Rutland Herald Community News

COLLEGE NEWS

Dean’s list

The fall 2022 dean’s list at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, includes Olivia Depatie, of Brandon; Graham Lanzillo, Erin Lapointe, both of Rutland.

New VP

SOUTH ROYALTON — Vermont Law and Graduate School has hired Dave Celone as the new vice president of alumni relations and development. He earned his JD from VLGS in 1992. He joins VLGS from his position as director of development and community relations at West Central Behavioral Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Celone served as development director for the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, was co-director of the Dartmouth College Fund, and previously owned art galleries in Lyme, New Hampshire, and White River Junction. He practiced law in Connecticut and Vermont.

AROUND VT

Gun storage

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced the launch of a three-part campaign to promote safe gun storage in Vermont. The campaign consists of a public service announcement aimed at encouraging gun owners to safely store weapons, as well as distribution of free cable gun locks to facilitate safe gun storage, and promotion of the Vermont State Police’s partnership with federal firearms licensees around the state providing for temporary, off-site storage for firearms that cannot be maintained safely at home. For all information related to this safe storage initiative, including the locations to pick up free cable gun locks, the Vermont State Police/FFL website, and links to the PSA, visit www.gunsafevt.org online.

Suicide prevention

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. Even though more is being done today to prevent suicide than at any other time, the rate of suicide continues to rise in the U.S., and at a faster rate in Vermont. At its annual Chapter Leadership Conference held recently in Seattle, Washington, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention recognized the support and work done by the Vermont Chapter with the Outstanding Chapter Support of Project2025 Award for their exemplary service in helping to prevent suicide across Vermont. Project2025 is a nationwide initiative to reduce the rate of suicide by 20% by 2025.

DCF appointments

Gov. Phil Scott announced the appointment of Chris Winters, of Berlin, as commissioner of the Department for Children and Families; Winters will replace interim commissioner Harry Chen, M.D., who has served since October. Additionally, the current deputy commissioner of the Child Development Division, Miranda Gray, will become deputy commissioner of the Economic Services Division; and Janet McLaughlin will join the department as deputy commissioner of CDD.

Winters served as deputy secretary of state for the past eight years, overseeing all aspects of the office responsible for elections, business registration, corporations, and the state records and archives.

Gray spent 15 years working in various roles within the DCF Economic Services Division, Reach Up Program, before coming to CDD as interim deputy commissioner in February 2021.

McLaughlin brings two decades of leadership in the nonprofit sector in both Vermont and Washington, D.C. She joins CDD from the Vermont Association of Education of Young Children where she has been executive director since April 2021.

AROUND TOWN

Winter wildlife

QUECHEE — The Vermont Institute of Natural Science announces its Winter Wildlife Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Activities include Reindeer Fun, Fairy Hunts, Winter Games, Ice Sculpture, Chickadee Landing Station, Breakfast with Turtles, Raptors in Winter, Birding on the Canopy Walk, Songbird Aviary, Winter Ecology of Moose in Vermont, Raptor Feeding.

Admission to the VINS Nature Center is $18 adults, $17 seniors age 62 and over, $15 youth, ages 4 to 17, and free for members and children aged 3 and under. For more information, visit www.vinsweb.org or call 802-359-5000.

Soup for Good

RUTLAND — Companions in Wholeness presents the second annual Soup for Good on Friday, March 3. Companions in Wholeness is providing an average of 175 warm, nutritious breakfasts and a takeout lunch to our neighbors in need Monday-Thursday. To help continue this work, order a takeout quart of soup. Choose from chili (no beans), homestyle corn chowder, or vegan vegetable soup. Each quart comes with two bread and two cookies. Cost is $15 per quart. Preorders are required and must be placed by Wednesday, March 1, at www.companionsinwholeness.com, or call 802-773-2460. Orders must be picked up at 60 Strongs Ave., Rutland from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

VTF&W

Stay off ice

While the current warm weather continues, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is extending its advisory to stay off the ice on Lake Champlain. On inland waterbodies that may have better ice conditions at present — and after cold weather returns, on Lake Champlain — caution is advised. Even on inland waters that may have over 8 inches of accumulated ice, it remains crucial to bring safety equipment, check the ice as you go, and leave vehicles on shore.

According to law, ice shanties must be removed by March 31 or sooner if ice conditions become unstable. Based on the current ice conditions, shanties should have been removed from many of Vermont’s lakes already. Anglers who have not already removed their shanties should prioritize life safety now, and recover their shanties during the next cold snap if conditions then permit.

BUSINESS

Free webinar

KeyBank’s Key4Women will present “Grit and Grace,” a free, one-hour virtual event at noon Wednesday, March 1. The webinar will kick off Women’s History Month with guest speaker, Cheryle Jackson, founder of Grit and Grace, The Movement, and current CEO of MyOwnDoctor telehealth company. For more information or to register online by Feb. 28, visit key.com/women online.

Greenest building

BURLINGTON — Vermont Green Building Network’s 11th annual Vermont’s Greenest Building Awards Competition is now open for submissions. This statewide competition recognizes exemplary residential and commercial buildings that excel in green building strategies and meet the highest standard of demonstrated energy performance. Submissions are due at 5 p.m. Friday, March 31. For more information and application materials, visit www.vtgreenbuildingnetwork.org/awards or email vermontgbn@gmail.com or telephone 802-735-2192.

Do you have an item you would like to see in Community News? A milestone? A public announcement? A short news release about something entertaining going on in your town? Simply email the information to us at news@rutland.com. Be sure to put For Community News in the subject line. (Note: We do reserve the right to edit for length.)