This Week’s News
Brandon Town Manager resigns
After the public portion of its meeting on Monday evening, the Brandon selectboard went into executive session to discuss a “personnel matter.” By Tuesday morning, that matter was no longer a secret: Dave Atherton, Brandon’s town manager since 2015, had announced his intention to resign, effective February 21.
Brandon SB talks shade trees, class 4 roads, and solar funding
In its regular meeting on Monday, the Brandon selectboard addressed several issues, including the Tree Warden’s shade-tree preservation plan, the designation of Briggs Lane as a Class IV highway, and the Brandon Energy Committee’s request for ARPA funding for a community solar array.
New England Woodcraft takes woodworkers on a tour
To a certain kind of person—someone as fascinated with woodworking as kids are with candy—the machine shop at New England Woodcraft (NEW) must seem like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory: a place of endless bustle and wonder.
Erastus Laird: Vermont Civil War soldier
Erastus Laird re-enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, after a 2-year stint and some time home.
School boards discuss student experience
On Wednesday, January 18, the RNESU School Board met at Lothrop Elementary School in Pittsford.
Photos of the Week
Sports
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.
Local group proposes multi-town community rec center
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, a bunch of middle-aged friends in Pittsford want to play some pick-up basketball. Or some older folks want to continue their daily exercise walks when the snow is knee deep outside in winter. Or some kids want to play volleyball but the school gyms are all closed. Where can they go?
‘Game Seekers’: local hunters use online platforms to reach an audience
Fall in Vermont means foliage, cider, pumpkins, and, for a good number of our neighbors, hunting. Every year, people across the state pick up their bows and rifles and head out into the woods, hoping to bag a big-antlered buck or a fat, feathered turkey.
OV Football Club realizes a goal: an illuminated field
Let there be light! The Otter Valley Football Club realized a longstanding dream this past weekend: lights on Markowski Field at OVUHS.