This story may be updated. 

Former longtime state lawmaker Dick Mazza has died, Gov. Phil Scott’s office confirmed Sunday. He was 84.

Mazza, a Democrat, spent 42 years in the Statehouse, serving briefly in the House of Representatives before joining the Senate in 1985. He resigned in April, citing health reasons.

WCAXand NBC5 both reported Mazza died Saturday.

More from Vermont Public: ‘This is Dick Mazza’s chair’: After dean of the Senate resigns, colleagues reflect on a legacy

In his letter of resignation to Scott, Mazza said it had been “the privilege of a lifetime to represent Colchester and Grand Isle County in Montpelier.”

“Each of those days I considered it an honor that Vermonters have trusted me with their stories and had faith that I would act on their behalf, regardless of party affiliation or politics,” he said.

In a statement at that time, Scott said Mazza was regarded as “the conscience of the Senate.”

On Sunday, Scott said in a statement that Mazza left a mark on everyone he met.

“In a world that has become so politically divided and full of hate, Dick Mazza stood out like a shining star – an icon of decency, hope and humor,” the governor said. “His impact will be felt for generations to come, and he will be greatly missed.”

Mazza was known as an influential powerbroker, both from the seat of government in Montpelier and the office at Dick Mazza’s General Store in Colchester. He chaired the Senate Transportation Committee and was a longtime member of the Vermont Committee on Committees, a powerful three-person panel that sorts out committee assignments for the body.

VTDigger reported in February that Mazza had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He said in his resignation letter that he was “unable to provide the quality of service and dedication I have always given to my constituents.”

“Having dedicated representation has always been one of my top priorities, and I believe the people I serve deserve someone who can provide their full attention to this critical position,” he wrote.

Scott on Tuesday appointed Andy Julow, executive director of the Lake Champlain Islands Economic Development Corporation, to fill Mazza’s vacant Senate seat for the upcoming veto session.

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When it comes to racing, Hannah Rowe favors much cooler temperatures than the sunny and warm climate of the 2024 Vermont City Marathon & Relay on Sunday morning.

Rowe is, after all, a Vermont native.

“I prefer snowy conditions,” Rowe said.

But after navigating the twice-looped, 26.2-mile course in Burlington, Rowe had no problems dealing with hotter weather. Her time and finish tell that story.

In her VCM debut for the marathon, the 2010 St. Johnsbury Academy graduate stormed to first place in the women’s open division, clipping the line at 2 hours, 46 minutes, 56 seconds. Rowe, 32, currently resides in Boston.

“It means a lot. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” Rowe said, who previously ran a two-person relay at VCM with her husband. “Vermont is always my homeland.”

When she did live in Vermont, Rowe was a star high school athlete at St. Johnsbury, located in the Northeast Kingdom. There, she was a four-time Gatorade runner of the year between cross-country running and track and field, and was on SJA’s first girls basketball state championship.

In 2017, Rowe was inducted into the Vermont Principals’ Association Hall of Fame. And last summer, Rowe was the top women’s finisher at the USATF national trail championships held in New Hampshire.

RESULTS: Click here later Sunday for full marathon and relay results

Sunday’s marathon reminded Rowe of her high school days. Stretches on the bike path brought back memories of racing at the Burlington Invitational.

“It was a really cool moment,” said Rowe, a 2014 Dartmouth College graduate.

To avoid overheating, Rowe said she executed a “conservative” race strategy. “I was definitely trying to not blow up and staying within myself,” she said.

“I knew it was going to be a PR day. That didn’t matter to me, it was just being here and being with the crowd.”

Kiplangat Terer, a Kenyan native who spends half the year in Amherst, Massachusetts, captured the men’s open division in 2:23:13. The 37-year-old said he’s won half-a-dozen marathons in his career.

Top Vermont woman overcomes heat, quick start

Joanna Fortier nearly went out too fast.

“I really wanted to push myself and I paid for it,” the 34-year-old from Richmond said.

But Fortier regrouped, motivated by family, friends and thousands of cheering spectators, to complete the 26.2-mile course and claim top prize as the first Vermont resident to finish Sunday’s marathon.

File coverage: Course record shattered at the 2023 Vermont City Marathon & Relay

Fortier completed her fourth marathon in 3:09:04.

“I had no idea,” Fortier said about being the top Vermont woman. “I would say it was very hot. I’ve never blown up so much in my life. But I wanted it. It was rough, but really the community is so special.

“Having everyone cheering you on and screaming — it’s the best feeling ever.”

Nick Orlando of South Burlington was the first Vermont man to finish on Sunday. Orlando toured the course in 2:36:53, which was good enough for 10th overall and just ahead of Ben Groleau of North Ferrisburgh by 16 seconds.

Handcyclist champion raves about Vermont City Marathon course

Devann Murphy has won the handycle division at the Boston, Chicago and New York City marathons. Nothing, though, compares to the nearby Vermont City Marathon for the native of Keeseville, New York.

