a hard-fought season opening game in which the teams traded game-changing runs, the host Middlebury Union girls’ basketball team put together the decisive surge to outlast Otter Valley, 35-28.
Six Otters named to Second Team All-Stars
After a successful season this fall, 10 members of the Otter Valley football team received postseason recognition from the Division III coaches.

