Get ready to do some real grumbling when the alarm clock sounds on Sunday morning. The hands of the clock officially “spring” forward at 2 a.m. this Sunday marking the beginning of daylight savings time.
 
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is reminding farmers about upcoming sales closing dates for crop insurance coverage.  Sales closing dates vary by crop, state, and county, but in Vermont, most spring-planted crops have a sales closing date of March 15 this year. The deadline for growers of nursery crops is May 1.
Federal crop insurance helps to mitigate the inherent risks farmers and ranchers face, from natural disasters to market related challenges. Information on applying is online at rma.usda.gov.
 
Middlebury Police Department is passing the word that U.S. Census Bureau field representatives are scheduled to be collecting data in Middlebury this year for a number of surveys. All Census Bureau representatives will be carrying proper identification. For anything suspicious you may call Middlebury police at 388-3191 or you can contact the Census Bureau New York Regional Office, toll-free, at 1-800-991-2520 for information and for any concerns on the legitimacy of the representative. More information on the surveys that the Census Bureau is conducting can be found at census.gov.