“This one is home, it’s that home crowd. It’s the race that hugs you,” said Murphy, a cancer survivor.

Murphy praised the race — VCM handcyslists have competed in a half-marathon in each of the last two years for safety reasons with the double-looped course for marathoners — and the atmosphere in retaining her crown from 2023. Sunday, she recorded a performance of 57:33.

“It was a little toasty and few bumps here and there, but the crowds made up for that,” said Murphy, who has raced at VCM for the better part of a decade.

Erik Corbett also repeated on the men’s side for handcylists. The Conway, New Hampshire, resident finished in 57:16.

Contact Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

By Sarah E. Zschau

In this time of planet uncertainty, there is a movement toward re-wilding and creating spaces for habitat. Embracing this does not have to be arduous, in fact it’s easy. Want more time on the weekends for fun instead of giving up half of the weekend mowing the lawn? Then you, too, can do more by doing less. Let your yard be a host for species and you will benefit too. Let go, and our earth’s natural balance will do the rest. Here’s how.

MOW WHERE YOU GO

Look at your space and figure out the pathways that you use and any play areas. Mow there only. Get creative with pathways if your space is large enough.  Pathways through a meadow create a sense of whimsy and wonder. They can have destinations or shapes and they can change annually if you like. If you only have a tiny yard let the edges go and play with the shape of your mown area.

It is beneficial for insect species to leave wild spaces under trees, so try mowing a wide birth around a canopy. Mowing two stripes wide, about 5-6 feet will feel less claustrophobic for some. Also, if this seems like too much wildness for you, try an open fence such as a split-rail in front of your spaces and contain some of the chaos. Wildness does not have to mean out of control as these spaces can be managed.

Add some native trees, shrubs, or perennials of your choosing, if you like, or you can just wait and see what shows up, and pick and choose, removing any unwanted as they appear. You might want to mulch around new plantings with wood chips and mow around them the first couple of years until they get established, depending on size.

LET IT BE

 When these spaces are let go, what happens is that succession will begin to take place.  This means, in the first year, annual and biennial plants, such as wild daisy’s, jewel weed, fleabane and celandine, will begin to tuck themselves into spaces in the lawn.

The second year, the beautiful flowering perennials, such as asters, milkweed, Joe pye weed and goldenrod appear. I know what you’re going to say, but you are not allergic to goldenrod. It is the ragweed that blooms at the same time that becomes an allergen. Ragweed has tiny, lightweight, pollen that becomes airborne, and goldenrod’s pollen is heavy, and they do not rely on wind for dispersal; so therefore, cannot be the allergen. Goldenrods are of a huge benefit to so many pollinators.

The third year is where your brambles and saplings start to show up. These can be a nuisance but also fruitful and yummy. Perhaps leave a patch somewhere if you have the space. You can wait and see what woody saplings show up and pick and choose a few that are in choice spots, and cut around them.

ONCE A YEAR

Brush hog or weed-whack once a year, waiting at least until year two, to begin this cycle. This keeps the meadow from reforesting. This cycle will ensure perennial flowers, and remain manageable in terms of mowing. You can weed-whack if your space is small. When you do mow the wild spaces, the recommendation is to do it in the early spring, which is of benefit to many species that over winter in the foliage of last year’s growth. If that’s not possible because you are in a really wet spot, do it in late fall, after the latest blooms have gone by. This helps the bees with the late food that is so necessary.

When we allow spaces to re-wild, we let Mother Nature do her thing, and it’s amazing. We may see flowers that are new to us, or familiar as weeds. Try to look at them with fresh eyes to appreciate their beauty. All have value. We humans get the view and scent of the flowers, the insect world is in balance, the pollinators are happy, and it makes room for the natural balance of predators and prey by providing coverage for creatures to move through the landscape. This helps keep all kinds of infestations at bay, including ticks.        

FEWER TICKS

When we have wild spaces, things are more in balance, and there is less likelihood of ticks. Predators such as owls, hawks, coyotes, possums, or foxes that hunt in meadows will help keep the mice and vole problem down. This in turn will likely keep the tick population in check, as they are a major host. Roving turkeys will also lower tick populations. You are actually reducing the likelihood of ticks, by increasing the wildness of your space.

These checks and balances cannot happen on a mown lawn, as it is a lifeless wasteland. If you are still not convinced, try standing on the edge of a mown lawn and a meadow. Listen with an ear toward each. The mown lawn will be silent, devoid of activity and the meadow will be teeming with sound. Fireflies cannot survive in lawn situations, but become abundant in a meadow situation, another amazing perk.

WHY NOT?

Famed ecologist, E.O. Wilson has theorized that we could potentially save our planet by preserving half of the earth for species. On a small scale, what can we as individuals do? Why not try giving up half your lawn space, and reaping the countless rewards of re-wilding parts of your property? 

Zschau of Zone 4 Design, Moretown is a Vermont Master Naturalist and Vermont Certified Horticulturist who has been managing landscapes for over 35 years, and is still learning to let go.